KEN PEPLOWSKI QUARTET - Memories of You (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless)

Ken Peplowski is among the top clarinetists and tenor saxophonists of his generation. After a long, fruitful period recording as a leader for Concord, Peplowski started getting a number of offers to record for overseas labels. He alternates between the two instruments during these 2006 sessions, well accompanied by pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi (long Marian McPartland's bassist of choice), and drummer Jeff Brillinger, all veterans like the leader. Peplowski's lush tenor in the first interpretation of "Memories of You" recalls Ben Webster with his soft, breathy vibrato and lyrical style. He also caresses Roland Kirk's infrequently heard ballad "Bright Moments" and renders an elegant "Dream Dancing" as well. On clarinet, Peplowski's magical treatment of "In a Sentimental Mood" (backed solely by bass at first) suggests a bird's song. The cream of the crop is his warm interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom." This set is perfect for late-night listening. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1    Memories Of You    5:36
2    I'll Be Seeing You    3:53
3    Bright Moments    5:11
4    In A Sentimental Mood    6:55
5    Dream Dancing    8:24
6    Last Night When We Were Young    4:46
7    It Might As Well Be Spring    7:53
8    Lotus Blossom    5:10
9    But Not For Me    7:36
10    Poor Butterfly    6:31
11    Memories Of You Il    6:52
Credits:
Bass – Gary Mazzaroppi
Clarinet – Ken Peplowski
Drums – Jeff Brillinger
Piano – Ted Rosenthal
Tenor Saxophone – Ken Peplowski

 

ERROLL GARNER - Long Ago and Far Away (1951-1987) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These sides from 1950-51 were the first Garner recorded for Columbia, and like the later Body And Soul reissue from the same label, this disc includes a sophisticated and highly enjoyable program of classic standards. In his inimitable keyboard style -­ a seamless mixture of swing's bounce, pianist Art Tatum's mammoth facility, and some of bebop's mercurial twists -­ Garner glides through fine ballad readings of "Spring Is Here" and "Long Ago and Far Away," as well as compact, medium to fast tempo swingers like "When You're Smiling" and "Lover." Garner's burgeoning knack for abstract song preludes are plentiful too, with his two minute (half the song's length) impressionistic reworking of the chords to "My Heart Stood Still" standing out in particular. Extending the process further, Garner plays cat and mouse with the chords over the entirety of both "It Could Happen to You" and "Laura," creating spectral -- some might say overly florid -- interpretations in the process. The pianist's soft, almost strumming touch endeared him to a millions of fans in the late '40s and early '50s, and made the complex improvisational embellishments almost seem like part of the original composition. A great disc for newcomers and fans alike ­- nicely remastered, too. by Stephen Cook 
Tracklist:
1 When Johnny Comes Marching Home 3:22
Patrick S. Gilmore / Louis Lambert / Traditional
2 It Could Happen to You 3:44
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
3 I Don't Know Why 3:26
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
4 My Heart Stood Still 4:16
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5 When You're Smiling 3:44
Mark Fisher / Joe Goodwin / Larry Shay
6 Long Ago (And Far Away) 2:37
Ira Gershwin / Jerome Kern
7 Poor Butterfly 3:06
John Golden / Raymond Hubbell
8 Spring Is Here 2:24
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
9 The Petite Waltz 2:35
Phyllis Claire / Duke Ellington / Joe Heyne
10 The Petite Waltz Bounce 3:11
Phyllis Claire / Duke Ellington / Joe Heyne
11 Lover 3:10
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
12 How High the Moon 3:23
Nancy Hamilton / Morgan Lewis
13 People Will Say We're in Love 3:50
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
14 Laura 2:43
Johnny Mercer / David Raksin
15 I Cover the Waterfront 3:38
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
16 Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone) 2:55
Val Burton / Will Jason
Credits:
Erroll Garner - Piano
John Simmons - Bass, String Bass
Shadow Wilson - Drums

BIX BEIDERBECKE - The Classic Years of Bix Beiderbecke (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Rhythm King 3:19
2. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Riverboat Shuffle 3:08
3. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - There'll Come A Time 2:52
4. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Jazz Me Blues 3:01
5. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang At The Jazz Band Ball 2:50
6. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Take Your Tomorrow 2:59
7. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - I'm Coming Virginia 3:10
8. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - I Like That 2:58
9. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Wa-Da-Da 3:00
10. The Wolverine Orchestra - Copenhagen 2:28
11. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Royal Garden Blues 3:00
12. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Goose Pimples 3:14
13. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Since My Best Girl Turned Me Down 3:03
14. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Ostrich Walk 3:06
15. Bix Beiderbecke And His Gang - Sorry 2:52
16. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Crying All Day 3:02
17. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Way Down Yonder In New Orleans 2:50
18. Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Clarinet Marmalade 3:14

