CARMEN LUNDY — Old Devil Moon (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The deep voice of Carmen Lundy is well showcased on this varied set. With assistance from an impressive backup crew (pianist Billy Childs, flugelhornist Randy Brecker, Frank Foster or Bob Mintzer on tenor, and a pair of rhythm sections), Lundy performs six standards, four of her stimulating originals, and Donny Hathaway's "Flying Easy." The music ranges from fairly straight-ahead to more R&B-oriented, with Carmen Lundy's appealing voice being the main star. Scott Yanow 

Tracklist :
1 Star Eyes 4:42
Gene DePaul / Don Raye
2 When Your Lover Has Gone 4:46
Einar A. Swan
3 Just One More Chance 4:46
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
4 You're Not in Love 4:35
5 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 3:21
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6 Flying Easy 4:14
Donny Hathaway / Walter Lowe
7 I'm Worried About You Baby 3:30
Carmen Lundy
8 Old Devil Moon 4:24
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Burton Lane
9 At the End of My Rope 4:24
Carmen Lundy
10 In a Sentimental Mood 6:29
Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills
11 Love Me Forever 4:26
Carmen Lundy
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Santi Debriano
Arranged By – Carmen Lundy
Drums – Omar Hakim, Winston Clifford
Electric Bass – Victor Bailey
Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
Keyboards – Harry Whitaker
Piano – Billy Childs
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer, Frank Foster
Vocals – Carmen Lundy

RAY BROWN AND HIS WEST COAST ALL-STAR GIANTS — I'm Walking (1998) Serie XRCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

ZOOT SIMS - Quietly There : Zoot Sims Plays Johnny Mandel (1984) RM | Digibook | WV (image+.cue), lossless

Norman Granz's idea to match Zoot Sims' lyrical, swinging tenor sax with Johnny Mandel's equally arresting compositions was a masterful one. Sims' tart, alternately lush and furious solos were wonderfully spotlighted on such tunes as "Cinnamon and Cloves," "Emily" and "Zoot." The six-tune session, recently issued on CD, also contains effective piano solos from Mike Wofford. The date's tour-de-force was its final selection, the wonderful "Low Life," which Sims probed, illuminated and ultimately redefined via his solo. Ron Wynn
Tracklist :
1     Cinnamon and Cloves 5:45
Alan Bergman / Johnny Mandel    
2     A Time for Love 7:48
Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster    
3     Zoot 6:50
Johnny Mandel    
4     Quietly There 6:08
Morgan Ames / Johnny Mandel    
5     Emily 9:44
Johnny Mandel / Johnny Mercer    
6     Low Life 6:18
Johnny Mandel
Credits :
Bass – Chuck Berghofer
Drums – Nick Ceroli
Percussion – Victor Feldman
Piano – Mike Wofford
Producer – Norman Granz
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims

LOU DONALDSON WITH THE THREE SOUNDS - LD+3 (1959-2010) RM | Digibook | WV (image+.cue), lossless

Lou Donaldson and the Three Sounds both had a tendency to slip into low-key grooves, which is what makes the hard-driving bop of the opener "Three Little Words" a little startling. Donaldson is at a fiery peak, spinning out Bird-influenced licks that nevertheless illustrate that he's developed a more rounded, individual style of his own. The Three Sounds are equally as impressive, working bop rhythms with a dexterity that their first albums only hinted at. That high standard is maintained throughout the album, one of the finest in either of their catalogs. Albums like this and Blues Walk established Donaldson's reputation as a first-rate alto saxophonist, since he flaunts a full, robust tone, a fondness for melody, and nimble solos over the course of the record. LD + 3 is pretty much straight bop and hard bop, with little of the soul-jazz the two artists would later explore, but this collection of swinging standards, bop staples, and a pair of Donaldson originals ranks as one of Lou's finest straight bop sessions.  Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1     Three Little Words 6:19     
Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby
2     Smooth Groove 5:53
Lou Donaldson
3     Just Friends 5:13
John Klenner / Sam M. Lewis
4     Blue Moon 3:08     
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5     Jump Up 6:37     
Lou Donaldson
6     Don't Take Your Love From Me 5:54
Henry Nemo
7     Confirmation 5:32
Charlie Parker
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Lou Donaldson
Bass – Andrew Simpkins
Drums – Bill Dowdy
Piano – Gene Harris
Recorded By [Recording By] – Rudy Van Gelder

