HOWARD HANSON – Conducts : Barber · Piston · Griffes · Kennan · McCauley · Bergsma (Eastman-Rochester Orchestra) (1992) APE (image+.cue) lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

JULIAN "CANNONBALL" ADDERLEY — Cannonball Enroute (1958-2013) RM | MONO | Serie Jazz The Best お宝コレクション – 70 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Cannonball Adderley's Mercury albums (most of which, like this LP, are long out-of-print) find the youthful altoist trying to unsuccessfully keep his quintet with brother Nat together. Despite the powerful bop-oriented music they consistently recorded, the band would break up in a year, only to regroup with great success in 1959. This set is highlighted by romps on "A Foggy Day," "I'll Remember April" and "The Way You Look Tonight" with fine solos contributed by the two Adderleys and pianist Junior Mance. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Spontaneous Combustion (J.Adderley) - 10:07
2. Still Talkin' to Ya (J.Adderley) - 8:54
3. A Little Taste (J.Adderley) - 5:08
4. Caribbean Cutie (J.Adderley) - 7:02
5. Flamingo (Anderson-Grouya) - 7:00
6. With Apologies to Oscar (take 2) (J.Adderley-N.Adderley) - 5:45
7. Late Entry (take 3) (J.Adderley-N.Adderley) - 3:20
8. Bohemia After Dark (take 2) (Pettiford) - 6:08
9. With Apologies to Oscar (take 4) (J.Adderley-N.Adderley) - 5:47
10. A Little Taste (take 3) (J.Adderley) - 5:19
11. Bohemia After Dark (take 3) (Pettiford) - 5:49
Credits :
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley - Alto Saxophone
Nat Adderley - Cornet
Hank Jones (#1-5,10), Horace Silver (#6-9,11) - Piano
Paul Chambers - Bass
Kenny Clarke - Drums
Donald Byrd - Trumpet (#6-11)
Jerome Richardson (#6-11) - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

DINAH WASHINGTON ! BROOK BENTON — The Two of Us (1959-1995) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Wonderful duets between Brook Benton (v) and Washington, plus solo cuts by both from 1960. Ron Wynn

Tracklist :
1    Dinah Washington–    There Goes My Heart 3:29
Written-By – Abner Silver, Benny Davis
2    Brook Benton–    Call Me 2:36
Written-By – Belford C. Hendricks, Clyde Otis
3    Brook Benton & Dinah Washington–    Baby (You've Got What It Takes) 2:43
Written-By – Brook Benton, Clyde Otis, Murray Stein
4    Dinah Washington–    Love Walked In 2:08
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
5    Brook Benton–    Not One Step Behind 2:22
Written-By – Brook Benton, Chris Towns
6    Brook Benton & Dinah Washington–    A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love) 2:25
Written-By – Brook Benton, Clyde Otis, Luchi DeJesus
7    Brook Benton–    Someone To Believe In 2:36
Written-By – Bobby Stevenson, Brook Benton, Clyde Otis
8    Dinah Washington–    This I Promise You 2:36
Written-By – Clyde Otis, Vincent Corso
9    Brook Benton & Dinah Washington–    I Do 2:21
Written-By – Ben Raleigh, Don Wolf
10    Brook Benton–    Because Of Everything 2:25
Written-By – Belford C. Hendricks, Clyde Otis
11    Dinah Washington–    Again 3:22
Written-By – Dorcas Cochran, Lionel Newman
12    Brook Benton & Dinah Washington–    I Believe 3:21
Written-By – Al Stillman, Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl
- BONUS TRACKS -    
13    Dinah Washington–    Nothing In The World 3:14
Written By – Brook Benton
Written-By – Belford C. Hendricks, Clyde Otis
14    Dinah Washington–    While We're Young 2:23
Written-By – Alec Wilder, Morty Palitz, Bill Engvick
15    Dinah Washington–    Looking Back 2:25
Written-By – Belford C. Hendricks, Brook Benton, Clyde Otis
16    Dinah Washington–    We Have Love 2:24
Written-By – Alfonso Higgins, Dinah Washington
17    Dinah Washington–    Early Every Morning 2:18
Written-By – Belford C. Hendricks, Clyde Otis
18    Dinah Washington–    Love Walked In 2:13
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
19    Brook Benton–    Someone To Believe In 2:13
Written-By – Bobby Stevenson, Brook Benton, Clyde Otis
Credits :
Arranged By – Belford Hendricks (pistas: 1 to 4, 6 to 9, 11 to 19), Fred Norman (pistas: 5, 10)
Conductor – Belford Hendricks (pistas: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19), Fred Norman (pistas: 16, 17)
Directed By [Recording] – Clyde Otis
Orchestra – Fred Norman Orchestra (pistas: 5, 10, 16, 17), Nat Goodman Orchestra (pistas: 1, 4, 18)
Producer – Clyde Otis
Vocals – Brook Benton (pistas: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 19), Dinah Washington (pistas: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 to 18)