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN - Celestial Express (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Definitive's mini-anthology of classic recordings featuring pioneer electrically amplified guitarist Charlie Christian is an excellent core sample taken from his brief and eventful career. Note that Definitive has also issued what purport to be compilations containing all of Christian's complete live and studio recordings, as well as another more modestly proportioned sampler entitled The Genius of the Electric Guitar. Charlie Christian was like a will-o'-the-wisp, a strikingly creative sideman who appeared at studio sessions and live jams during a span of months only adding up to a couple of years before succumbing to tuberculosis at the age of 25 in 1942. On Definitive's Celestial Express, the guitarist is heard with various groups led by Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman, with Edmond Hall's Celeste Quartet, and with the Kansas City Six (a band including Count Basie and Lester Young) at the second From Spirituals to Swing concert in Carnegie Hall. Christian accompanies sweet vocalist Eddy Howard (who sounded a bit like Gene Austin); jams out with a quartet including bassist Oscar Pettiford at the Harlem Breakfast Club in Minneapolis, MN; cooks with a sextet while waiting for Benny Goodman to show up and lead a studio recording session; and improvises freely in the wild and woolly atmosphere of Minton's Playhouse, an after-hours joint favored by young musicians seeking a loose and friendly environment suitable for collective artistic exploration. It's a fine taste of great music from a time when music was evolving as rapidly as all of the other arts near middle of the maelstrom of the 20th century. by arwulf arwulf  
 

DUKE ELLINGTON / CHARLES MINGUS / MAX ROACH - Money Jungle (1962-2002) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Duke Ellington surprised the jazz world in 1962 with his historic trio session featuring Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Not in a mood to simply rework older compositions, the bulk of the LP focused on music he wrote specifically for the session. "Money Jungle" is a thunderous opener, a blues that might be classified somewhere between post-bop and avant-garde. The gem of the date is the fragile, somewhat haunting ballad "Fleurette Africaine," where Mingus' floating bassline and Roach's understated drumming add to the mystique of an Ellington work that has slowly been gathering steam among jazz musicians as a piece worth exploring more often. "Very Special" is a jaunty upbeat blues, while the angular, descending line of "Wig Wise" also proves to be quite catchy. Ellington also revisits "Warm Valley" (a lovely ballad indelibly associated with Johnny Hodges) and an almost meditative "Solitude." Thunderous percussion and wild basslines complement a wilder-than-usual approach to "Caravan." Every jazz fan should own a copy of this sensational recording session. by Ken Dryden
 Tracklist:

1 Money Jungle 5:27

2 Fleurette Africaine 3:33

3 Very Special 4:23

4 Warm Valley 3:31

5 Wig Wise 3:17

6 Caravan 4:11

Written-By – D. Ellington, J. Tizol

7 Solitude 5:31

Written-By – D. Ellington, E. De Lange

8 Switch Blade 5:21

9 A Little Max (Parfait) 2:57

10 REM Blues 4:15

11 Backward Country Boy Blues 6:30

12 Solitude - Alternate Take 4:42

Written-By – D. Ellington, E. De Lange

13 Switch Blade - Alternate Take 5:11

14 A Little Max (Parfait) - Alternate Take 2:56

15 REM Blues - Alternate Take 5:44

Credits:

Bass – Charles Mingus

Drums – Max Roach

Piano – Duke Ellington

Written-By – Duke Ellington (tracks: 1 to 5, 8 to 11, 13 to 15)

Notas

Recorded at Sound Makers, New York City on September 17, 1962.

Expanded edition of "Money Jungle".

Tracks 1 to 7 originally issued as United Artists UAS 15017.

Tracks 13 and 15 previously unreleased.

FATS WALLER AND HIS RHYTHM - Breakin' the Ice : The Early Years, Part 1 (1934-1935) 2CD / RM (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This two-CD set has the first 42 recordings of Fats Waller with his Rhythm. The brilliant stride pianist/vocalist/ composer/personality became very popular due to these 1934-35 recordings which feature either Herman Autrey or Bill Coleman on trumpet, Gene Sedric, Ben Whitted, Mezz Mezzrow or Rudy Powell on reeds, guitarist Al Casey and a rhythm section. All of Waller's Victor recordings have been reissued on CD and this two-fer (which includes such memorable numbers as "A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid," "Serenade for a Wealthy Widow," "How Can You Face Me," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Believe It, Beloved," "I Ain't Got Nobody," "Oh Suzannah Dust Off That Old Pianna" and "You've Been Taking Lessons in Love") is a perfect place to start. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1:
1 A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid 3:19
2 I Wish I Were Twins 2:38
3 Armful O' Sweetness 3:00
4 Do Me a Favor 3:08
5 Georgia May 2:35
6 Then I'll Be Tired of You 3:08
7 Don't Let It Bother You 2:48
8 Have a Little Dream on Me 2:43
9 Serenade For a Wealthy Widow [Instrumental] 2:35
10 How Can You Face Me? 2:44
11 Sweetie Pie 3:03
12 Mandy 2:29
13 Let's Pretend There's a Moon 3:26
14 You're Not the Only Oyster in the Stew 3:10
15 Honeysuckle Rose 2:36
16 Believe It, Beloved 2:39
17 Dream Man (Make Me Dream Some More) 2:57
18 I'm Growing Fonder of You 3:17
19 If It Isn't Love 2:53
20 Breakin' the Ice 3:14
21 I'm a Hundred Percent For You 3:04
22 I'm a Hundred Percent For You [Instrumental]
Tracklist 2:
1 Baby Brown 3:10
2 Baby Brown [Instrumental] 2:31
3 Night Wind 3:20
4 Because of Once Upon a Time 3:11
5 I Believe in Miracles 2:52
6 You Fit Into the Picture 2:27
7 Louisiana Fairy Tale 3:26
8 I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me) 2:47
9 I Ain't Got Nobody [Instrumental] 2:49
10 Whose Honey Are You 2:35
11 Whose Honey Are You [Instrumental] 3:05
12 Rosetta 2:57
13 Rosetta [Instrumental] 2:46
14 Pardon My Love 3:04
15 What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You) 2:48
16 What's the Reason [Instrumental] 2:47
17 Cinders 2:57
18 Dust Off That Old Pianna, (Oh Suzannah) 2:32
19 Lulu's Back in Town 2:35
20 Sweet and Slow 3:29
21 You've Been Taking Lessons in Love (From Somebody New) 3:05
22 You're the Cutest One 3:21

