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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DORIS DAY - Complete Recordings with Les Brown [2001] JF / 2CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Reissuing the identical material compiled elsewhere several times (most notably on Columbia's The Complete Doris Day With Les Brown), Jazz Factory won't win any points for originality, but the material itself is golden. Day's recordings with Les Brown blazed at such a high candle power that even an energetic combo like the Andrews Sisters could hardly compare (no less with their three voices to her one). Whether she turned her eye to a ballad like the era-defining "Sentimental Journey" or decided to swing an ebullient number like "Come to Baby, Do!," Day was not only one of the most likeable band singer in the business, she was also one of the most talented. Despite a few pieces of absurd novelty material ("Alexander the Swoose (Half Swan-Half Goose)," "The Deevil, Devil, Divil") occasionally threatening to drag it into the depths, The Complete Recordings With Les Brown is an excellent collection. by John Bush
Track Listing - Disc 1
1 Dig It  3:19
Hal Borne / Johnny Mercer
2 Let's Be Buddies 3:05
Cole Porter
3 While the Music Plays On 3:06
Lupin Fein / Eddie Heim / Irving Mills
4 Three at a Table for Two 2:49
Archie Gottler / Arthur Johnston
5 Between Friends 3:06
Alan Jay Lerner / Ted Straeter
6 Broomstreet 3:08

Josef Myrow / Buck Ram

7 Barbara Allen 2:53
Traditional
8 Celery Stalks at Midnight 3:01
Will Bradley / George Harris / Carl Sigman
9 Amapola 3:12
Albert Gamse / Joseph M. Lacalle
10 Easy as Pie 3:15
Les Brown / Kim Gannon
11 Booglie Wooglie Piggy 3:02
Roy Jacobs
12 Beau Night in Hotchkiss Corners 3:24
Herbert Magidson / Ben Oakland
13 Alexander the Swoose (Half Swan-Half Goose) 3:07
14 Made up My Mind 3:08
Herschel Evans / Barry Mann
15 Keep Cool, Fool 2:55
J.P. Johnson / Josef Myrow
16 Sentimental Journey 3:11
Les Brown / Bud Green / Ben Homer
17 My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time 3:19
Manny Curtis / Victor Mizzy
18 He's Home for a Little While 3:12
Rob Goellner / Ted Shapiro
19 'Tain't Me 3:17
Lanier Davis / Jack Palmer
20 I'll Always Be With You 3:06
Marjorie Goetschius / Edna Osser
21 A Red Kiss on a Blue Letter 3:07
Ray Evans
Track Listing - Disc 2
1 Till the End of Time 2:58
Buddy Kaye / Ted Mossman
2 He'll Have to Cross the Atlantic (To Get to the Pacific) 3:03
Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne
3 I'd Rather Be With You 3:13
Roy Alfred / Frank Comstock
4 Come to Baby, Do! 3:05
Inez James / Sid Miller
5 Aren't You Glad You're You 3:04
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
6 The Last Time I Saw You 3:27
Marjorie Goetschius / Edna Osser
7 We'll Be Together Again 3:19
Carl Fischer / Frankie Laine
8 You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart) 3:05
Harry James / Larry Stock
9 In the Moon Mist 3:09
Jack Lawrence
10 Day by Day 3:07
Sammy Cahn / Axel Stordahl / Paul Weston
11 (Ah Yes) There's Good Blues Tonight 3:08
Abe Osser / Edna Osser
12 All Through the Day 3:17
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
13 The Deevil, Devil, Divil 3:11
Bob Russell / Carl Sigman
14 I Got the Sun in the Morning 2:34
Irving Berlin
15 My Number One Dream Come True 2:58
Lew Brown / Johnny Green
16 The Whole World Is Singing My Song 3:16
Manny Curtis / Victor Mizzy
17 Are You Still in Love With Me 3:17
Les Brown / Edna Osser
18 Sooner or Later 3:04
Ray Gilbert / Charles Wolcott
19 You Should Have Told Me 3:13
Irving Berlin / Redd Evans / Edna Osser
20 The Christmas Song 3:04
Mel Tormé / Robert Wells
21 It Could Happen to You 3:18
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen

DORIS DAY - Complete Recordings with Les Brown 

[2001] JF / 2CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless 

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BEA WAIN - That's How I Love the Blues : The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2 [2003]

