BADI ASSAD - Chameleon (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Badi Assad (bah-JEE ah-SAHJ) is very chameleon-like in her protean, changing character. On the fun, energetic opener "Rhythms of the World" Assad gives us worldbeat, acoustic guitar pieces with jazzy, almost scat-like vocals. Things are peaceful and serene for the instrumental (acoustic guitar, flute and percussion) "Butterfly." Lee Ritenour appears on guitar synthesizer for "Waves," while Assad, the multi-instrumentalist, syncopates a guitar pattern with her right hand and simultaneously performs a marimba solo with her left hand. For this piece, Assad provides breathy vocalizations and Portuguese vocals that recall Astrud Gilberto and some light bossa nova. The simple arrangements of guitar and vocals on her own "Ai Que Saudade d'Oce" and "Naked" are the most moving pieces here. Her delicate, expressive vocals and flamenco-tinged, acoustic guitar phrases are simply beautiful. Assad is sibling to the world music acoustic guitar pair Duo Assad. A fascinating showcase for her extraordinary ability is the rendition of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Finding new sadness and beauty in the piece, she performs an arrangement that includes bass and exotic percussion, including subtle chimes. Her elegant, lilting lyric and exquisite guitar work make for a truly winning combination on this peerless Brazilian album. by Tom Schulte
Tracklist :
1    Rhythms Of The World 6:15
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Backing Vocals – Andre Manga, Debby Holiday
Guitar – Jeff Scott Young
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Percussion – Alex Acuña
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
2    Butterfly 4:12
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Flute [Gold] – Viviana Guzman
Guitar – Badi Assad
Percussion – Cassio Duarte
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
3    Waves 4:52
Acoustic Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Don Murray, Jeff Scott Young, Lee Ritenour
Guitar, Synthesizer – Lee Ritenour
Guitar, Vocals, Marimba – Badi Assad
Percussion – Cassio Duarte
Written-By – Badi Assad
4    Al Que Saudade D'ocê 4:00
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Carlinhos Antunes
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Percussion – Cassio Duarte
Written-By – Vital Farias
5    Naked 5:31
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
6    Naio Naio 5:23
Acoustic Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Backing Vocals – Andre Manga*, Debby Holiday
Didgeridoo – Steven Kent
Drums – Hilary Jones
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Mixed By [Assistant] – Jeff Shannon
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
7    Rain Trance 1:25
Acoustic Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young, Sérgio Assad
Cello – Stephanie Fife
Drums – Hilary Jones
Guitar – Badi Assad
Viola – Virginia Lee Frazier
Violin – Carolyn Osbourn
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
8    Waterfall 3:07
Acoustic Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Drums – Hilary Jones
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
9    Dolphins In The Blue Mist 3:06
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young, Sérgio Assad
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Written-By – Badi Assad
10    Ponta De Areia 4:00
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Written-By – Fernando Brant, Milton Nascimento
11    While My Guitar Gently Weeps 5:10
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young, Sérgio Assad
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Guitar, Vocals – Badi Assad
Percussion – Alex Acuña
Written-By – George Harrison
12    Flowing ... Into Formlessness 5:56
Arranged By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young
Didgeridoo – Steven Kent
Flute [Wood] – Viviana Guzman
Guitar, Vocals, Djembe, Wind Chimes [Key Chimes], Voice [Wind] – Badi Assad
Percussion – Cassio Duarte
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Scott Young