SHIRLEY HORN — Loads of Love + Shirley Horn with Horns (1990) Serie PolyGram Jazz Vocal Classics | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Two of pianist/vocalist Shirley Horn's rarest (and earliest) recordings are reissued in full on this single CD. Actually, Horn does not play piano at all, sticking exclusively to vocals, and she had less control over the interpretations (being persuaded to sing some songs at faster-than-usual tempos) than she would later on. The arrangements for the big bands that back Horn were written by Jimmy Jones and Quincy Jones and, although the overall music is enjoyable, Horn would have much preferred to be the pianist behind her own vocals. Since she would only record two other albums during the next 15 years (sticking to playing locally in the Washington, D.C., area while raising her daughter), this CD gives one a valuable look at the early Shirley Horn; her distinctive vocal style was already nearly fully formed. Scott Yanow
Loads Of Love
1 Wild Is Love 1:29
Written-By – Wayne, Rasch
2 Loads Of Love 2:24
Written-By – Richard Rodgers
3 My Future Just Passed 2:40
Written-By – Marion, Jr., Whiting
4 There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York 2:41
Written-By – Ira & George Gershwin
5 Ten Cents A Dance 3:49
Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
6 Only The Lonely 3:05
Written-By – Cahn/Van Heusen
7 The Second Time Around 3:12
Written-By – Van Heusen/Cahn
8 Do It Again 2:56
Written-By – DeSilva, Gershwin
9 It's Love 2:01
Written-By – Comden/Green, Bernstein
10 That's No Joke 2:37
Written-By – Bailey
11 Love For Sale 3:50
Written-By – Porter
12 Who Am I 2:49
Written-By – Stone, Bullock
Shirley Horn With Horns
13 On The Street Where You Live 2:15
Written-By – Lerner/Lowe
14 The Great City 2:02
Written-By – Lewis
15 That Old Black Magic 2:34
Written-By – Mercer/Arlen
16 Mack The Knife 3:01
Written-By – Brecht, Weill, Blitzstein
17 Come Dance With Me 2:13
Written-By – Van Heusen/Cahn
18 Let Me Love You 3:04
Written-By – Howard
19 After You've Gone 2:59
Written-By – Creamer, Layton
20 Wouldn't It Be Loverly 3:42
Written-By – Lerner/Lowe
21 Go Away Little Boy 3:26
Written-By – Goffin/King
22 I'm In The Mood For Love 2:47
Written-By – McHugh/Fields
23 The Good Life 3:11
Written-By – Reardon, Distel
24 Wee Small Hours 3:20
Written-By – Hilliard, Mann
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Jimmy Jones (tracks: 1 to 12)
Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan (tracks: 1 to 12)
Bass – Milt Hinton (tracks: 1 to 12)
Drums – Osie Johnson (tracks: 1 to 12)
Guitar – Kenny Burrell (tracks: 1 to 12)
Piano – Bobby Scott (tracks: 13, 16, 18, 20), Hank Jones (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 10, 12), Jimmy Jones (tracks: 7, 11, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 to 24)
Producer, Conductor – Quincy Jones (tracks: 13 to 24)
Saxophone – Al Cohn (tracks: 1 to 12)
Saxophone, Flute – Frank Wess (tracks: 1 to 12), Jerome Richardson (tracks: 1 to 12)
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland (tracks: 13 to 24)
Trumpet – Ernie Royal (tracks: 1 to 12), Joe Newman (tracks: 1 to 12)
Violin – Gene Orloff (tracks: 1 to 12)
Vocals – Shirley Horn

