REGINA CARTER — Motor City Moments (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Two years after her stunning debut on Verve, violinist Regina Carter offers listeners her exceptional string virtuosity on ten great songs inspired by her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Motor City Moments features a stellar collection of songs written by some of the best musicians from Detroit including Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Thad Jones, and Milt Jackson. Regina Carter applies her pure skill, pizzicato, and arco passages to "Don't Mess With Mr. T" and "Higher Ground" with impeccable tuning and multiple approaches. Her string virtuosity on Milt Jackson's "For Someone I Love," is a masterful performance backed adeptly by Mayra Casales on percussion and spotlights a brilliant piano solo by Werner "Vana" Gierig. Two originals, "Forever February" and "Up South," which was co-written with guitarist Russell Malone, provide an interesting contrast of the artist's use of reflective temperament and folk-ornamented cadences. Each song also emphasizes Carter's adept techniques with melodic phrasing and song forms. Accompanied by her touring band of Darryl Hall on bass, Alvester Garnett on drums, percussionist Mayra Casales, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and flugelhorn, James Carter on bass clarinet and tenor sax, Barry Harris on piano, Lewis Nash, as well as several special guests, Regina Carter has rapidly become one of the most exciting and original violinists to arrive on the jazz scene. Paula Edelstein
Tracklist :
1    Don't Git Sassy 5:17
Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – James Carter
Trumpet – Marcus Belgrave
Written-By – Thad Jones
2    Don't Mess With Mr. T 6:18
Drums – Lewis Nash
Written-By – Marvin Gaye
3    For Someone I Love 5:52
Arranged By – Regina Carter
Written-By – Milt Jackson
4    Forever February 3:49
Written-By – Regina Carter
5    Higher Ground 6:56
Written-By – Stevie Wonder
6    Love Theme From Spartacus 6:24
Bass Clarinet – James Carter
Flugelhorn – Marcus Belgrave
Written-By – Alex North
7    Prey Loot 3:47
Drums – Lewis Nash
Piano – Barry Harris
Written-By – Lucky Thompson
8    Fukai Aijo 4:56
Written-By, Piano – Barry Harris
9    Chattanooga Choo Choo 3:50
Guitar – Russell Malone
Whistle [Train Whistle] – Regina Carter
Written-By – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
10    Up South 3:36
Written-By – Regina Carter
Written-By, Guitar – Russell Malone
Credits :
Arranged By – John Clayton (tracks: 1, 2, 6, 9)
Bass [The Band] – Darryl Hall (tracks: 1 to 7, 9)
Drums [The Band] – Alvester Garnett (tracks: 1, 4 to 6)
Percussion [The Band] – Mayra Casales (tracks: 2, 3, 5)
Piano [The Band] – Werner "Vana" Gierig (tracks: 1 to 6, 9)
Violin – Regina Carter