FATS WALLER AND HIS RHYTHM - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down : The Early Years, Part 2 (1935-1936) 2CD /RM (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second in a series of five CD packages that reissue all of Fats Waller's Victor recordings with his Rhythm, this two-CD set traces the pianist/composer/ vocalist/personality's career during a nine-month period. Among the sidemen are trumpeter Herman Autrey and either Rudy Powell or Gene Sedric on reeds; highlights include the hit version of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," a rambunctious "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "Truckin '," "Got a Bran' New Suit" and four performances from a big-band session. All of the Waller Victor recordings are full of joy and infectious swing. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1:
1 I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 3:29
2 Hate To Talk About Myself 2:39
3 Dinah 3:06
4 Take It Easy 3:10
5 You're The Picture 3:36
6 My Very Good Friend The Milkman 3:30
7 Blue Because Of You 2:54
8 There's Going To Be The Devil To Pay 2:26
9 Twelfth Street Rag 2:47
10 There'll Be Some Changes Made 3:06
11 Somebody Stole My Gal 3:27
12 Sweet Sue - Just You (Take 1) 2:52
13 Sweet Sue - Just You (Take 2) 2:54
14 Truckin' 3:18
15 Sugar Blues 2:48
16 As Long As The World Goes Round And Round 3:03
17 Georgia Rockin' Chair 2:42
18 Brother Seek And Ye Shall Find 2:48
19 The Girl I Left Behind Me 3:12
20 You're So Darn Charming 2:42
Celesta – Fats Waller
21 Woe! Is Me 2:55
22 Rhythm And Romance 3:12
Tracklist 2:
1 Loafin' Time 2:27
2 A Sweet Beginning Like This 2:49
3 Got A Bran' New Suit 2:34
4 I'm On A See-Saw 3:00
5 Thief In The Night 2:50
6 When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful 3:38
7 I've Got My Fingers Crossed 2:37
8 Spreadin' Rhythm Around 2:41
9 A Little Bit Independent 2:54
10 You Stayed Away Too Long 3:10
11 Sweet Thing 3:21
12 Fat And Greasy (Take 1) 3:09
13 Fat And Greasy (Take 2) 3:07
14 Functionizin' (Instrumental) 3:08
15 I Got Rhythm 3:08
16 The Panic Is On 3:15
17 Sugar Rose 3:09
18 Oooh! Look-a There Ain't She Pretty? 2:32
19 Moon Rose 2:53
20 West Wind 3:33
21 That Never-To-Be-Forgotten Night 3:12
22 Sing An Old Fashioned Song (To A Young Sophisticated Lady) 3:21
23 Garbo Green 2:59
Credits:
Bass – Charles Turner
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Rudy Powell (tracks: 1-1 to 2-5)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Gene Sedric (tracks: 2-6 to 2-23)
Drums – Arnold Boling (tracks: 1-3 to 2-5), Harry Dial (tracks: 1-1 to 1-2), Yank Porter (tracks: 2-6 to 2-23)
Guitar – Al Casey (tracks: 1-1, 1-2), James Smith (tracks: 1-3 to 2-23)
Piano – Fats Waller
Trumpet – Herman Autrey
Vocals – Fats Waller (tracks: 1-1 to 2-13, 2-15 to 2-23)

FATS WALLER AND HIS RHYTHM - Fractious Fingering : The Early Years, Part 3 (1936) 2CD / RM (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the release of this two-CD set in 1997, it became possible for the first time ever to easily acquire all of pianist/composer/vocalist Fats Waller's Rhythm recordings of 1934-43. They are available in their entirety on three double-disc and three triple-disc sets, 15 discs in all. The 41 selections on this set feature Waller with trumpeter Herman Autrey, Gene Sedric on clarinet and tenor, guitarist Al Casey, bassist Charles Turner and either Yank Porter or Slick Jones on drums. The rarest performance ("Stay") has Elizabeth Handy (W.C.'s daughter) joining Fats for a duet vocal, and there are also five alternate takes (all previously released) of various tunes. This hard-swinging music is quite enjoyable (especially in small doses), with the most memorable selections including "All My Life," "Christopher Columbus" (with its hilarious lyrics), "Black Raspberry Jam," "Fractious Fingering," two run-throughs on "The Curse of an Aching Heart," the jubilant "Floatin' Down to Cotton Town," and two classic versions of "Swingin' Them Jingle Bells." This music is impossible not to like, and, as is always true of Fats Waller, it is touched with genius. by Scott Yanow  
Tracklist 1:
1 All Of My Life 2:44
2 Christopher Columbus (A Rhythm Cocktail) 2:50
3 Cross Patch 3:26
4 It's No Fun 2:45
5 Cabin In The Sky 3:24
6 Us On A Bus 2:38
7 Stay 2:54
Vocals – Elizabeth Handy
8 It's A Sin To Lie 2:54
9 The More I Know You 2:19
10 You're Not The Kind 3:04
Celesta – Fats Waller
11 Why Do I Lie To Myself About You? 2:50
12 Let's Sing Again 2:17
13 Big Chief De Sota 2:51
14 Black Raspberry Jam (Instrumental) 2:36
15 Bach Up To Me (Instrumental) 2:37
16 Fractious Fingering (Instrumental) 2:39
17 Paswonky (Instrumental) 2:32
18 Lounging At The Waldorf (Instrumental) 2:55
19 Latch On (Instrumental) 3:03
20 I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby (And My Baby's Crazy 'bout Me) 2:16
21 I Just Made Up With That Old Girl Of Mine 2:50
Tracklist 2:
1 (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along 3:22
2 There Goes My Attraction 2:11
3 The Curse Of An Aching Heart (Take 1) 2:28
4 The Curse Of An Aching Heart (Take 2) 2:25
5 Bye Bye, Baby 2:18
6 S'posin' 2:50
7 Copper Colored Gal 2:51
8 I'm At The Mercy Of Love 3:02
9 Floatin' Down To Cotton Town 2:18
10 La-De-De La-De-Da 2:58
11 Hallelujah! Things Look Rosy Now 2:40
12 Hallelujah! Things Look Rosy Now (Instrumental) 2:37
13 'Tain't Good (Like A Nickel Made Of Wood) 2:19
14 'Tain't Good (Like A Nickel Made Of Wood) (Instrumental) 2:17
15 Swingin' Them Jingle Bells 2:55
16 Swingin' Them Jingle Bells (Instrumental) 2:55
17 A Thousand Dreams Of You 2:52
18 A Thousand Dreams Of You (Instrumental) 2:55
19 A Rhyme For Love 2:40
20 I Adore You 2:46
Credits:
Bass – Charles Turner
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Gene Sedric
Drums – Slick Jones (tracks: 1-20 to 2-20), Yank Porter (tracks: 1-1 to 1-19)
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Fats Waller
Trumpet – Herman Autrey
Vocals – Fats Waller (tracks: 1-1 to 1-13, 1-20 to 2-11, 2-13, 2-15, 2-17, 2-19, 2-20)

