CLEO LAINE with THE DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA — Solitude (1995) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Rather than being guests, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have lent their names to the Duke Ellington Orchestra, giving them considerable control over the session; while Mercer Ellington is listed as leader, the conductor and principal arranger is Dankworth. One unfortunate result of this arrangement is that some of the offerings are "based on variations or adaptations" of the original Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn compositions. Thus, "Chelsea Bridge" comes out "September Rain," and "Take the 'A' Train" is "Cleo's 'A' Train." Neither come off well -- and the latter title is presumptuous. "We're Rockin' in Rhythm" has its moments, especially Dankworth's clarinet solo in the style of Jimmy Hamilton. The best "variation" is "Love Call," based on "Creole Love Call." Laine's version in no way replaces the 1927 Adelaide Hall recording with Ellington, but her voice is well-suited to this early Duke classic. The dubbing of Ellington's piano on "Solitude" (through the wonders of technology) is just grotesque. Fortunately, Laine and Dankworth stick to the real thing for most of the cuts, putting their interpretative imprimatur on Ellington and/or Strayhorn masterpieces. Laine's reading of "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" is one the better renderings of this tune. She seems to have an affection for this song, having recorded it at least twice before. "All Too Soon," with Barry Lee Hall's trumpet and Shelley Paul's tenor playing behind Laine, is another highlight of this session. As long as Laine and Dankworth stick to the Ellington musical script, this album is a welcome addition to the "...With the Duke Ellington Orchestra" catalog. Dave Nathan

Tracklist :
1 Don't Get Around Much Anymore 5:12
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell 
2 Sophisticated Lady 5:52
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish 
3 I'm Beginning to See the Light 3:05
Duke Ellington / Don George / Johnny Hodges / Harry James 
4 All Too Soon 4:19
Duke Ellington / Carl Sigman 
5 Take My Loves 3:12
John Dankworth / Duke Ellington / William Shakespeare / Billy Strayhorn 
6 I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 6:14
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster 
7 Love Call 5:25
Duke Ellington / Lorraine Feather 
8 Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care to Know) 4:09
Mack David / Duke Ellington 
9 Solitude 4:21
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills 
Duke Ellington - Piano
10 Reflections 5:04
Duke Ellington / Milt Raskin 
11 We're Rockin' in Rhythm 3:18
Harry Carney / Duke Ellington / Lorraine Feather / Irving Mills 
12 Come Sunday 3:35
Duke Ellington 
13 September Rain 3:45
Lorraine Feather / Billy Strayhorn 
14 Cleo's 'A' Train (Incorporating "Take the 'A' Train") 6:38
John Dankworth / Cleo Laine / Billy Strayhorn 
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Charlie Young, Patience Higgins (tracks: 1, 2, 4)
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Mark Gross (tracks: 3, 7, 9, 11, 14)
Baritone Saxophone – Jay Brandford (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14)
Bass – Hassan Ash-Shakur
Bass Trombone – Raymond Harris 
Clarinet – Charlie Young (tracks: 9, 14)
Conductor, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – John Dankworth
Directed By [Led By] – Mercer Ellington
Drums – Quinten "Rocky" White
Flugelhorn – Barry Lee Hall (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13)
Flute – Charlie Young (tracks: 1 to 8, 10 to 13), Jay Brandford (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 11), Shelley C. Paul (tracks: 1 to 8, 10 to 13)
Guitar – Stephen Fox (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14)
Piano – Duke Ellington (tracks: 9), Thomas "T.J." James
Tenor Saxophone – Shelley C. Paul
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Zane Paul Zacharoff (tracks: 9, 14)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Zane Zacharoff (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 11)
Trombone – Art Baron, Bradley Shigeta (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14), Gregory Royal (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14)
Trumpet – Barrie Lee Hall (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14), Barry Lee Hall (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13), John Longo (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14), Ron Tooley (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14), Tony Barrero (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 14)
Vocals – Cleo Laine 

JOHN PIZZARELLI — P.S. Mr. Cole (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Just as when we listen to Harry Connick, Jr., there's a sense that John Pizzarelli is an old soul who is living back in the 1940s and '50s golden age of music and that listeners are time-traveling with him. But that just bears testament to the timeless nature of his easy vocals, lush and often snappy electric guitar work and the loving way he embraces classic material. P.S. Mr. Cole, the follow-up to Dear Mr. Cole is as, pardon the expression, unforgettable as his first tribute to the grace and panache of Nat King Cole. Just as with his recent tribute to the Beatles, Pizzarelli is just fine on the soft, sparse ballads but saves his most interesting interpretations for swinging trio arrangements. Because this is the sequel, the tunes aren't all household hums, and that makes this even more interesting. "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" swings gently along, breaks for a colorful guitar-piano duet (with Ray Kennedy), then speeds up towards the dramatic conclusion. "Welcome to the Club," whose lyric marvelously chronicles the shared experience of being a fool in love, opens with the singer scatting over a buoyant rhythm section (cleverly belying the melancholy nature of the theme). Other titles he adds his unique flair to are "The Late Late Show," "Tenderly," and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" (which could have perhaps been done with a little more wryness). Recently Pizzarelli declared that he's not intimidated putting his own originals alongside classics, and his tribute tune, "That's Nat," is one of the most adventurous pieces here. Perhaps Pizzarelli should do a few duets next time with Natalie Cole. That would be unforgettable, too. Jonathan Widran
Tracklist :
1. Walkin' My Baby Back Home 2:30
 Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
2. Candy 5:33
 Mack David / Alex Kramer / Joan Whitney
3. Welcome To The Club 3:21
 Noel Sherman / Dick Wolf
4. Indiana 3:23
 James F. Hanley / Ballard MacDonald
5. I Love You For Sentimental Reasons 2:52
 William "Pat" Best / Deek Watson
6. Don't Let It Go To Your Head 2:23
 Henry Hadamik / Frank LaVere / Bob Nast
7. Meet Me At No Special Place 3:19
 Henry Pyle / J. Russel Robinson / Arthur Terker
8. The Late Late Show 3:06
 Roy Alfred / Murray Berlin
9. Smile 3:52
 Charlie Chaplin / Geoffrey Parsons / John Turner
10. Tenderly 4:16
 Walter Gross / Jack Lawrence
11. I Was A Little Too Lonely 3:27
 Redd Evans / Jay Livingston
12. I'm An Errand Boy For Rhythm 3:34
 Nat King Cole
13. Then I'll Be Tired Of You 4:02
 E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Arthur Schwartz
14. That's Nat 3:04
 John Pizzarelli
15. Azure-Te 3:51
 Bill Davis / Don Wolf
16. I Know That You Know 3:43
 Anne Caldwell / Vincent Youmans
17. Embraceable You 3:28
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
18. I Like Jersey Best 7:17
Credits :
John Pizzarelli - Guitar, Vocals
Ray Kennedy - Piano
Martin Pizzarelli - Bass
Guest: Harry Allen - Tenor Sax (tracks: 6, 13)