STANLEY JORDAN — Friends (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Stanley Jordan's innovative touch technique, often played in a solo setting at the beginning of his career in the mid-'80s, was a breath of fresh air. He has since been an explorer open to many styles, as heard on this collaboration with a number of different musicians. He is still very much a force as a soloist, yet not one to hog the spotlight with his formidable abilities. Jordan is joined by Kenny Garrett (on soprano sax), trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Kenwood Dennard for his blazing post-bop anthem "Capital J." The same lineup is used for the mellow contemporary ballad "Bathed in Light" with Dennard overdubbing on keyboard; the robust solos and crisp ensemble work keep things from degrading into run-of-the-mill smooth jazz. Jordan collaborates with several different guitarists. Octogenarian Bucky Pizzarelli, a master of seven-string guitar who is equally capable playing lead and rhythm, is on hand for a gently swinging, bluesy "Lil' Darlin'," while Russell Malone joins the leader and Pizzarelli for an explosive take of "Seven Come Eleven" (a tune Pizzarelli doubtlessly played many times during his time with Benny Goodman). Mike Stern accompanies Jordan for a brisk workout of "Giant Steps," with Dennard sticking to soft brushwork. Guitarist Charlie Hunter is on hand for Jordan's funky "Walkin' the Dog" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," the latter in which the leader plays piano with one hand and guitar with the other. Perhaps the most unusual track is an adaptation of the "Romantic Intermezzo" from Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, with Jordan playing piano (his first instrument) accompanied by the brilliant violinist Regina Carter, demonstrating Jordan's love for a good melody regardless of the style of music. Jazz fans who have lost track of Stanley Jordan since his early solo recordings will have their ears opened by this diverse, successful meeting with his many friends. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    Capital J    6:40
 Stanley Jordan
2    Walkin' The Dog    6:12
 Stanley Jordan
3    Lil' Darlin'    5:43
 Neal Hefti
4    Giant Steps    4:33
 John Coltrane
5    I Kissed A Girl    5:46
 Cathy Dennis / Dr. Luke / Max Martin / Katy Perry
6    Samba Delight    5:30
 Stanley Jordan
7    Seven Come Eleven    5:33
 Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman
8    Bathed In Light    7:49
 Stanley Jordan
9    Romantic Intermezzo From Bartok's Concerto For Orchestra    8:33
 Béla Bartók
10    Reverie    3:59
 Claude Debussy
11    One For Milton    4:08
 Kenwood Dennard / Stanley Jordan / Russell Malone
Credits :
Contrabass – Charnett Moffett (tracks: 5,6,10), Christian McBride (tracks: 1,8)
Drums – Kenwood Dennard (tracks: 1 to 8,10,11)
Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli (tracks: 3,6), Charlie Hunter (tracks: 2,5), Mike Stern (tracks: 4), Russell Malone (tracks: 6,11), Stanley Jordan
Piano – Stanley Jordan (tracks: 5,9)
Soprano Saxophone – Kenny Garrett (tracks: 1,8), Ronnie Laws (tracks: 7)
Trumpet – Nicholas Payton (tracks: 1,8)
Violin – Regina Carter (tracks: 7,9)

CASSANDRA WILSON — Traveling Miles (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A tribute album by Cassandra Wilson to Miles Davis seems like a very logical idea, but this CD is actually less than one would expect. Wilson's deep voice gives a downbeat feel to the music, her lyrics for such Davis-associated songs as "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down," "Seven Steps to Heaven," "ESP," "Tutu," and "Blue in Green" are forgettable, and her interpretations smooth down most of the melodies, robbing them of their personality. Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" fare better, but most of the set (which includes three unrelated originals) is as boring as Cassandra Wilson's voice. Despite the presence of some notable all-stars (including Steve Coleman, Stefon Harris, Regina Carter, and Pat Metheny), this is a misfire. Scott Yanow

Tracklist :

1. Run the Voodoo Down – 4:36 

(Miles Davis, Cassandra Wilson) 

2. Traveling Miles – 4:52

(Wilson) 

3. Right Here Right Now – 5:57

(Marvin Sewell, Wilson)

4. Time After Time – 4:08

(Rob Hyman, Cyndi Lauper)

5. When The Sun Goes Down – 6:05

(Wilson)

6. Seven Steps" – 6:44

(Victor Feldman, Davis) 

7. Someday My Prince Will Come – 3:53

(Frank Churchill, Larry Morey) 

8. Never Broken – 5:13

 (Wayne Shorter, Wilson)

9. Resurrection Blues (Tutu) – 6:11 

(Marcus Miller, Wilson) 

10. Sky & Sea (Blue in Green) – 5:24 

 (Davis, Wilson) 

11. Piper – 5:03

 (Wilson) 

12. Voodoo Reprise – 4:15.

(Davis, Wilson, Angelique Kidjo)

Credits :

Cassandra Wilson – vocals, acoustic guitar

Doug Wamble – acoustic guitar

Eric Lewis – piano

Jeffrey Haynes, Kevin Breit – acoustic, electric, resophonic & e-bow guitars, electric mandolin, mandocello, bazouki

Lonnie Plaxico – acoustic bass

Marcus Baylor – drums, percussion

Marvin Sewell – acoustic, classical & electric guitars, bazouki

Mino Cinelu – percussion

Perry Wilson – drums

Vincent Henry – harmonica

Dave Holland – bass

Olu Dara – cornet

Steve Coleman – alto sax

Pat Metheny – classical guitar

Angelique Kidjo – vocals

Regina Carter – violin

Stefon Harris – vibraphone