DIZZY GILLESPIE – Something Old, Something New (1963) lp | 24bits-96Hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Reissued on CD in 1998, this was one of Dizzy Gillespie's finest sessions of the 1960s. His quintet (which includes James Moody on tenor, flute and alto, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Chris White and drummer Rudy Collins) sounds quite inspired. The "Something Old" portion of the set is the main reason to acquire it, since it consists of rapid versions of "Bebop" and "Dizzy Atmosphere," a memorable rendition of "Good Bait" and a definitive medley of "I Can't Get Started" and "'Round Midnight." The "New" part of the release consists of four then-recent pieces (three by Tom McIntosh), best known of which is "Cup Bearers." The CD reissue adds a brief "Early Mornin' Blues" to the program. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
 1 Bebop 6:17
Dizzy Gillespie
2 Good Bait 3:03
Count Basie / Tadd Dameron
 3 Medley: I Can't Get Started/Round Midnight 6:23
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
 4 Dizzy Atmosphere 6:12
Dizzy Gillespie
 5 November Afternoon 4:19
Tom McIntosh
 6 This Lovely Feeling  4:19
Margo Guryan / Arif Mardin
 7 The Day After 4:33
Tom McIntosh
 8 Cup Bearers 6:11  
Tom McIntosh
 9 Early Mornin' Blues 2:55
Dizzy Gillespie
Credits :
Bass – Chris White 
Drums – Rudy Collins
Flute, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – James Moody
Piano – Kenny Barron
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie

LENNIE TRISTANO TRIO - The Complete Lennie Tristano | SERIE : The Essential Keynote Collection 2 (1987) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The earliest of these 19 sides, dating from 1946, capture Lennie Tristano at age 27, newly arrived in New York and beginning to carve a place for himself in the embryonic bebop scene. Playing with Billy Bauer on guitar and bassist Clyde Lombardi, Tristano shows off a mix of youthful verse and pianistic elegance, coupled with effortless, seamless invention, matched by Bauer's crisp, economical, yet quietly flamboyant guitar. Other, later sides included here, from the following year, capture Tristano and company moving into more dissonant and experimental territory, challenging the listeners without ever losing them as he ranges across unexpected tonalities. It's all glorious listening, and don't be put off by the multiple takes of all but three compositions here because no two are alike enough to make it seem like you've been there before. Bruce Eder
Tracklist :
1     Out on a Limb (Take 1) 2:38
Lennie Tristano
2     Out on a Limb (Take 2) 2:51
Lennie Tristano
3     Out on a Limb (Take 3) 2:41
Lennie Tristano
4     I Can't Get Started (Take 1) 2:58
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
5     I Can't Get Started (Take 2) 2:55
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
6     I Surrender, Dear (Take 1) 2:34
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford
7     I Surrender, Dear (Take 2) 2:20
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford
8     I Surrender, Dear (Take 3) 3:06
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford
9     Untitled Blues 3:48
Lennie Tristano
10     Interlude (Take 1) 3:56
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
11     Interlude (Take 2) 2:32
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
12     Interlude (Take 3) 3:00
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
13     Interlude (Take 4) 2:56
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli    
14     Interlude (Take 5) 1:42
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
15     Interlude (Take 6) 3:02
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
16     Blue Boy 2:48
Lennie Tristano
17     Atonement 2:30
Lennie Tristano
18     Coolin' off With Ulanov (Take 1) 2:49
Lennie Tristano
19     Coolin' off With Ulanov (Take 2) 2:30
Lennie Tristano
Credits :
Bass – Bob Leininger (tracks: 16 to 19), Clyde Lombardi (tracks: 1 to 15)
Guitar – Billy Bauer
Piano – Lennie Tristano