MILDRED BAILEY - Sings "Me and the Blues" (1957-2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Mildred Bailey was quite popular for a time, being married to vibraphonist Red Norvo; the couple was referred to as "Mr. & Mrs. Swing." After their divorce, the swinging vocalist continued to record until diabetes sidelined her not long before her premature death in 1951. This Savoy CD compilation gathers recordings that she made with the Eddie Sauter Orchestra and the Ellis Larkins Orchestra, along with a small group date with a rhythm section led by Larkins. Bailey's sweet voice and clear enunciation give her a little girl quality at times. Her moving take of Mel Tormé's "Born to be Blue" and softly swinging "Lover, Come Back to Me" are among the highlights. The first CD issued in 1992 had a miserly playing time of just over 31 minutes, though a 2000 reissue added four more tracks. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1 In Love In Vain 3:05
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Leo Robin
2 It's A Woman's Prerogative 2:56
Written-By – Harold Arlen - Johnny Mercer
3 I'll Close My Eyes 3:03
Written-By – Billy Reid, Buddy Kaye
4 Me And The Blues 3:05
Written-By – Harry Warren, Ted Koehler
5 At Sundown 3:20
Written-By – Walter Donaldson
6 Lover, Come Back To Me 3:10
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
7 Born To Be Blue 2:51
Written-By – Mel Tormé, Robert Wells  
8 You Started Something 3:00
Written-By – E.Y. Harburg, Jay Gorney
9 Can't We Be Friends 3:05
Written-By – Kay Swift, Paul James 
10 All That Glitters Is Not Gold 3:07
Written-By – A. Asherman, E. Asherman, L. Kuhn
Bonus Tracks Not On Original LP Or CD Release
11 Almost Like Being In Love 3:05
Written-By – Frederick Loewe - Alan Lerner
12 The Heather On The Hill 3:11
Written-By – Frederick Loewe - Alan Lerner
13 Gone On That Guy 3:16
Written-By – Unknown Artist
14 Don't Worry 'Bout Strangers 3:00
Written-By – P. Moore
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor [Directing] – Eddie Sauter (tracks: 1, 2, 10)
Bass – Al Hall (tracks: 1, 2, 10), Beverley Peer (tracks: 7 to 9, 13, 14)
Bass, Arranged By [Musical] – Bob Haggert (tracks: 3 to 6)
Clarinet – Hank D'Amico (tracks: 3 to 6)
Drums – Gordon "Specs" Powell (tracks: 1, 2, 10), Jimmy Crawford (tracks: 3 to 6)
Guitar – Barry Galbraith (tracks: 3 to 9, 13, 14)
Orchestra – The Ted Dales Orchestra (tracks: 1, 2, 10), The Ellis Larkins Orchestra (tracks: 3 to 6), Ellis Larkins Trio (tracks: 7 to 9, 13, 14), The Julian C. Work Orchestra (tracks: 11, 12)
Piano – Ellis Larkins (tracks: 1 to 10, 13, 14)
Trombone – Henderson Chambers (tracks: 3 to 6)
Trumpet – Irving "Mouse" Randolph (tracks: 3 to 6)

