TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON — The ACT Years (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

"Oh man, she's got it! She's good, man! This little girl can play!" What Dizzy Gillespie recognized early on is now undisputed: Terri Lyne Carrington, born in 1965 in Medford, Massachusetts, is today regarded as "the most famous female jazz drummer in the world" (Spiegel Online). For almost 25 years, she has not only been at the forefront of the jazz world as a drummer but also as a composer, arranger, producer, and educator. She has played with jazz world stars including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Joe Sample, Cassandra Wilson, Clark Terry, and Dianne Reeves. Her Grammy-winning career began with ACT. "The ACT Years" looks back on this time with 12 tracks and showcases the versatility of this fascinating drummer. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Jazz Is A Spirit 3:39
Terri Lyne Carrington
2    Manic Depression 5:26
Jimi Hendrix
3    Ethiopia 6:19
Joni Mitchell
4    Journey Of Now 4:15
Terri Lyne Carrington / Bob Hurst
5    Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 6:41
Jimi Hendrix
6    Omega 5:22
Jimmy Haslip
7    Burning Of The Midnight Lamp 3:41
Jimi Hendrix
8    Purple Haze 5:19
Jimi Hendrix
9    Mindful Intent 5:34
Terri Lyne Carrington
10    Middle Way 6:57
Terri Lyne Carrington
11    Samsara 7:23
Terri Lyne Carrington
12    If 6 Was 9 4:06
Jimi Hendrix
Credits :
Herbie Hancock - Piano
Nguyên Lê - Guitar
Greg Osby - Alto Saxophone
Adam Rogers - Guitar
Jimmy Haslip - Bass
Terence Blanchard - Trumpet
and many more

RALPH MOORE — Images (1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The particularly strong material and the all-star lineup (tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, pianist Benny Green, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington) make this a particularly enjoyable set from the tenorman. Although still displaying the inspiration (soundwise) of early-'60s John Coltrane, Moore had developed an increasingly original style within the modern mainstream throughout the 1980s. Highlights of this excellent set include J.J. Johnson's "Enigma" (a ballad feature for Moore), Hank Mobley's "This I Dig of You," and Moore's "Blues for John" (written in tribute to Coltrane). One of Ralph Moore's more significant recordings to date. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Freeway    8:04
 Ralph Moore
2    Enigma    5:29
 J.J. Johnson
3    Episode From A Village Dance    7:37
 Donald Brown
4    Morning Star    8:31
 Rodgers Grant
5    This I Dig Of You    5:36
 Hank Mobley
6    Blues For John    5:04
 Ralph Moore
7    Punjab    6:59
 Joe Henderson
8    One Second, Please    5:01
 Elmo Hope
Credits :
Bass – Peter Washington
Congas – Victor See Yuen (tracks: 3)
Drums – Kenny Washington
Piano – Benny Green
Saxophone – Ralph Moore
Trumpet – Terence Blanchard (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7)

RAY BROWN TRIO — Some of My Best Friends Are ... The Trumpet Players (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Ray Brown did it again with the fourth installment in his Some of My Best Friends Are... series, spotlighting some of the hottest trumpet players around and producing one of the finest trumpet-fronted small group recordings to come down the jazz pike in a while. Featuring a six-pack of hornmen ranging from octogenarian Clark Terry to youngsters Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton, this CD alternately cooks and simmers, with the ballads especially standing out in their spaciousness and beauty. The blend of Brown's bass and Jon Faddis' trumpet on a slowed-down "Bag's Groove" is particularly appealing in its sparseness. The intro and outro duets between Brown's bass and James Morrison's dry trumpet tone on "I Thought About You" are also entrancing in their openness. Terrence Blanchard lays out a smoky lead line over Geoff Keezer's bluesy late-night piano on Benny Goodman's old sign-off theme, "Goodbye," bringing a new poignancy to the tune. On the most noteworthy upbeat number, Payton really smokes on Joe Henderson's composition, "The Kicker," though the track mysteriously fades out too early. Brown himself is fantastic throughout this disc, and he and his trio mates Keezer and drummer Karriem Riggins anchor the proceedings masterfully. Jim Newsom   Tracklist & Credits :