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Good Old Broadway (1962-1974) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     I Talk to the Trees 4'23
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
2     Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 4'40
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
3     Wanting You 2'26
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
4     Strange Music 6'17
George Forrest / Edvard Grieg / Robert Wright
5     The Man That Got Away     4'08
Harold Arlen / Ira Gershwin
6     Get Out of Town 4'14
Cole Porter
7     Here I'll Stay 4'08
Alan Jay Lerner / Kurt Weill
8     A Fellow Needs a Girl 4'47
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
Credits :
Bass – Major Holley, Jr.
Drums – Eddie Locke
Engineer, Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

JOHNNY GRIFFIN QUARTET - The Kerry Dancers and Other Swinging Folk (1962-1997) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Many straight-ahead bop musicians would never consider recording traditional folk songs from the British Isles, but that's exactly what Johnny Griffin does on The Kerry Dancers and Other Swinging Folk -- and this Orrin Keepnews-produced album just happens to be one of his best releases of the 1960s. Joined by pianist Barry Harris, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Ben Riley, the big-toned Chicago tenor man turns his attention to four traditional folk melodies: "The Londonderry Air" (also known as "Danny Boy"), "Green Grow the Rushes" (a Scottish favorite), "The Kerry Dancers" (an Irish piece), and "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" -- all of which work perfectly well in an acoustic jazz setting. Not everything on this album (which was recorded in late 1961 and early 1962) is a folk song from the British Isles; the other half of the album ranges from Griffin's moody "Oh, Now I See" to the John Coltrane-influenced "25 1/2 Daze." On Riverside's original LP version of this album, Griffin's bop interpretations of folk songs were confined to side one -- while the other material was placed on side two. But when Fantasy reissued this album on CD in 2001 on its Original Jazz Classics imprint, there was no interruption between the folk and non-folk material -- you no longer had to get up and turn the record over. And that's just as well, because Griffin brings a jazz mentality to everything on the album; he is as hard-swinging and improvisatory on "The Londonderry Air" as he is on "25 1/2 Daze" and "Oh, Now I See." The Kerry Dancers and Other Swinging Folk is among the many Griffin releases that the Chicagoan can be proud of. Alex Henderson  
Tracklist :
1    The Kerry Dancers 4'41
Traditional
Arranged By – Johnny Griffin
2    Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair 6'12
Traditional
Arranged By – Johnny Griffin
3    Green Grow The Rushes 4'35
Traditional
Arranged By – Johnny Griffin
4    The Londonderry Air 4'52
Traditional
Arranged By – Johnny Griffin
5    25½ Daze 4'40
Written-By – Sara Cassey
6    Oh, Now I See 5'08
Written-By – Johnny Griffin
7    Hush-A-Bye 4'53
Written-By – Thomas, Seelen, Fain
8    Ballad For Monsieur 3'34
Written-By – Sara Cassey
Credits :
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Ben Riley
Piano – Barry Harris
Producer [Original Recordings] – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin

TINA BROOKS - True Blue (1960-2010) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Obscure but talented tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks is teamed with the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (on one of his earliest sessions), pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Taylor for a set dominated by Brooks' originals. None of the themes may be all that memorable ("Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You" comes the closest), but the hard bop solos are consistently excellent. [Some reissues add alternate takes of "True Blue" and "Good Old Soul."] by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Good Old Soul 8:07
Tina Brooks
2     Up Tight's Creek 5:17
Tina Brooks
3     Theme for Doris 5:53
Tina Brooks
4     True Blue 4:57
Tina Brooks
5     Miss Hazel 5:32
Tina Brooks
6     Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You 7:53
Fred Fisher / M. Fisher / Marvin Fisher / J. Segal / Jack Segal
Credits :
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Art Taylor
Piano – Duke Jordan
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