GEORGE VAN EPS & HOWARD ALDEN - Keepin' Time (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Guitarists George Van Eps (a veteran of the 1930's) and Howard Alden (36 at the time of this recording) had made three prior CD's before cutting a fine quartet date with bassist Michael Moore and drummer Jake Hanna. The two guitarists can easily be told apart for Van Eps (the inventor of the seven-string guitar) plays some of the most beautiful chords in the world while Alden often contributes single-note solos. Highlights of the disc include Alden's two renditions of Van Eps songs ("The Chant" and "Kay's Fantasy"), Van Eps' two features and such swing standards as "Blue Skies," "How High The Moon," "I Cover The Waterfront" and a duet rendition of "More Than You Know." All of the music is quite relaxed (with nothing over a slow-medium pace) but has plenty of inner fire. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
    1.   Blue Skies - 4:28
    2.   Satin Doll - 6:30
    3.   It Had to Be You - 6:46
    4.   Body and Soul - 5:03
    5.   How High the Moon - 5:24
    6.   Honeysuckle Rose - 2:16
    7.   I Cover the Waterfront - 5:26
    8.   The Chant  performed - 2:26
    9.   Willow Weep for Me - 5:27
    10.   Kay's Fantasy - 4:05
    11.   More Than You Know - 5:25
    12.   I Got Rhythm - 4:22
Credits:
Howard Alden  -  Guitar
Jake Hanna  -  Drums
Michael Moore  -  Bass
George Van Eps  -  Guitar

BIRÉLI LAGRÈNE - Routes to Django (1981-2006) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bireli Lagrene's debut on record is extraordinary in a couple of ways. He sounds like an exact duplicate of Django Reinhardt (no easy feat), an accomplishment that is more shocking when one realizes that he was 13 at the time. Already a virtuoso with complete control of his guitar, Lagrene (who like Reinhardt came from a gypsy family) romps through the swing-oriented set with a variety of lesser-known European musicians, including two rhythm guitars, bass, occasional piano, vibes, trumpet, and violin. Performances of such tunes as "All of Me," "I've Found a New Baby," and "My Melancholy Baby" are guaranteed to fool even experts on blindfold tests. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1 Fiso Place 3:44
2 Bireli Swing 1979 5:50
3 All of Me 3:55
4 Tschirglo Waltz 1:57
5 Latches 3:36
6 I've Found a New Baby 4:05
7 My Melancholy Baby 4:19
8 Bluma 3:50
9 Bireli Blues 1979 3:35
10 Wave 3:49
11 Don't Worry 'Bout Me 5:22
12 Boxer Boogie 3:30
13 Mirage 4:15
Credits:
Double Bass – Jan Jankeje
Guitar – Biréli Lagrène, Gaiti Lagrène, Tschirglo Loeffler
Piano – Joerg Reiter (tracks: 2,12)
Vibraphone – Wolfgang Lackerschmid (tracks: 5)
Violin – Schmitto Kling

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1387 (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

From July 26, 1952 to December 12, 1953, Count Basie continued to record for Norman Granz's Clef label, variously utilizing a quintet, sextet, nonet, and 16-piece big band. Released in 2005, this volume in the Classics Chronological Series documents all of the issued studio titles from this time period, neatly omitting no less than 15 Birdland radio broadcasts so as to focus upon the Count's protean adventures within the intimate confines of recording studios in New York and Los Angeles. Basie's excellent instrumentalists include trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Henry Coker, reedmen Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Paul Quinichette, Marshall Royal, Ernie Wilkins, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Charlie Fowlkes. This album also features guest appearances by Oscar Peterson (he and Basie take turns playing organ and piano), vocalist Al Hibbler, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Buddy Rich. arwulf arwulf

ERROLL GARNER - Concert by the Sea (1955) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Concert by the Sea is certainly one of the biggest albums in jazz history, selling over 225,000 copies in the first year after its 1956 release and turning into such a steady seller over the next few years, it reportedly brought Columbia Records a million dollars by 1958 -- a nice sum at any time but astronomical in the late '50s. It should've turned Erroll Garner into a full-fledged superstar and, in a way, it did, because it was a reliable catalog item and earned him plenty of fans, including Johnny Carson, who frequently invited the pianist onto The Tonight Show. Instead, Concert by the Sea turned into a pinnacle, with Garner and manager Martha Glaser sliding into contractual battles with Columbia that hampered his long-term growth. Glaser is the one who had the idea to turn the tapes of Garner's September 19, 1955 concert at the Sunset School in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California into a full-fledged album, taking tapes that may have otherwise wound up as a bootleg and turning them over to Columbia. The label whittled the 19-song concert into an 11-track single LP -- Columbia/Legacy's 2015 The Complete Concert by the Sea restores the entirety of the concert over the course of two CDs, adding the original LP as a third -- and, by doing so, they wound up distilling Garner's joyous appeal. Supported by bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Denzil Best, Garner seems at home skipping and swinging through a collection of bop and big-band standards, tunes that offer showcases for his sly skill of remaining melodic even when departing from the melody. Garner's playing is so robust and easy to enjoy that his flashier flourishes, such as the cloistered chords that call up "Caravan," almost seem camouflaged, but there are also subtler signatures, like how he slyly emphasizes staccato left-hand rhythms as much as the melody on "They Can't Take That Away from Me." These are distinctions that appear on close listening but the wonderful thing about Concert by the Sea is how it's so infectious and open-hearted, it almost defies inspection: it's the kind of warm, inviting music that seems born from joy and can't help but engender bliss in the listener. [The 2015 expansion offers simply more of a good thing: the rest of the concert is every bit as good as the selections that made the official LP.] by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist:
1 I'll Remember April 4:14
Gene DePaul / Pat Johnston / Patricia Johnston / Don Raye
2 Teach Me Tonight 3:37
Sammy Cahn / Gene DePaul
3 Mambo Carmel 3:43
Erroll Garner
4 Autumn Leaves 6:27
Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert
5 It's All Right with Me 3:21
Cole Porter
6 Red Top 3:11
Lionel Hampton / Ben Kynard
7 April in Paris 4:47
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
8 They Can't Take That Away from Me 4:08
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
9 How Could You Do a Thing Like That to Me 3:59
Tyree Glenn / Allan Roberts
10 Where or When 3:06
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11 Erroll's Theme 0:46
Erroll Garner
Credits:
Bass – Eddie Calhoun
Drums – Denzil Best
Piano – Erroll Garner