ROLAND KIRK - "Rahsaan" The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk (1990) 11xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's nearly one-dozen long-players on the Mercury Records family of labels -- including the Smash and Limelight subsidiaries -- are gathered on this massive ten-disc compilation. Actually, it is 11 discs if you count the surprise bonus CD. Additionally, Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk lives up to its name by augmenting those albums with more than two-dozen previously unissued sides. Kirk's thoroughly innovative multi-instrumental reed work caught the attention of legendary producer Quincy Jones, then the vice-president of Mercury Records, who signed Kirk and would later arrange and conduct orchestrations for several of his memorable sessions. Perhaps the most recognizable among them is "Soul Bossa Nova" which is heavily featured in the Austin Powers franchise. Kirk's ability to perform several reed instruments -- including the tenor, flute, clarinet, manzello, and stritch -- simultaneously allowed him a musical autonomy few instrumentalists are afforded. His youthful embrace of the R&B, soul, pop, and eventually rock genres produced swinging interpretations of "And I Love Her" and "Walk on By," among others. Regardless of the genre, however, Kirk's ability to Swing -- with a capitol "S" -- is imprinted upon every piece he performed. Although Kirk continued his prolific output on Atlantic records in the late '60s and '70s, arguably his most profound sides are included here. We Free Kings, Domino, Reeds and Deeds, Gifts and Messages, I Talk with the Spirits and Rip, Rig & Panic are offered in their entirety. Undoubtedly the centerpiece of Kirk's work for the label is the live Kirk in Copenhagen, which features some wicked harp blowing from blues legend "Sonny Boy" Williamson, aka Big Skol. It is only fitting that this album benefits so greatly from inclusion on this set. The original six sides have been supplemented with an additional ten to present the entire October '63 performance, now complete at an hour and 45 minutes. Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings if Roland Kirk is complimented visually with a 56-page information packed booklet that includes: complete discographical and recording session logs, as well individual essays for each disc. Although not for the light of funds, this is truly the best way to become immersed in these early works of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Lindsay Planer
All Tracks & Credits

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK - We Free Kings (1961-1990) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

We Free Kings, Roland Kirk's third long-player, is among the most consistent of his early efforts. The assembled quartet provides an ample balance of bop and soul compliments to Kirk's decidedly individual polyphonic performance style. His inimitable writing and arranging techniques develop into some great originals, as well as personalize the chosen cover tunes. With a nod to the contemporary performance style of John Coltrane, as well as a measure of his influences -- most notably Clifford Brown and Sidney Bechet -- Kirk maneuvers into and out of some inspiring situations. His decidedly 'Trane-esque solos on "My Delight" are supported with a high degree of flexibility by one-time Charles Mingus' pianist Richard Wyands and Dizzy Gillespie percussionist Charlie Persip. The album's title track is a Kirk original, based on the melody of the Christmas hymn "We Three Kings." Incorporating recognizable melodies into Kirk's oft times unorthodox musical settings would prove to be a motif throughout his career. An example is the highly touted cover of Charlie Parker's "Blues for Alice." This is an ideal avenue for the quartet to explore one of Kirk's specialties -- the blues. The almost irreverent manner in which he fuses blues and soul music into the otherwise bop-driven arrangements is striking. "A Sack Full of Soul" is a funky number with a walking-blues backbeat that perfectly supports Kirk's swinging solos. The stop time syncopation is reminiscent of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." The 1987 CD version also includes an alternate take of "Blues for Alice." One additional track -- a cover of the Frank Loesser standard "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" -- was also recorded at these sessions and remained unissued until its inclusion on the ten-disc Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk box set. Lindsay Planer  

Tracklist  
1 Three For The Festival 3:07
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2 Moon Song 4:20
Written-By – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
3 A Sack Full Of Soul 4:37
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
4 The Haunted Melody 3:37
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
5 Blues For Alice (Alt. Take) 5:11
Written-By – Charlie Parker
6 Blues For Alice (Master Take) 4:06
Written-By – Charlie Parker
7 We Free Kings 4:44
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
8 You Dit It, You Did It 2:27
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
9 Some Kind Of Love 6:09
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
10 My Delight 4:28
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Credits
Bass – Art Davis (tracks: 3 to 6, 10), Wendell Marshall (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 9)
Composed By – Roland Kirk (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 7 to 10)
Drums – Charlie Persip
Flute – Roland Kirk
Piano – Hank Jones (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 9), Richard Wyands (tracks: 3 to 6, 10)
Saxophone [Manzello, Stritch] – Roland Kirk
Siren – Roland Kirk
Tenor Saxophone – Roland Kirk