TERESA BREWER & FRIENDS - Memories of Louis (1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 The singing of Teresa Brewer was always producer Bob Thiele's blind spot. Although equipped with a voice quite suitable for pop and country music, Brewer always sounded overly cute and out of place when performing jazz, despite her husband's successful attempts to team her with the who's who of jazz. This CD is quite remarkable, for there are few singers who sound less like Louis Armstrong than Brewer, yet here she is singing a dozen of Satch's standards. What's more, she is joined by a different trumpeter on each track: Clark Terry, Nicholas Payton, Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Lew Soloff, Terence Blanchard, Yank Lawson, Red Rodney and Dizzy Gillespie. (Where was Miles Davis?) Fortunately, each of the brassmen gets a worthwhile amount of solo space, only two songs are under 4½ minutes, and Brewer generally takes just two choruses. None of the boppish renditions sound at all close to New Orleans jazz, nor do any of the trumpeters show off much of a Louis Armstrong influence. A strange but very intriguing record. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 I Can't Give You Anything But Love 5:51
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
2   What a Wonderful World 7:01
George Douglas / Bob Thiele / George David Weiss
3   Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) 5:38
Harry Barris / Ted Koehler / Billy Moll
4  Basin Street Blues 5:40
Spencer Williams
5  I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) 7:21
Doc Daugherty / Al J. Neiburg / Ellis Reynolds
6  Ain't Misbehavin' 4:14
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
7  Hello, Dolly! 5:44
Jerry Herman
8  I've Got the World on a String 6:17
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
 9 St. Louis Blues 4:43
W.C. Handy
10   When It's Sleepy Time Down South 6:26
Clarence Muse / Otis Rene / Leon René
11     Stardust 3:52
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
12  Blueberry Hill 4:43
Al Lewis / Vincent Rose / Larry Stock

 Credits :
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis
Vocals - Teresa Brewer

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - Oh-By the Way (1989-2015) RM / Timeless Jazz Master Collection / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When the Marsalis Brothers left The Jazz Messengers in early 1982, Wynton suggested that Art Blakey take a close listen to trumpeter Terence Blanchard (then 19) and 21-year old altoist Donald Harrison. The drummer took his advice, and after also adding young pianist Johnny O'Neal, Blakey soon had an exciting new version of The Jazz Messengers. Tenor saxophonist Bill Pierce and bassist Charles Fambrough were still present from the older band for this excellent LP. In the Blakey tradition, this set has five new compositions from bandmembers in addition to Wayne Shorter's "One by One" and the standard "My Funny Valentine"; the music is a fine example of high-quality hard bop. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:

1 Oh, By the Way 6:29

Terence Blanchard
2 Duck Soup 6:00
Donald Harrison
3 Tropical Breeze 4:54
Johnny O'Neal
4 One by One 5:22
Wayne Shorter
5 Sudan Blue 7:09
Bill Pierce
6 My Funny Valentine 8:15
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
7 Alicia 5:54
Charles Fambrough
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Donald Harrison
Bass – Charles Fambrough
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Johnny O'Neal
Tenor Saxophone – Billy Pierce
Trumpet – Terence Blanchard

RACHELLE FERRELL - First Instrument (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Rachelle Ferrell made her name performing R&B, but this strictly acoustic jazz CD is her earliest recording. Her voice is quite soulful, making her later shift to R&B less of a surprise in hindsight, but Ferrell seems quite unsure of how to use her wide range, and her improvisations are often quite eccentric. Her lack of warmth and subtlety (along with a tendency to scream and screech in unexpected spots without a buildup) makes it difficult to listen to several of the numbers on this standards-oriented set. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and Wayne Shorter on tenor make worthwhile cameo appearances, but Rachelle Ferrell at that point in her career did not really sound ready for prime time, despite her potential. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1-You Send Me. 

Sam Cooke / Clarence Paul / Ed Townsend

2-You Don't Know What Love Is. 

Gene DePaul / Don Raye

3-Bye Bye Blackbird. 

Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson

4 Prayer Dance

Morris Bailey / Eddie Green

5-Inchworm.  

Frank Loesser

6-With Every Breath I Take.  

Cy Coleman

7-What Is This Thing Called Love?.  

Cole Porter

8-My Funny Valentine.  

Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers

9-Don't Waste Your Time.  

Rachelle Ferrell

10-Extensions.  

Rachelle Ferrell

11-Autumn Leaves.  

Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert

Credits:

Rachelle Ferrell, Piano, Vocals

Lenny White, Drums, Producer 

Terrence Blanchard, Trumpet 

Tyrone Brown, Bass, Stick Bass

Stanley Clarke, Bass

Kenny Davis, Bass

Alex Foster, Sax (Soprano) 

Doug Goldstein, Synthesizer, Drums

Gil Goldstein, Synthesizer, Piano

Eddie Green, Piano

Pete Levin, Synthesizer

Doug Nally, Drums

Michel Petrucciani, Piano 

Wayne Shorter, Sax (Tenor)