BADI ASSAD - Verde (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The exotic, one of a kind Brazilian guitarist, singer, and rhythmic mouth and body percussionist has had a stop-and-start career with turns as mysterious and intriguing as
her music. After splashing on the scene with her Chesky debut Solo in 1994, continuing the stir (including vast critical acclaim) with Rhythms (1995) and releasing Chameleon on Verve in 1997, Badi Assad suffered from a series of personal issues that drew her back home for a few years. Fans who were excited about her 2003 re-emergence on the trio date Three Guitars with Larry Coryell and John Abercrombie will be beside themselves with the long-awaited Verde, her first solo project in six years. Those expecting a typical Brazilian vocal album -- she explains the title as "the shades of the Brazilian rain forest" -- will be surprised by Assad's versatility, which incorporates rhythmic textures from around the world. She opens with the very African-flavored voice and dense percussion call-and-response "Cheguei Meu Povo" and a vocal percussion pitter patter interlude before tapping into a sound more typical of classic romantic samba ("Basica"). That sultry side is balanced by her more aggressive vocal and guitar on the feisty "Nao Adianta," which blends modern rock influences with indigenous soundscaping, complete with birdcalls. Other tracks have slight classical leaning, and there's even a little avant-garde oddity apparent on the brief "Feminina." More mainstream ears will be glued to her sly, sexy reading of U2's "One" and soaring, folk- and chamber music-tinged take on Björk's dramatic "Bachelorette," which further confirms Assad's incredible willingness to tackle exotic challenges. Though all the stylistic zigzagging is fascinating, Assad is first and foremost a vocalist of heartbreaking intensity, and tracks like the mournful "Bom Dia Tristeza" best reflect her ability to penetrate the heart. by Jonathan Widran  
Tracklist :
1    Cheguei Meu Povo 2:36
Performer [Band] – Cordel do Fogo Encantado
Written-By – Mestre Walter
2    Asa Branca 1:10
Written-By – Humberto Teixeira, Luiz Gonzaga
3    Básica 3:18
Written-By – Tatiana Cobbett
4    Não Adianta 3:00
Percussion – Guilherme Kastrup
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Young
5    One 4:37
Written-By – U2
6    Voce Não Entendeu Nada 4:08
Written-By – Badi Assad
7    Viola Meu Bem 1:37
Arranged By – Badi Assad
Written-By – Traditional
8    O Verde É Maravilha 2:26
Performer [Venezuelan Cuatro] – Carlinhos Antunes
Written-By – José Jorge, Ruy Maurity, Tim Simenon
9    Feminina 1:58
Written-By – Badi Assad, Simone Soul
10    Bachelorette 4:41
Written-By – Björk
11    Seu Delegado 2:34
Arranged By, Clarinet – Luca Raele
Written-By – Jorge Bernardo, Juraci De A. Aranha, Raul G. Marques*
12    Estrangeiro Em Mim 4:38
Written-By – Badi Assad
13    Bom Dia Tristeza 3:39
Written-By – Adoniran Barbosa, Vinicius De Moraes
14    The Being Between 5:09
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Young
15    Valse D'Amelie 2:05
Written-By – Yann Tiersen
16    Implorando 1:41
Written-By, Guitar – Toquinho
17    In My Little White Top (Básica) 3:49
Written-By – Tatiana Cobbett
Credits :
Accordion – Toninho Ferragutti (faixas: 10, 15)
Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Guitar [12 String] – Webster Santos (faixas: 3, 4, 13, 17)
Bass [Electric & Acoustic] – Rodolfo Stroeter (faixas: 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)
Cello – Dimos Guadaroulis (faixas: 10, 12)
Flute – Teco Cardoso (faixas: 3, 13, 17)
Guitar [7-string] – Edmilson Capelupi (faixas: 3, 17)
Guitar, Vocals, Percussion, Kalimba, Design, Liner Notes, Directed By [Musical], Mixed By, Executive Producer – Badi Assad
Percussion – Guello (faixas: 3, 17), Naná Vasconcelos (faixas: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Vocals – Carolina Assad (faixas: 7, 9)

EMILY REMLER – Firefly (1981-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