ROLAND KIRK - Kirk In Copenhagen (1963-2004) RM | Serie : LP Reproduction | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In addition to being Roland Kirk's first live long-player, the breakthrough Kirk in Copenhagen was his fifth in a little over two years during his particularly prolific relationship with Mercury Records. On this 1964 release, Kirk heads up a truly integrated quintet featuring the multi-reedsmith (tenor sax, flute, manzello, strich, nose flute, and siren) as well as Tete Montoliu (piano) from Spain, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) from Denmark, and a pair of Yanks in Don Moore (bass) and J.C. Moses (drums). The dementedly humorous blues workout on "The Monkey Thing" features a character by the name of Big Skol (mouth harp) -- whose true identity is none other than Sonny Boy Williamson. It is presumed that contractual or other potentially litigious circumstances prevented the blues legend from being properly credited at the time of this LP's initial release. Although somewhat ragtag in derivation, the combo quickly finds its sonic niche. The opener, "Narrow Bolero," audibly suffers from a rhythmically disoriented Moses, whose sloppy skins and decidedly uneven timing are brutally evident on occasion. Thankfully, he quickly smartens up and his contributions -- especially to "Cabin in the Sky" -- are both engaging and active in their solidification of the rhythm section. Nowhere is Moses more in control than the set's brilliant conclusion, "On the Corner of King and Scott Streets." The band commences and concludes with an open throttle as it blazes through the high-velocity and densely intricate jam, the bottom of which falls out, providing Kirk plenty of space to improvise wildly, utilizing his clever wit and immensely expressive musicality. The ten-CD Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk box set from 1990 embellishes the half-dozen performances included on this album with an additional ten sides. Ultimately, this yields over an hour and 45 minutes of primal live Kirk, and is considered by many enthusiasts as worthy of the nominal investment needed to acquire the otherwise essential and definitively comprehensive compilation. Kirk in Copenhagen was reissued on CD as part of Verve's classic reissue program in a limited edition with beautifully remastered sound in a digipack replica of the original LP sleeve. There is no bonus material on this reissue. Lindsay Planer  
Tracklist :
1     Narrow Bolero 5'23
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2     Mingus-Griff Song 8'07
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
3     The Monkey Thing 5'43
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
4     Mood Indigo 7'17
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
5     Cabin in the Sky 7'46
Vernon Duke / John Latouche
6     On the Corner of King and Scott Streets 4'12
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Credits :
Bass – Don Moore, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – J.C. Moses
Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Piano – Tete Montoliu
Producer – Quincy Jones
Tenor Saxophone, Idiophone [Manzello, Stritch], Flute, Siren, By – Roland Kirk

ROLAND KIRK - Slightly Latin (1965-1997) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Walk on By 2:32
Burt Bacharach / Hal David
2     Raouf 3:03
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
3     It's All in the Game 5:14
Charles G. Dawes / Carl Sigman
4     Juarez 5:22
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
5     Shaky Money 2:36
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
6     Nothing But the Truth 3:33
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
7     Safari 4:26     
Eddie Mathias
8     And I Love Her 2:53
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
9     Ebrauqs 8:16
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Credits :
Arranged By [Vocals] – Coleridge Perkinson
Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Saxophone [Manzello, Strich] – Roland Kirk
Bass – Edward Mathias
Congas – Montego Joe
Drums – Gerald Brown
Flugelhorn – Martin Banks
Percussion – Manuel Ramos
Piano, Celesta [Celeste] – Horace Parlan
Trombone, Harp [Nagoya Harp], Arranged By – Garnett Brown
Trumpet – Virgil Jones

ART FARMER | BENNY GOLSON JAZZTET - Here and Now (1962-2002) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Jazztet had been in existence for two years when they recorded what would be their final LPs, Here and Now and Another Git Together. The personnel, other than the two co-leaders, flugelhornist Art Farmer and tenor-saxophonist Benny Golson, had completely changed since 1960 but the group sound was the same. The 1962 version of the Jazztet included trombonist Grachan Moncur III, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Roy McCurdy. It is remarkable to think that this talent-filled group wasn't, for some reason, snapped up to record even more albums together. Highlights of their excellent out-of-print LP include Ray Bryant's "Tonk," "Whisper Not," "Just in Time," and Thelonious Monk's "Ruby My Dear." A classic if short-lived hard bop group. [This is the original issue and does not include bonus tracks.] Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Tonk 6'52
Ray Bryant
2     Rue Prevail 4'27
Art Farmer
3     Richie's Dilemma 5'14
Harold Mabern
4     Whisper Not 5'23
Benny Golson
5     Just in Time 5'27
Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne
6     Ruby, My Dear 5'14
Thelonious Monk
7     In Love in Vain 7'17
Jerome Kern / Leo Robin
8     Sonny's Back 4'04
Grachan Moncur III
Credits :
Bass – Herbie Lewis
Drums – Roy McCurdy
Flugelhorn – Art Farmer (pistas: 1, 2, 4 to 7)
Piano – Harold Mabern
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Art Farmer (pistas: 3, 8)

