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 

STEFON HARRIS | JACKY TERRASSON — Kindred (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

JACKY TERRASSON — A Paris ... (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jacky Terrasson's 1999 album, What It Is, represented something of a risk. The young pianist's first three albums were barebones trio affairs that had won him rave reviews, whereas What It Is featured additional instruments and was more slickly produced. Gone, it seemed, was the sparse, acoustic approach that had originally given Terrasson his fame. But while this new direction yielded mixed results and left some fans a bit befuddled, one had to respect Terrasson's need to grow and evolve as an artist.Terrasson does much better with his follow-up, A Paris, an homage to the city of his youth and early adulthood. While not a return to the simple piano trio format (there are five guest musicians in addition to two alternating rhythm sections), the album has a spontaneous, natural sound that was lacking from the studio-centric What It Is. What's more, A Paris is packed with new and varied ideas that work, not to mention passionate, fiery playing throughout.Only the last two tracks are originals, the fewest ever on a Terrasson album. "Rue de Lombards," a funk fragment that sounds like an in-studio improvisation, is credited to Terrasson, drummer Terreon Gully, and bassist Remi Vignolo. The rest of the tracks are Terrasson's highly personal readings of songs from French culture. Most will not be familiar to American listeners, with the possible exception of "La Marseillaise" -- the French national anthem -- and the Edith Piaf classic "La Vie en Rose," played in a calypso feel by Terrasson and percussionist Minino Gara.Guitarist Bireli Lagrene's cameos on the bluesy title track and the swinging "Que Reste-T'Il de Nos Amours?" are nothing short of brilliant. The latter, which bears an uncanny likeness to Lerner & Loewe's "Almost Like Being in Love," features Terrasson on Fender Rhodes electric piano. Saxophonist Stefano di Battista also makes two fine appearances, playing tenor on the fast, tense "Jeux Interdits" and soprano on the lively and pretty "L'Aigle Noir," one of the two originals. Both Lagrene and Battista return for the brief, full-company finale, an intoxicating funk line by Terrasson titled "Métro."
Another highlight is Terrasson resuscitating his funk version of Cole Porter's "I Love Paris," the only song by an American writer and the very one that led off Terrasson's 1994 debut album. Bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker, Terrasson's trio mates from his first three albums, both return to play on the Porter track, as well as the opening Piaf number "Plaisir d'Amour" and an exquisite reading of Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas." The latter briefly features Gregoire Maret on harmonica, who played on What It Is. Several rather short pieces are grouped right around the middle of the album, giving that part of the program a collage-like feel that can seem a bit superficial. That aside, Terrasson has pulled off something rare: a concept album that succeeds on a variety of creative levels. In the process, he's given exposure to several excellent European musicians, not to mention some beautiful French music that American audiences ought to hear. David R. Adler  
Tracklist :
1 Plaisir d'Amour 3:10
Public Domain / Traditional 
2 Les Chemins de l'Amour 4:24
Francis Poulenc 
3 Jeux Interdits 6:27
N. Yepes / Narciso Yepes 
4 A Paris 8:52
Francis Lemarque 
5 I Love Paris in the Springtime 3:10
Cole Porter 
6 Que Reste-T'il de Nos Amours? 4:20
Charles Trénet 
7 Ne Me Quitte Pas 4:43
Jacques Brel 
8 La Vie en Rose 3:11
Guglielmi Luis Guglielmo 
9 Nantes 2:00
10 La Marseillaise 3:16
11 Rue des Lombards 1:08
Terreon Gully / Jacky Terrasson / Rémi Vignolo 
12 L' Aigle Noir 3:22
Barbara 
13 I Love You More 6:22
Jacky Terrasson 
14 Métro 1:31
Jacky Terrasson 
Credits 
Bass – Rémi Vignolo, Ugonna Okegwo
Drums – Leon Parker, Terreon Gully
Guitar – Bireli Lagrene
Harmonica – Grégoire Maret
Marimba – Stefon Harris
Percussion – Minino Garay
Piano, Producer – Jacky Terrasson
Saxophone – Stefano di Battista