CARMEN LUNDY - Self Portrait (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz singers have a great deal of difficulty in building a fresh repertoire because so many pop songs are not really transferable to creative music. Carmen Lundy solves the problem on this CD by writing six of her own songs, both lyrics and music. Her talents in that area are impressive and it would not be surprising if a few future standards came out of her repertoire. Lundy's memorable, deep voice, which has a wide range, can go very low (as heard on Jobim's "Triste") and on "Firefly" she overdubs a second part, making the performance sound like a male-female duet. A tasteful string section is used on some selections, but most songs utilize the core of a strong rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, John Clayton, or Nathan East on bass and drummer Ralph Penland) plus occasional guests Ernie Watts and Gary Herbig on reeds. Whether interpreting ballads, singing more heated pieces, or floating over a funky vamp, Carmen Lundy pays close attention to the lyrics and mood of each song but feels free to improvise spontaneously. This is one of her strongest recordings, with the high points including "Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most," "Firefly," "Forgive Me," and "My Ship." by Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 7:06
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf
2    Better Days 4:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
3    My Favorite Things 4:43
Lyrics By, Music By – Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rogers
4    Firefly 5:28
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
5    Forgive Me 6:27
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
6    These Things You Are To Me 5:27
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
7    Triste 4:08
Arranged By – John Clayton, Jr.
Lyrics By, Music By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
8    I Don't Want To Love Without You 5:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor
9    Old Friend 6:17
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
10    Here's To You 4:05
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
11    My Ship 4:19
Lyrics By, Music By – Ira Gershwin, Kurt Weil
12    'Round Midnight 5:57
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams, Thelonious Monk
Oboe – Earle Dumler
Credits :
Arranged By – Carmen Lundy (faixas: 2 to 4, 6, 8 to 11)
Bass – John Clayton Jr. (faixas: 1, 2, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)
Bass [String] – Buell Neidlinger, Margaret Storer, Norman Ludwin
Cello – Ernie Ehrhardt, Fred Seykora, Larry Corbett, Margaret Edmondson, Ray Kelley, Suzie Katayama
Clarinet – Gary Herbig (faixas: 7)
Concertmaster – Assa Drori
Contractor [String] – Jules Chaikin
Creative Director – Sam Gay
Drums – Ralph Penland (faixas: 1 to 11)
Electric Bass – Nathan East (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Flute – Gary Herbig (faixas: 3, 7)
Piano – Cedar Walton (faixas: 1 to 11)
Soprano Saxophone – Gary Herbig (faixas: 6)
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Viola – James Ross, Keiko Elegino, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Marilyn Baker
Violin – Assa Drori, Brian Leonard, Don Palmer, Elizabeth Wilson, Gordon Marron, Henry Ferber, Israel Baker, Jay Rosen, Joel Derouin, Marc Sazer, Mari Tsumura, Pip Clarke, Ruth Johnson, Shari Zippert
Vocals – Carmen Lundy

JACINTHA - Here's To Ben : A Vocal Tribute To Ben Webster (1999) APE (image+.cue), lossless