HELEN MERRILL - Dream of You (1956-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 One thing that set Helen Merrill apart from other '50s jazz singers was her acutely dramatic vocal style. Her earnest phrasing, elongated notes, and incandescent tone might even strike the contemporary listener as qualities more appropriate for the Broadway stage than a jazz club. On 1955's Dream of You, though, Merrill found reconciliation, sounding both melodramatic and swinging within Gil Evans' darkly spacious, yet economical arrangements. Suitably, torchy ballads are prominent. On the somewhat grandiose side there's "Where Flamingos Fly" and "I'm a Fool to Want You," which find Merrill in a pensive mood amidst a variety of tempo and timbre shifts. More subdued ground is covered on "I've Never Seen" and "He Was Too Good to Me." Briskly swinging numbers like "People Will Say We're in Love," "By Myself," and "You're Lucky to Me" balance the program and feature the demure, yet fluid delivery Merrill favored on fast numbers. What is most impressive on this date is a group of sultry, medium tempo numbers including "Anyplace I Lay My Hat Is Home," "Just a Lucky So and So," and in particular "A New Town Is a Blue Town." The programmatic quality of Merrill's coyly sensual voice and Evans' slightly askew, bubbling reeds and languid rhythm conjure up dramatic, balmy southern scenes á la Tennessee Williams. In the picturesque arrangements one also hears the seeds of Evans' own future collaborations with Miles Davis. Even though her collaborations with Clifford Brown and others are great recordings, this one with Gil Evans shows off more of Merrill's expressive vocal talents, due in no small part to the sympathetic and urbane arrangements. Stephen Cook   
Tracklist:
1 People Will Say We're In Love 2:34
Written-By – O. Hammerstein II, R. Rodgers
2 By Myself 3:23
Written-By – A. Schwartz, H. Dietz
3 Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home 4:10
Written-By – Arlen, Mercer
4 I've Never Seen 3:30
Written-By – Marcotte, D. Cochran
5 He Was Too Good To Me 3:01
Written-By – L. Hart, R. Rodgers
6 A New Town Is A Blue Town 3:09
Written-By – J. Ross, R. Adler
7 You're Lucky To Me 3:26
Written-By – A. Razaf, E. Blake
8 Where Flamingos Fly 2:44
Written-By – E. Thea, H. Courlander, J. Brooks
9 Dream Of You 2:54
Written-By – S. Oliver
10 I'm A Fool To Want You 4:07
Written-By – F. Sinatra, J. Wolf, J. S. Harron
11 I'm Just A Lucky So And So 3:08
Written-By – D. Ellington, M. David
12 Troubled Waters 3:14
Written-By – A. Johnston, S. Coslow
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – John Laporta (tracks: 3, 6, 8, 11)
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Jerome Richardson (tracks: 3, 6, 8, 11)
Arranged By, Conductor – Gil Evans (tracks: 1 to 12)
Bass – Oscar Pettiford (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9)
Bass Saxophone – Danny Banks (tracks: 3, 6, 8, 11)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – John Laporta (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9)
Drums – Joe Morello (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9)
Guitar – Barry Galbraith (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Piano – Hank Jones (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9), Joe Bennett (tracks: 3, 6, 8, 11)
Trumpet – Art Farmer (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9), Louis Mucci (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 9)
Vocals – Helen Merrill