 ERROLL GARNER - Concert by the Sea (1955) 

(1969) COLUMBIA / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless 

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TEDDY WILSON - Stomping At The Savoy [1969] Black Lion / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Strange as it seems, Teddy Wilson only made one record as a leader during 1960-66. His playing had not declined in the slightest, but the veteran swing pianist's style was overlooked in favor of newer players, and although still a household name in the jazz world, he was somewhat neglected. In 1967, with this excellent CD and its companion, Air Mail Special, Wilson returned to a more regular recording schedule. Recorded in London, this studio session finds Wilson joined by some fine English musicians (including clarinetist Dave Shepherd and vibraphonist Ronnie Gleaves) for a spirited runthrough of swing standards. Although the date on the CD says 1969, it is definitely 1967.  by Scott Yanow 
Tracklist:
1 Stompin' at the Savoy 4:16
Benny Goodman / Andy Razaf / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb 
2 Moonglow 4:30
Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills 
3 As Time Goes By 2:26
Herman Hupfeld 
4 Honeysuckle Rose 4:01
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller 
5 Flying Home 4:35
Benny Goodman / Lionel Hampton / Sydney Robin 
6 I Can't Get Started 2:21
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin 
7 Sometimes I'm Happy 4:00
Irving Caesar / Clifford Grey / Vincent Youmans 
8 Body and Soul 4:33
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour 
9 I'll Never Be the Same 7:36
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli 
10 Easy Living 3:07
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin 
11 On Green Dolphin Street 2:10
Bronislaw Kaper / Ned Washington 
12 Honeysuckle Rose 4:04
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
Credits 
Bass – Peter Chapman
Clarinet – Dave Shepherd
Drums – Johnny Richardson
Piano – Teddy Wilson
Vibraphone – Ronnie Gleaves

 TEDDY WILSON - Stomping At The Savoy [1969] 

[1999] Black Lion / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless  

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NEW YORK VOICES - A Day Like This [2007] MCG / FLAC

With ensemble vocal jazz, the danger is always that tight and complex harmony writing will come across as too smooth and too sweet -- for some reason, chords that sound sharp and bracing when distributed among reed instruments can sound cloying and overly slick when sung by human voices. The vocal/instrumental quartet New York Voices don't avoid that trap entirely on their latest album (and their first as an ensemble in seven years), but they continue to demonstrate their mastery of the genre with a solid program of new and old songs and innovative arrangements. Their take on "Darn That Dream" is startlingly new (and features a fine bass clarinet solo by Bob Mintzer), and the lyrics that group members added to John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" work very nicely. Not everyone will agree that the world needed a vocal jazz version of Laura Nyro's "Stoned Soul Picnic," but the New York Voices' version is really lots of fun and is sure to bring a nostalgic tear to more than one baby-boomer eye. Apart from a couple of saccharine moments on "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," A Day Like This is a pleasure from start to finish. by Rick Anderson   
Tracklist
1   Darn That Dream 3:31
Eddie DeLange 
2   The World Keeps You Waiting 6:08
Peter Eldridge / Lauren Kinhan 
3   In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 5:30
Bob Hilliard 
4   On a Clear Day 5:02
Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner 
5   For All We Know 4:02
J. Fred Coots 
6   Love You Madly 4:20
Duke Ellington 
7   As We Live and Breathe  4:23
Lauren Kinhan / Eve Nelson 
8   No Moon at All 4:51
Redd Evans 
9   Chamego (Betty's Bossa) 4:00
Jack Donahue / Peter Eldridge 
10   Noticing the Moment 4:36
John Coltrane / Peter Eldridge / Kim Nazarian 
11   Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing 4:33
Stevie Wonder 
12   Stoned Soul Picnic 3:44
Laura Nyro 
13   A Day Like This 4:49
Peter Eldridge / Darmon Meader 
14   Jackie  4:31
Hampton Hawes / Annie Ross
Credits 
Voice – Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan
Voice, Piano – Peter Eldridge
Voice, Tenor Saxophone – Darmon Meader

NEW YORK VOICES - A Day Like This

 [2007] MCG / FLAC / scans

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LIONEL HAMPTON - The Complete Lionel Hampton Quartets And Quintets With Oscar Peterson On Verve (1999) 5xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lionel Hampton did a series of quartet and quintet sessions for Verve Records in 1953 and 1954, the group featuring Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Buddy Rich, with either Buddy DeFranco or Herb Ellis joining in for the quintet recordings. Verve released the sessions on a batch of LPs in 1957 (King of the Vibes, Air Mail Special, Flying Home, Swingin' with Hamp) and 1958 (Lionel Hampton '58, Hallelujah Hamp, The High and the Mighty), but they are gathered together here on a five-CD set that includes a couple of previously unreleased alternate takes and includes shorter and longer versions of some songs done for single and album release. Typically of sessions produced by Verve head Norman Granz, the song list is full of classic pop standards, along with remakes of some of Hampton's better-known songs. The lineup is, of course, stellar, and Hampton and Peterson in particular spark each other on vibes and piano, interacting with seemingly endless creativity. (They even take one tune, "The High and the Mighty," by themselves.) The normally showy Rich mostly restricts himself to accompaniment (he can't help taking off during the totally improvised "Blues for Norman," but even then doesn't play all that long), while Brown provides his usual solid support. At a time when Hampton was traveling the world leading an orchestra, these recordings were a reminder that he could be at his best (as in the Benny Goodman Quartet) with a small group.  by William Ruhlmann
Tracklist:
CD 1:
1. Always (Irving Berlin)
2. 'S Wonderful (George & Ira Gershwin)
3. Air Mail Special (Charlie Christian - Benny Goodman - Jimmy Mundy)
4. The Nearness Of You (Hoagy Carmichael - Ned Washington)
5. Soft Winds (Fletcher Henderson)
6. Stompin' At The Savoy (Edgar Sampson - Benny Goodman - Chick Webb)
7. Love For Sale (Cole Porter)
8. April In Paris (Vernon Duke - Yip Harburg)
9. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter)

