NGUYÊN LÊ — Songs of Freedom (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Hits by Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and the Beatles, all of whom approach the theme of "freedom" in the most diverse ways, Nguyên Lê frees them from layers of dust like gold leaf and transfers them to the global village of the present. ACT
Tracklist :
1        Eleanor Rigby 7:04
Erhu – Guo Gan
Lead Vocals – Youn Sun Nah
Percussion – S. Edouard
Vocals – O. Danedjo
Written-By – Lennon/McCartney
2        I Wish 5:48
Lead Vocals – David Linx
Vocals – H. Paganotti, O. Danedjo
Vocals, Percussion – P. Edouard
Written-By – Stevie Wonder
Written-By [Indian Rhythmic Arrangement], Performer [Indian Rhythmic Arrangement], Recorded By [Indian Rhythmic Arrangement] – Prabhu Edouard
3        Ben Zeppelin 0:51
Electric Guitar [Fretless] – Nguyên Lê
Vocals – Dhafer Youssef
Written-By – Dhafer Youssef, Nguyên Lê
4        Black Dog 6:22
Percussion – Stéphane Edouard
Vocals – Dhafer Youssef
Written-By – Page, Baldwin, Plant
5        Pastime Paradise 8:03
Arranged By [Vocals], Recorded By [Vocals] – Ousman Danedjo
Guimbri [Gumbri] – Hamid El Kasri
Lead Vocals – Ousman Danedjo
Percussion – K. Ziad
Vocals – H. Paganotti
Written-By – Stevie Wonder
6        Uncle Ho's Benz 0:40
Electric Guitar, Sounds [Vietnam Street Sounds] – Nguyên Lê
Written-By – Nguyên Lê
7        Mercedes Benz 6:25
Goblet Drum [Zarb] – Keyvan Chemirani
Lead Vocals – Himiko Paganotti
Vocals – D. Linx, J. Sarr, O. Danedjo
Written-By – Janis Joplin
8        Over The Rainforest 0:36
Acoustic Guitar [Prepared Vietnames Cai Luong Acoustic Guitar] – Nguyên Lê
Written-By – Nguyên Lê
9        Move Over 7:01
Alto Saxophone – David Binney
Lead Vocals – David Linx
Percussion – S. Edouard
Written-By – Janis Joplin
10        Whole Lotta Love 5:18
Lead Vocals – Youn Sun Nah
Percussion [Karkabus] – K. Ziad
Tabla, Vocals [Indian Vocals] – Prabhu Edouard
Written-By – Page, Baldwin, Bonham, Plant
11        Redemption Song 5:29
Electric Guitar – Nguyên Lê
Vibraphone – Illya Amar
Vocals – Julia Sarr
Written-By – Bob Marley
12        Sunshine Of Your Love 4:46
Drums, Percussion [Karkabus] – K. Ziad
Electric Guitar – N. Lê
Lead Vocals – Himiko Paganotti
Percussion – S. Edouard
Vibraphone, Marimba – I. Amar
Vocals, Electric Bass – L. Marthe
Written-By – Clapton, Bruce, Brown
13        In A Gadda Da Vida 5:25
Written-By – Doug Ingle
14        Topkapi 0:43
Acoustic Guitar [Baby 12 String Acoustic Guitar] – Nguyên Lê
Written-By – Nguyên Lê
15        Come Together 5:47
Clarinet – Chris Speed
Percussion – S. Edouard
Vocals – D. Linx, H. Paganotti, J. Sarr, O. Danedjo
Written-By – Lennon/McCartney

YOUN SUN NAH 나윤선 — Same Girl (2010) 2CD | Collector's Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