LAURA FYGI - The Lady Wants to Know (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Singer Laura Fygi is in excellent form on this set of bossa novas. Due to the sweetening of a string section and some safe arrangements, the music is quite accessible, if not too challenging. Fygi's voice is lovely and she could excel in a much more sparse setting in the future if given the opportunity. She is ably assisted by a variety of guests, including appearances by Toots Thielemans, Clark Terry, and singer Michael Franks; the latter contributed two songs and shares a vocal duet with Fygi on "Tell Me All About It." An enjoyable listen. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) 4:04
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gene Lees
2 It Might As Well Be Spring (From 'State Fair') 4:52
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Harmonica – Jean 'Toots' Thielemans
Written-By – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein
3 Dindi 4:14
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Louis Oliveira, Ray Gilbert
4 The Lady Wants To Know 4:56
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Ferdinand Povel
Written-By – Michael Franks
5 Triste 4:00
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
6 If You Went Away 4:30
Trombone – Bart Van Lier
Written-By – Marcos Valle, Ray Gilbert
7 You Do Something To Me 4:01
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Trumpet – Clark Terry
Written-By – Cole Porter
8 Each And Everyone 3:14
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Ben Watt, Tracey Thorn
9 Something About Him 3:52
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Jurre Haanstra, Pamela Phillips Oland
10 How Insensitive (Insensatez) 3:35
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel, Vinicius De Moraes
11 Disse Alguém (All Of Me) 4:22
Trumpet – Clark Terry
Written-By – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons
12 Tell Me All About It (Duet With Michael Franks) 4:16
Written-By – Michael Franks
13 Oh Telephone 2:50
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Guitar, Whistle – Jean 'Toots' Thielemans
Written-By – Renaldo Boscoli, Roberto Menescal
14 Sabor A Mi 3:26
Written-By – Alvaro Carrillo, Mel Mitchell
15 Baubles, Bangles And Beads (From 'Kismet') 2:47
Written-By – George Forrest, Robert Wright*
16 Till There Was You 2:47
Guitar – Leonardo Amuedo
Written-By – Meredith Willson

LAURA FYGI - Watch What Happens When Laura Fygi Meets Michel Legrand (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Watch What Happens, Laura Fygi tackles the songbook of Michel Legrand with the assistance of Legrand himself. The composer arranged and conducted the lush, lavish music and duetted with Fygion "Et Si Demain," but Laura remains the center of attention and her sypathetic, pretty interpretations of Legrand's songs is what makes Watch What Happens an enchanting album. by Rodney Batdorf
Tracklist
1 Where's The Love 2:21
2 The First Time 4:10
3 You Had To Be There 3:33
4 The Summer Knows 4:36
5 Watch What Happens 3:22
6 Et Si Demain 3:07
7 The Windmills Of Your Mind 4:03
8 I Will Wait For You 2:46
9 Once Upon A Summertime 3:36
10 What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life 3:45
11 How Do You Keep The Music Playing 3:32
12 Summer Me, Winter Me 3:55
13 The Way He Makes Me Feel 4:13
14 Ask Yourself Why 3:49
15 Rachel 3:29
Credits
Bass – Chris Laurence
Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor – Michel Legrand
Concertmaster – Michael Davis
Drums – Harold Fisher
Grand Piano – Louis van Dijk

MORGANA KING - Sings The Blues [1956] Mercury / FLAC

Track Listing
1 More Than You Know 4:04
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans
 2 Frankie and Johnnie 2:42
Traditional
 3 Mean to Me 3:26
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
 4 When Your Lover Has Gone 3:16
Einar A. Swan
 5 Something to Remember You By 3:46  
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
 6 I See Two Lovers  3:57
Mort Dixon / Allie Wrubel
7 Body and Soul 4:08
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
 8 Mad About the Boy 3:29
Noël Coward
 9 It's Only a Paper Moon 2:50
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Billy Rose
 10 Bill 2:50
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern / P.G. Wodehouse
 11 Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man 3:56
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
 12 Why Was I Born? 3:56
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
 Credits
Bass – Ernie Furtado
Drums – Ralph Pollack
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
Piano – Harvey Leonard
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Terry Gibbs
Notes
Recorded December 1955, January 1956.
Originally ℗ 1956
Comes in a Mini LP Replica sleeve with OBI & insert.

MORGANA KING - Sings The Blues 

[1956] Mercury / FLAC

O Púbis da Rosa