When you link your musical objective to a jazz icon like Ben Webster, certain expectations are created and, as here, rarely are these expectations met. Certainly, Jacintha sings songs Webster played, and she sings them very nicely. But there's none of the raspy timbre in her voice that made Webster's saxophone immediately recognizable. Jacintha confuses raspy with singing softly. She and the producers would have been better served by presenting these songs as hers, not Webster's. The focus then would be where it belongs (i.e., what she does with these classics). With excellent pitch, good diction, and sensitive interpretations of the lyrics, she makes these songs her own. One highlight is her a cappella treatment of "Danny Boy." Throughout the session, Jacintha receives solid support from veteran Teddy Edwards' blues-drenched saxophone (he's a lot closer to Webster than Jacintha is). He and Jacintha work well together, as on "How Long Has This Been Going On?" The venerable drummer Larance Marable and bass player Darek Oles combine to lay a solid, sensitive foundation for the proceedings. Oles' bass is especially prominent on "Over the Rainbow." Former Miles Davis pianist Kei Akagi is a capable accompanist. This album is a solid enough effort solely on the strength of Jacintha's natural talent. The obeisance to Webster was not only unnecessary, but distracting. by Dave Nathan
Tracklist:
1. Georgia on My Mind - 5:18
(Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell)
2. Love Is Here to Stay - 3:18
(George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin)
3. Tenderly - 5:23
(Walter Gross / Jack Lawrence) 
4. Over the Rainbow - 9:41
(Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg)
5. How Long Has This Been Going On? - 5:26
(George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin)
6. Stardust - 6:38
(Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish)
7. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning - 4:12
(Bob Hilliard / David Mann)
8. Pennies From Heaven - 3:13
(Johnny Burke / Arthur Johnston)
9. Danny Boy - 7:25
(Frederick Edward Weatherly)
Credits:
Jacintha - Vocals
Kei Akagi - Piano
Teddy Edwards - Sax (Tenor)
Larance Marable - Drums
Darek Oles - Bass
Joe Harley - Producer

JACINTHA - Autumn Leaves : The Songs of Johnny Mercer (2000) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Nine of the 11 tracks here are ballads. Their uncluttered arrangements spotlight Jacintha's smooth and sensuous voice, while her expressive phrasing draws the most from the classic Johnny Mercer lyrics. Jacintha includes the original lyrics to "Autumn Leaves," done in soft and flawless French; otherwise, her primary innovation is to deliver the tunes straight and sincerely, with minimal improvisation and maximum tenderness. There's no trace of the customary bitterness in "One More for the Road," and her unaccompanied reading of "Moon River" liberates that song from any prior goopy associations. In fact, her version brings out the poignancy of the lyrics so purely that her additional chorus, coming after a rather wandering piano interlude, seems redundant. The band is good but pretty restrained throughout, supplying subtle commentary and close support, then breaks out nicely on the two up-tempo tracks: "And the Angels Sing" and "Something's Got to Give." Jacintha's measured, legato approach isn't very conducive to swinging, but listening to "Skylark"and "Midnight Sun," in particular, is like sipping cool champagne in a fragrant hot tub. Another highlight is the bonus track, "Here's to Life," a signature tune for Shirley Horn, which Jacintha takes at a slightly faster tempo. While it's not a Mercer lyric, its beautiful sentiments and melody fit nicely into this relaxed and intimate set. Whatever this CD may lack in fire, it makes up for in warmth. by Judith Schlesinger  
Tracklist :
1     And the Angels Sing 3:30
Ziggy Elman / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Joe LaBarbera
2     Skylark 5:17
Hoagy Carmichael / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Larance Marable
Guitar – Anthony Wilson
3     One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) 5:19
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Larance Marable
Guitar – Anthony Wilson
4     Midnight Sun 3:55
Sonny Burke / Lionel Hampton / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Joe LaBarbera
5     Autumn Leaves 7:45
Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert
Drums – Larance Marable
Trumpet – Will Miller
6     Days of Wine and Roses 5:26
Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Larance Marable
Guitar – Anthony Wilson
7     I Remember You 5:33
Johnny Mercer / Victor Schertzinger
8     Trav'lin' Light 6:30
Johnny Mercer / Jimmy Mundy / Trummy Young
Drums – Larance Marable
Trumpet – Will Miller
9     Something's Gotta Give 4:04
Johnny Mercer
Drums – Larance Marable
Trumpet – Will Miller
10     Moon River 8:29
Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer
Drums – Joe LaBarbera
- Bonus Track -
11     Here's to Life 4:48
Artie Butler / Phyllis Molinary
Drums – Larance Marable
Organ [Hammond B-3] – Artie Butler
Credits :
Bass – Darek Oles
Piano – Kei Akagi
Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards
Vocals – Jacintha