If one were to listen only to "My Favorite Things," the Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein Great American Songbook standard that opens Same Girl, one might deduce that Korea's Youn Sun Nah is just another cabaret singer with a pretty voice. The kalimba with which she is accompanying herself as she sings -- the sole instrument heard -- lends a sense of purity to the tune, and although the vocalist avoids the usual routes taken with the song, there's no real reason to get excited. Yet. Then things get interesting, fast. As she works her way through material from sources as diverse as Randy Newman, Sergio Mendes, and Metallica -- yes, Metallica; she does a mean "Enter Sandman" -- in addition to two original compositions and a Korean standard, Nah establishes that, in fact, she is incontestably an original, a jazz singer of great range, complexity, emotion, and ideas. Precision timing and sharp diction mark Nah's approach as she traverses the lyrics, but it's not only her technical prowess that makes Same Girl (her second release as a leader on the ACT label, after having spent a decade with a French band) such a delight. For one thing, she is constantly full of surprises. On the Mendes tune, "Song of No Regrets," Nah could have followed the rule book and sung the number as a samba. Instead, she turns it into a near a cappella minimalist dirge, Lars Danielsson's cello bringing to the rendition an unexpected eeriness and majesty. Terry Cox's "Moondog" is something else altogether, all jutting angles and piercing barbs, Ulf Wakenius' guitar and Xavier Desandre-Navarre's drums seemingly flailing willy-nilly behind Nah's warbles, yet somehow making perfect sense in the context of the arrangement, even when Nah breaks the solemnity with a jarring kazoo solo, of all things. For a real taste of her ability to knock a listener out cold, though, Wakenius' "Breakfast in Baghdad" is the place to go: to call Nah a scat singer is like calling John Coltrane a guy who fooled around a bit with the sax. Nah is a wildwoman let loose, treating each syllable as a new adventure in acrobatics, the musicians flying free and fancifully behind her captivating, seriously stunning ravings. Youn Sun Nah doesn't simply interpret; any good jazz signer can do that. She gets to the root of a melody and a lyric, deconstructs it wholly, and then presents it in a way it's never before been heard. Not many around who can do that anymore. Jeff Tamarkin  

Styles and genres may vary from song to song, but it is always the "Same Girl" who transforms the pieces into a sound world that is unmistakably her own: Youn Sun Nah. ACT
Tracklist 1 :
1    My Favorite Things 4:00
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rogers
2    My Name Is Carnival 4:02
Written-By – Jackson C. Frank
3    Breakfast In Baghdad 5:56
Written-By – Ulf Wakenius
4    Uncertain Weather 3:22
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
5    Song Of No Regrets 3:45
Written-By – Lani Hall, Sergio Mendes
6    Kangwondo Arirang 4:06
 – Korean Traditional
7    Enter Sandman 4:52
Written-By – Metallica
8    Same Girl 4:14
Written-By – Randy Newman
9    Moondog 4:10
Written-By – Terry Cox
10    Pancake 3:36
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
11    La Chanson D'Hélène 5:07
Narrator – Roland Brival
Written-By – Jean-Loup Dabadie, Philippe Sarde
Tracklist 2 :
1    Bitter Ballad 4:08
Trumpet – Mathias Eick
Written By – Youn Sun Nah
2    Avec Le Temps 5:06
Written By – Léo Ferré
3    Peace 4:02
Written By – Youn Sun Nah
4    Utviklingssang 6:05
Written By – Carla Bley
Video    My Favorite Things    4:10
Credits :
Youn Sun Nah - Vocals, Kalimba, Music Box, Kazoo
Ulf Wakenius - Guitars
Lars Danielsson - Acoustic Bass, Cello
Xavier Desandre-Navarre - Percussion
Special guest on track 11: Roland Brival - Narration

ULF WAKENIUS — Vagabond (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Vagabond, the globetrotter Wakenius shows the curiosity he has for all kinds of good music and how versatile he knows how to use his guitar: from the French "Bretagne" and the Nordic-tinged "Psalms" to the Indian sounds of "Witchi-Tai-To" and the Asian-style "Song For Japan" - Wakenius brings musical postcards from all over the world. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Vagabond 5:20
Written-By – Eric Wakenius, Ulf Wakenius
2    Message In A Bottle 6:16
Electric Guitar – Nguyên Lê
Vocals – Youn Sun Nah
Written-By – Gordon Sumner
3    Bretagne 5:01
Written-By – Ulf Wakenius
4    Psalmen 4:36
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
5    Breakfast In Baghdad 6:35
Written-By – Ulf Wakenius
6    Song For Japan 3:21
Written-By – Ulf Wakenius
7    Birds And Bees 4:31
Written-By – Attila Zoller
8    Praying 3:54
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
9    Chorinho 5:07
Written-By – Lyle Mays
10    Witchi-Tai-To 5:24
Written-By – Jim Pepper
11    Encore 2:54
Written-By – Keith Jarrett
Credits :
Ulf Wakenius - Acoustic Guitars, Oud, Chant
Vincent Peirani - Accordion, Accordina, Voice
Lars Danielsson - Bass, Cello
Cover [Cover Art] – Daniel Richter
Guests:
Eric Wakenius - Acoustic Steel String Guitar
Michael Dahlvid - Darbuka, Cajon
Very special guests on “Message In A Bottle”:
Youn Sun Nah - Vocals
Nguyên Lê - Electric Guitar