CD 2:
1. Star Dust (Hoagy  Carmichael - Mitchell Parish)
2. That Old Black Magic Pt. 1 (Harold Arlen - Mitchell Parish)
3. That Old Black Magic Pt. 2
4. This Can't Be Love (Rodgers - Hart)
5. Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronell)
6. How High The Moon (Morgan Lewis - Nancy Hamilton)
7. Blues For Norman (N. Shrdlu)
8. I Can't Get Started (Vernon Duke - Ira Gershwin)
9. Moonglow (DeLange - Hudson - Mills)

CD 3:
1. It's Only A Paper Moon (Arlen - Rose - Harburg)
2. The Way You Look Tonight (Jerome Kerns - Dorothy Fields)
3. Flying Home (Lionel Hampton - Benny Goodman)
4. These Foolish Things (Link - Strachey - Marvell)
5. Don't Be That Way (Edgar Sampson - Benny Goodman)
6. Dinah (Akst - Lewis - Young)
7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Jimmy McHugh - Dorothy Fields)
8. Je Ne Sais Pas (Lionel Hampton - Jeri Jones)

CD 4:
1. It's A Blue World (George "Chet" Forrest - Robert Wright)
    index 1: false start
    index 2: alternative take
2. It's A Blue World - LP master take
3. It's A Blue World - 78-rpm master take
4. The High And The Mighty (Dimitri Tiomkin - Ned Washington)
5. When The Saints Go Marching In (traditional)
6. Flying Home (Hampton - Goodman)
7. Midnight Sun (Lionel Hampton - Sonny Burke)
8. Tenderly (Walter Gross - Jack Lawrence)
9. Hallelujah (Youmans - Grey - Robin)
10. Indiana (James F. Hanley - Howard MacDonald)
     index 0: false start
     index 1: complete take
11. But Beautiful (Jimmy Van Heusen - Johnny Burke)
12. Indiana

CD 5:
1. Hamp's Boogie Woogie - LP master take (Lionel Hampton - Milt Buckner)
2. Hamp's Boogie Woogie - 78-rpm master take
3. Honeysuckle Rose (Fats Waller - Andy Razaf)
4. Honeysuckle Rose - short version
5. China Boy (Richard Winfree - Phil Boutelje)
6. A Foggy Day - LP master take (G & I Gershwin)
7. A Foggy Day - 78-rpm master take
8. Love Is Here To Stay (G & I Gershwin)
9. Body And Soul (Green - Eyton - Sour - Heyman)
10. It's Only A Paper Moon (Arlen - Rose - Harburg)
11. Sweethearts On Parade (Carmen Lombardo - Charles Newman)
12. Date With Oscar (Oscar Peterson - Lionel Hampton)

Credits:
Lionel Hampton - vibraharp, vocals (not present CD 3, track 1)
Oscar Peterson - piano
Ray Brown - bass
Buddy Rich - drums
Buddy DeFranco - clarinet (CD 3)
Herb Ellis - Guitar - guitar (CD 4 tracks 11-12 & CD 5)

Recorded between September, 1953 and September, 1954 in NYC

LIONEL HAMPTON 

 The Complete Quartets And Quintets With Oscar Peterson On Verve 

[1999] 5CD / VERVE / FLAC / scans

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KEELY SMITH - Little Girl Blue / Little Girl New (1963-2017) 24bits-96hz / FLAC (tracks), lossless