On the second of three CDs that reissue the solo recordings that singer Bea Wain made after her successful period with Larry Clinton, she is heard on 25 selections that were formerly quite rare. Wain is generally backed by medium-size groups that are jazzy and arranged by Walter Gross. The music swings and is high-quality middle-of-the-road pop music of the era. What uplifts the performances above the average are the highly expressive yet subtle interpretations of Wain, who has been greatly underrated (and often overlooked) ever since the end of the swing era. While the vocalist is still best known for her hits (particularly "My Reverie") with Larry Clinton's band, she was still in her early twenties when most of these solo sides were cut and she was continuing to grow as a singer. In addition to 19 selections from 1939-1941, she is heard on a remake of "My Reverie" with Vaughn Monroe's orchestra in 1940, singing "You Made Me Love You" in 1947, and on four V-Discs (two formerly unissued) with the Ellis Larkins Trio. This valuable set fills in a major gap in reissue programs and should help Bea Wain to be recognized as one of the best singers of the period.  by Scott Yanow 
Tracklist
1 Go Fly a Kite 2:43
Johnny Burke / James V. Monaco
2 Glad to Be Unhappy 3:01
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
3 When Love Beckoned 3:27
Cole Porter
4 It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow 2:51
Irving Berlin
5 It's Somebody Else 3:01
Walter Gross / Bea Wain
6 Hello Ma! I Done It Again 2:09
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
7 How Did It Get So Late So Early 2:27
Will Erwin / June Sillman
8 Kiss the Boys Goodbye 2:47
Frank Loesser / Victor Schertzinger
9 That's How I Got My Start 2:33
Frank Loesser / Victor Schertzinger
10 Peekaboo to You 2:09
Johnny Mercer / Joseph Meyer / Carl Sigman
11 You Started Something 2:52
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
12 God Bless the Child 3:06
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
13 Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 2:46
Traditional
14 Birth of the Blues 2:56
Lew Brown / Buddy DeSylva / Ray Henderson
15 You'll Never Know 2:50
16 Baby Mine 3:02
Frank Churchill / Ned Washington
17 The Lady Who Walks Alone 2:54
Johnny Green / Jack Lawrence
18 That's How I Love the Blues 3:02
Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin
19 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 3:08
Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin
20 My Reverie 2:21
Larry Clinton / Claude Debussy
21 You Made Me Love You 3:34
Joseph McCarthy / James V. Monaco
22 My Man Is a Handy Man 3:18
Andy Razaf
23 Trouble Is a Man 3:23
Alec Wilder
24 Fools Rush In/Everything I Have Is Yours 3:32
Harold Adamson / Rube Bloom / Burton Lane / Johnny Mercer
25 The Gentleman Is a Dope 3:13
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers

BEA WAIN - That's How I Love the Blues: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2 

[2003] Baldwin Street / CBR320 / scans

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BEA WAIN - You Can Depend on Me : The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 [2001]

Bea Wain is mostly remembered as Larry Clinton's girl singer, whose "My Reverie" was to become a classic from the big-band era. But she recorded a string of songs with Clinton that made the Top Ten hit list. Tired of the long road trips and the low salary, Wain left Clinton in 1938, signing up with RCA Victor. In the first of a projected multi-volume set, Baldwin Street Music released the entire output of the singer's studio recordings (from July 1939 to May 1941) backed by a studio orchestra with piano and arrangements by Walter Gross. There are also some cuts featuring Wain from the Your Hit Parade radio show. Wain's laid-back, almost casual approach to singing helps makes listening to her so enjoyable. As was the practice of the day, many of the tunes on the play list are from musicals and movies. Among the more notable are "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," "Dancing in the Dark," "Our Love Affair," and "You Made Me Love You" with Johnny Long & His Orchestra. Her "Stormy Weather" came before Lena Horne's more famous recording. Wain was also a pioneer in inserting the verse in the middle of the song after the first chorus, which gave an added fillip to her delivery. With all her talent, one can only wonder what her place in the history of American Popular Song would have been if she had started her career with Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, or Benny Goodman. This fine album honors an exceptional singer from the big-band days and beyond. As always, the label has done a fine job in transferring the material to CD. by Dave Nathan  
Tracklist:
1     Stormy Weather    3:17
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
2     Oh, You Crazy Moon    2:54
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
3     Make With the Kisses    2:51
James Van Heusen / Johnny Mercer
4     I Didn't Know What Time It Was    3:20
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5     Blue Rain    3:25
James Van Heusen / Johnny Mercer
6     Hello, My Lover, Goodbye    3:17
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
7     Dancing in the Dark    3:23
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
8     I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You    3:10
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
9     Buds Won't Bud    3:18
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
10     I'm Nobody's Baby    3:20
Milton Ager / Benny Davis / Lester Santly
11     I Could Make You Care    3:06
Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin
 12     I'm the Lonesomest Gal in Town    3:13
Lew Brown / Albert Von Tilzer
13     Our Love Affair    3:04
Roger Edens / Arthur Freed
14     I Don't Want to Cry Anymore    3:36
Victor Schertzinger
15     Let's Be Buddies    2:57
Cole Porter
16     Make It Another Old-Fashioned, Please    2:43
Cole Porter
17     No Love Blues    3:04
Eddie DeLange / Arthur Gershwin
18     How Did He Look?    2:33
Gladys Shelley / Abner Silver
19     Do I Worry?    2:37
Stanley Cowan / Bobby Worth
20     You Can Depend on Me    2:38
Charles Carpenter / Louis Dunlap / Earl Hines
21     My Sister and I    3:15
Alex Kramer / Joan Whitney / Hy Zaret
22     Afraid to Say Hello    2:51
Harold Arlen / Tell Taylor
23     Do I Love You?    3:26
Cole Porter
24     You Made Me Love You  2:01
Joseph McCarthy / James V. Monaco
 Credits:
Walter Gross     Arranger, Piano
Bea Wain     Photography, Vocals   

  BEA WAIN - You Can Depend on Me: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 

[2001] Baldwin Street / CBR320 / scans

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