YOUN SUN NAH = 나윤선 — Lento (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Singers who are able to shake up an entire genre are rare. Korean Youn Sun Nah is such a phenomenon, as "Lento" proves. "A miracle", "great art", "enchanting" or "world-class singing" is what the local press has said about the singer in recent years. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Lento 3:04
Written-By – Alexander Scriabin, Youn Sun Nah
2    Lament 3:40
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
3    Hurt 5:22
Written-By – Nine Inch Nails
4    Empty Dream 4:20
Written-By – Vincent Peirani, Youn Sun Nah
5    Momento Magico 5:32
Written-By – Ulf Wakenius
6    Soundless Bye 3:44
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
7    Full Circle 3:36
Written-By – Vincent Peirani, Youn Sun Nah
8    Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:58
Written-By – Stan Jones
9    Waiting 3:30
Written-By – Caecilie Norby, Lars Danielsson
10    Arirang 4:25
 – Korean Traditional
11    New Dawn 3:42
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
Credits :
Accordion, Melodica [Accordina] – Vincent Peirani
Bass, Cello – Lars Danielsson
Guitar [Guitars] – Ulf Wakenius
Percussion – Xavier Desandre-Navarre
Vocals – Youn Sun Nah

YOUN SUN NAH 나윤선 — Voyage (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

"The discovery of the season... In jazz singing, we haven't encountered anything more colorful, intriguing, and virtuosic in a long time." - Süddeutsche Zeitung ACT
Tracklist :
1    Dancing With You 4:44
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
2    The Linden 5:00
Written-By – Lars Danielsson, Lina Nyberg
3    Calypso Blues 4:06
Written-By – Don George, Nat King Cole
4    My Bye 4:25
Written-By – Natacha, Youn Sun Nah
5    Jockey Full Of Bourbon 3:42
Written-By – Tom Waits
6    Voyage 6:00
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
7    Please, Don't Be Sad 3:46
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
8    Shenandoah 4:32
Written-By – American Folk Song
9    Come, Come 3:31
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
10    Frevo 5:17
Written-By – Egberto Gismonti
11    Inner Prayer 5:05
Written-By – Youn Sun Nah
12    India Song 4:58
Written-By – Carlos D'Alessio, Marguerite Duras
Credits :
Acoustic Bass, Cello, Melodica, Producer – Lars Danielsson
Guitar [Guitars] – Ulf Wakenius
Percussion – Xavier Desandre-Navarre
Trumpet – Mathias Eick
Vocals – Youn Sun Nah

NGUYÊN LÊ • TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON • IIRO RANTALA • LARS DANIELSON • PETER ERSKINE • LESZEK MOŻDŻER • BUGGE WESSELTOFT • YOUN SUN NAH • IDA SAND — Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz (2017) FLAC (tracks), lossless

„When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do.“

Jimi Hendrix’s wish has been posthumously fulfilled. Although he had such misfortune in life, and died in 1970 at a mere 27 years of age, his immortal music has continued to be played ever since his death - very much in the spirit of that quote. Countless musicians in rock, pop and jazz have been influenced by Hendrix, and many have overtly based their own music on his. Among the ACT family of artists, several have been inspired by his music, and have found their own individual ways to play it. In November of this year this icon of the 1968 protest movement, this pioneer of rock would have been 75. A good reason, then, for ACT musicians to gather together for a retrospective called “Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz”, to let the unique spirit of this genius of the electric guitar soar again.

Pride of place here goes to Nguyên Lê. 25 years ago, he was the first artist to have an exclusive contract with ACT, in its first year of existence. As a self-taught guitarist, the Vietnamese-French musician is stylistically close to Hendrix, and the American has discernably influenced Lê’s instantly recognizable world music, which innovatively blends elements from Europe, Asia and America. Indeed, one of Lê’s very greatest successes was the 2002 CD “Purple – Celebrating Jimi Hendrix”. His versions of “1983…(A Merman I Should Turn To Be)” and “If 6 Was 9” form the centre of “Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz”.