Following her split with husband and creative partner Louis Prima, vocalist Keely Smith signed with Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records for a series of finely curated and well-received albums designed to showcase her voice and relaunch her career. The first of these, 1963's Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New, featured arrangements by Sinatra's longtime collaborator, the illustrious Nelson Riddle, and was conceptualized in two parts with Side A, "Little Girl Blue," featuring ballads and Side B, "Little Girl New," focusing on more upbeat numbers. The result was a tour de force of an album that presented Smith as the solo star she deserved to be -- and which Sinatra had known she could be for many years prior. Thankfully, as per all of Sinatra's Reprise contracts, the artists kept the rights to the master recordings, which is where they remained until Smith struck her own deal with Real Gone Music for a series of reissues, including this 2017 expanded edition of Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New. Though she had recorded solo albums for Dot during her years with Prima, she had been somewhat overshadowed by the kitschy, flamboyant tone (and Grammy-winning success) of their performances, which often found her playing the cheeky straight man to her trumpeter husband's swing-era clown. Afforded far greater freedom on Sinatra's label, she was presented on Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New as an urbanely sophisticated hipster and a clarion diva in the mold of such similarly inclined contemporaries as June Christy, Anita O'Day, and Kay Starr. Cuts like her yearning take on "Here's That Rainy Day" and her languorously sensual reading of "I'll Never Be the Same Again" reveal her as a mature and knowing performer in contrast to the lighter, more comedic tone of her work with Prima. That said, she can still knock 'em dead as she does on the latter half of the album, her highly resonant voice slicing through uptempo swinger's like "I'm Gonna Live 'til I Die" and "I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do." Ultimately, listening to Smith and her pointed yet dusky, golden-toned voice pouring out of Riddle's shimmering, sky-blue arrangements, one can easily see why Sinatra jumped at the chance to work with her.  by Matt Collar  
Tracklist:
1 Little Girl Blue  3:56
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
2      Here's That Rainy Day  3:20
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
3 Gone With the Wind  3:13
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
4 Willow Weep for Me  3:51
Ann Ronell
5 I'll Never Be the Same  3:09
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck
6 Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry  2:57
Gus Kahn / Jule Styne
 7 I'm Gonna Live Till I Die  2:16
Al Hoffman / Walter Kent
8 It's Good to Be Alive  2:38
Bob Merrill
9 A Lot of Livin' to Do  2:15
Lee Adams / Charles Strouse
10 Once in a Lifetime  2:44
Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley
11 New Sun in the Sky  1:43
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
12 Blue Skies  2:27
Irving Berlin
13 Going Through the Motions  3:00
Bob Brass / Al Kooper / Al Levine / Irwin Levine
14 When You Cry  3:06
Ray Allen / Wandra Merrell
Credits
Arranged & Conductor – Nelson Riddle

 

DIONNE WARWICK - Sings Cole Porter [1990] Arista

 A grand idea, but Warwick didn't meet the challenge as magically as she might have in the 1960s or '70s. Instead, she sounded almost prim and stiff instead of engaging and confident. It was a surprise, given how wonderful Warwick sounded doing similar (though certainly not as well constructed) material from Barry Manilow. It was still worth hearing, but far from the anticipated triumph. by Ron Wynn
Tracklist
1 Night And Day 3:39
2 I Love Paris 3:27
3 I Get A Kick Out Of You 3:53
4 What Is This Thing Called Love? / So In Love (Medley) 3:18
5 You're The Top 3:25
6 I've Got You Under My Skin 3:38
7 Begin The Beguine 5:18
8 It's All Right With Me 4:37
9 Anything Goes 2:37
10 All Of You 3:20
11 I Concentrate On You 3:26
12 Just One Of Those Things 3:31
13 Night And Day (Jazz Version) 4:13
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – J.T. Lewis
Guitar – Stanley Jordan
Keyboards – Robbie Kondor
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Soprano Saxophone – Grover Washington, Jr.
Credits
Accordion – Dominic Cortese
Alto Saxophone – Lou Marini
Backing Vocals – Angela Cappelli, Frank Floyd, Frank Sims, Lani Groves, Lisa Fischer, Mark Stevens, Rachele Cappelli, Will Lee
Bass – Charles Berghofer, Chuck Domanico, Wayne Pedziwiatr
Clarinet – Phil Bodner
Drum Programming – Joe Mardin, Rob Mounsey, Robbie Kondor
Drums – Clint De Ganon, Harvey Mason, Steve Schaeffer
Guitar – David Spinozza, Jeff Mironov, Reggie Griffin
Harmonica – Charles Leighton
Keyboards [Additional], Synthesizer, Programmed By [Synthesizer] – David LeBolt, Joe Mardin, Plex Barnhart, Philippe Saisse, Reggie Griffin, Rob Mounsey
Keyboards [Main], Synthesizer, Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Robbie Kondor
Programmed By [Bass] – Joe Mardin, Plex Barnhart*, Rob Mounsey, Robbie Kondor

DIONNE WARWICK - Sings Cole Porter 

[1990] (c) – Arista Records / CBR320 / scan

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THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER - The Manhattan Tranfer [1975] FLAC

The Manhattan Transfer first came to the general public's attention as a retro act, a nostalgic throwback in a era consumed with nostalgia -- the early/mid-'70s -- and their debut Atlantic album, as well as their 1975 summer replacement TV series, catered unashamedly to that market. As a result, this record seemed old when it came out, and it still sounds more than a little sappy, especially when one considers the astonishing growth of the Transfer since. True, "You Can Depend Upon Me" is a lively precursor of vocalese triumphs to come, enlivened by a brief solo from Zoot Sims, and there are subdued reminders of their jazz roots on "Tuxedo Junction." But the object of the latter exercise was to bring back sweet memories, specifically of a wartime era evoked more explicitly by the unctuous, sugary rendition of "Candy." Nothing if not eclectic even then, the Transfer also evokes the Ink Spots, 1940s jive, 1950s doo wop, New Orleans funk, even 1975 with the proto-disco "Clap Your Hands." Yet the net results usually seem calculated, not fresh and innocent. Best bet: Seek out the originals and sample later Transfer projects first.  Allmusic

1. Tuxedo Junction [03:07]

2. Sweet Talking Guy [02:29]

3. Operator [03:14]

4. Candy [03:31]

5. Gloria [03:01]

6. Clap Your Hands [02:58]

7. That Cat Is High [02:55]

8. You Can Depend On Me [03:34]

9. Blue Champagne [02:25]

10. Java Jive [02:48]

11. Occapella [03:08]

12. Heart's Desire [02:36]

Performer [The Manhattan Transfer] 

– Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Laurel Massé, Tim Hauser -

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