It sounds very clichéd to say that many of music's best and brightest have lived fast and died young, but it is so true. From Jimi Hendrix to Charlie Parker to Patsy Cline, the 20th century was full of talented artists whose lives were cut short by their self-destructive ways. In an ideal world, Emily Remler would have had a very long career and made it to seventy or eighty; instead, the guitarist used heroin and died of a heart attack at 32. Firefly was Remler's first album as a leader, and it is a promising debut. Joined by pianist Hank Jones, bassist Bob Maize, and drummer Jake Hanna, a 24-year-old Remler delivers an enjoyable hard bop date. The album isn't groundbreaking by early-'80s standards -- although Firefly was recorded in 1981, it sounds like it could have been recorded in 1961. But there is no law stating that every young jazz musician who comes along has to reinvent the wheel, and Remler (whose influences include Wes Montgomery and Herb Ellis) brings a lot of potential to lively, swinging performances of Horace Silver's "Strollin'," McCoy Tyner's "Inception," and Montgomery's "Movin' Along." The New Jersey native also provides two original tunes ("Perk's Blues" and "The Firefly") and pleasantly surprises listeners by unearthing a pretty but lesser-known Antonio Carlos Jobim song titled "Look to the Sky." Unlike "The Girl From Ipanema," "Corcovado," or "One Note Samba," "Look to the Sky" is far from a standard; however, Remler's heartfelt interpretation demonstrates that the Jobim melody deserves to be much better known. With Firefly, Remler's recording career was off to an appealing start -- a career that should have been much, much longer. Alex Henderson  
Tracklist :
1     Strollin' 5:29
Horace Silver
2     Look to the Sky 5:23
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3     Perk's Blues 4:06
Emily Remler
4     The Firefly 4:05
Emily Remler
5     Movin' Along 5:30
Wes Montgomery
6     A Taste of Honey 2:09
Ric Marlow / Bobby Scott
7     Inception 5:09
McCoy Tyner
8     In a Sentimental Mood 7:48
Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills
Credits :
Bass – Bob Maize
Drums – Jake Hanna
Guitar – Emily Remler
Piano – Hank Jones

THE EMILY REMLER QUARTET - Take Two (1982) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Emily Remler's second recording as a leader finds the 24-year-old guitarist still very much playing in the Wes Montgomery vein, although showing her own musical personality here and there. She is joined by pianist James Williams, bassist Don Thompson, and drummer Terry Clarke on a challenging set of material filled with obscurities. Certainly such numbers as Cannonball Adderley's "Cannonball," Dexter Gordon's "For Regulars Only," McCoy Tyner's "Search for Peace," and Monty Alexander's "Eleuthra" are rarely performed. Better known are "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Afro Blue"; Remler also contributes two originals. Throughout the date the guitarist displays a great deal of potential, much of which would sadly go unrealized due to her early death. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :    
1     Cannonball 4:48
Cannonball Adderley
2     In Your Own Sweet Way 4:52
Dave Brubeck
3     For Regulars Only 6:43
Dexter Gordon
4     Search for Peace 5:17
McCoy Tyner
5     Pocket Wes 6:45
Emily Remler
6     Waltz for My Grandfather 6:35
Emily Remler
7     Afro Blue 2:24
Mongo Santamaria
8     Eleuthra 6:20
Monty Alexander
Credits :
Bass – Don Thompson
Drums – Terry Clarke
Guitar – Emily Remler
Piano – James Williams

EMILY REMLER - Transitions (1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Emily Remler's third Concord recording was a strong step forward, as she started to really get away from her early Wes Montgomery/Herb Ellis influence and find a voice of her own. Rather than a standard piano-bass-drums trio, Remler teams up with trumpeter John D'Earth, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Bob Moses. Her three originals are challenging, and the quartet also performs Sam Jones' swinging "Del Sasser," Duke Ellington's lesser-known "Searchin'" and Keith Jarrett's "Coral." Throughout, Remler shows that her future lay beyond straight-ahead bebop, although as it turned out, she would not live long enough to be as influential as she would have been. All in all, this is one of the strongest of the six Emily Remler Concord recordings. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Nunca Mais 4:56
Emily Remler
2     Searchin' 6:08
Steve Allen / Duke Ellington
3     Transitions 7:56
Emily Remler
4     Del Sasser 6:44
Sam Jones / Donald Wolf
5     Coral 6:07
Keith Jarrett
6     Ode to Mali 4:41
Emily Remler
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Drums – Bob Moses
Guitar – Emily Remler
Trumpet – John D'Earth