Lê is immaculate in the way he lives up to the challenge of the title, taking all the freedom and danger of Hendrix’s rock music, and using the subtle craft of the jazz improviser to enhance it. Alongside Lê, Terri Lyne Carrington is a pivotal figure in this recording. Hendrix's themes are sometimes furiously rocky, sometimes soulful or atmospherically dream-like, and she not only propels them from the drums, she uses her voice to express his lyrics, which she also expands with thoughts of her own.

And the other ACT stars on this album demonstrate what a kaleidoscope of colours, a diversity of styles and and lively cosmos Hendrix's pieces can become: whether it is Bugge Wesseltoft transforming “Angel” into a tender solo piano ballad, or his Finnish pianist colleague Iiro Rantala in a trio with Lars Danielsson on bass and Peter Erskine on drums on “Little Wing”. Or it can be the unique Youn Sun Nah’s “Drifting”, intoning an irresistible call of longing, or her soulful Swedish sister-in-jazz Ida Sand, wonderfully expressive in “Manic Depression”. From the NDR Bigband rocking out on “Voodoo Chile” to the ACT Family Band - Cæcilie Norby, Céline Bonacina, Wolfgang Haffner, Lars Danielsson with Nguyên Lê again – performing the most famous Hendrix anthem “Purple Haze” in front of an ecstatic audience celebrating the 20th birthday of ACT.

“Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz” is an anthology which shows that Hendrix’s music is as alive as it ever was – maybe even more so. And what it does -musically at least - is to encourage listeners to ‘go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do’. ACT
Sources
1 Angel 5:21
Album: Everybody Loves Angels (ACT 9847-2)
Musicians: Bugge Wesseltoft - piano

2 Little Wing 4:52
Album: How Long Is Now (ACT 9823-2)
Musicians: iiro Rantala - piano / Lars Danielsson - bass / Peter Erskine - drums

3 Are You Experienced 7:29
Album: Polska (ACT 9557-2)
Musicians: Leszek Mozdzer - piano & celesta / Lars Danielsson - bass / Zohar Fresco - percussion / Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marcin Natecz Niesiotowsky / Ewelina Serafin - flute solo

4 Drifting 4:35
Album: She Moves On (ACT9037-2)
Musicians: Youn Sun Nah - vocals/ Marc Ribot - guitar / Jamie Saft - keys / Brad Jones - bass / Dan Rieser - drums

5 1983 ... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) 6:02
Album: Purple - Celebrating Jimi Hendrix (ACT 9410-2)
Musicians: Nguyên Lê - guitars & guitar synth / Terri Lyne Carrington - drums & vocals / Michel Alibo - bass / Bojan Z - piano

6 If 6 Was 9 4:02
Album: Purple - Celebrating Jimi Hendrix (ACT 9410-2)
Musicians: Nguyên Lê - guitars / Terri Lyne Carrington - drums & vocals / Bojan Z - fender Rhodes / Aida Khann - spoken words / Michel Alibo - bass

7 Manic Depression 3:25
Album: True Love (ACT 9481-2)
Musicians: Ida Sand - vocals & Wurlitzer / Magnus Lindgren - bass clarinet / Ola Gustafsson - guitars / Peter Forss - bass / Per Lindvall - drums

8 Little Wing 3:51
Album: Million Waves (ACT 9221-2)
Musicians: Nguyên Lê - guitar / Dieter Ilg - bass / Danny Gottlieb - drums

9 Voodoo Chile 5:15
Album: Bravissimo - 50 Years NDR Bigband (ACT 9232-2)
Musicians: NDR Bigband conducted by Rob Pronk / Howard Johnson - tuba & arranger / Stephan Diez - guitar

10 Purple Haze 14:04
Album: The ACT20 Jubilee Concert (ACT 6015-2)
Musicians: ACT Family Band: Cæcilie Norby- vocals / Nguyên Lê - guitar / Celine Bonacina -baritone sax / Lars Danielsson - bass / Wolfgang Haffner - drums

Music composed by Jimi Hendrix
Compiled by Marco Ostrowsky
Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann
Cover art design: Siggi Loch