JEAN-LUC PONTY — Imaginary Voyage (1976-1990) Two Version | WV (image+.cue), lossless + FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless)

As of 1976, Jean-Luc Ponty's variations on the Mahavishnu Orchestra theme were still fresh and imaginative, cast in a distinctively different, more lyrical, more controlled framework. For Imaginary Voyage, Ponty's instrumental lineup is identical to that of Mahavishnu -- electric violin, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums -- but he turns the emphasis on its head, with all commands coming directly from the violin (his) and less competitive crossplay emanating from his colleagues. For starters, "New Country" is a lively jazz-rock hoedown, one of those periodic C&W side trips that some fusioneers attempt for a lark, and "The Gardens of Babylon" is a wonderfully memorable tune, the beginnings of which grow out of "New Country." The last half of the LP is taken up by the title composition, a strong four-part suite that hangs together with barely a snag in interest over its 20-minute span. Richard S. Ginell

Tracklist :

1. New Country (3:07)

2. The Gardens Of Babylon (5:06)

3. Wandering On The Milky Way (Violin Solo) (1:50)

4. Once Upon A Dream (4:08)

5. Tarantula (4:04)

6. Imaginary Voyage

Part I (2:22)

Part II (4:05)

Part III (5:28)

Part IV (8:00)

Total Time 38:10

Line-up / Musicians

- Jean-Luc Ponty / Electric and acoustic violins, organ and background synthesizers

- Marc Craney / Percussion

- Tom Fowler / Electric bass

- Daryl Steurmer / Electric and acoustic guitars

- Allan Zavod / Electric keyboards and Acoustic piano

ANITA WARDELL — Noted (2006) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1 Moanin'  7:47
Jon Hendricks / Bobby Timmons
2 Watermelon Man  7:03
Herbie Hancock
3 Autumn Leaves  7:46
Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert
4 Night and Day  4:15
Cole Porter
5  Lonely Woman  5:23
Horace Silver
6  Doodlin'  4:44
Jon Hendricks / Horace Silver
7 The Sidewinder  6:03
Lee Morgan
8 Blues on the Corner  6:51
McCoy Tyner
9 Wonderful, Wonderful  4:39
Sherman Edwards & Donald Meyer / Ben Raleigh
10 And What If I Don't  5:33
Herbie Hancock
Credits :
Robin Aspland - Piano
Steve Brown - Drums
Alex Garnett - Saxophone
Anita Wardell - Vocals

JUNE CHRISTY — The Misty Miss Christy (1956-1992) Mono | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Using Anita Day as starting point -- but eschewing many of her scat-song histrionics in favor of pure tonal power and melancholic shading -- June Christy honed her singing skills with Stan Kenton's band before going solo in the '50s. Christy's relatively accessible vocal approach and blonde good looks eventually helped her gain success with such classic long players as Something Cool and The Misty Miss Christy. Less swinging than Something Cool, The Misty Miss Christy mostly stays on auto-stroll with a wealth of subtle and sophisticated orchestral charts. The jazz-pop environs come courtesy of longtime arranger Pete Rugolo and optimally frame the singer on highlights like "That's All," "I Didn't Know About You," and "Dearly Beloved." With West Coast-style brass and reed accents gliding atop the lush strings, Christy also turns in fine renditions of Monk's "Round Midnight" and Russ Freeman's expressionistically torchy "The Wind." Balancing out the predominant autumnal lull, Christy shows her swinging savvy on breezy gems like "Sing Something Simple," "There's No You," and "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening." Both an essential Christy title and one of the best vocal albums from the '50s. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1    That's All 3:20
Alan Brandt / Bob Haymes
2    I Didn't Know About You 2:51
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell
3    Day Dream 2:58
Duke Ellington / John Latouche / Billy Strayhorn
4    Sing Something Simple 2:15
Herman Hupfeld
5    Maybe You'll Be There 2:50
Rube Bloom / Sammy Gallop
6    Dearly Beloved 1:36
Jerome Kern / Johnny Mercer
7    'Round Midnight 3:57
Bernie Hanighen / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
8    A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening 2:22
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
9    Wind 3:46
Russ Freeman / Gladstone
10    This Year's Kisses 2:02
Irving Berlin
11    For All We Know  2:50
J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis
12    There's No You 2:11
Tom Adair / George Durgom / Hal Hopper
13    You Took Advantage of Me 2:29
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
14    Intrigue 2:19
Ervin Drake / Paul Durand
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank (tracks: 13, 14), Harry Klee (tracks: 13, 14)
Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon (tracks: 1 to 12), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 13, 14)
Bass – Harry Babasin (tracks: 1 to 12), Joe Mondragon
Conductor, Arranged By – Pete Rugolo
Drums – Alvin Stoller (tracks: 13, 14), Larry Bunker (tracks: 1 to 12), Shelly Manne (tracks: 1 to 12)
Flute – Bud Shank, Harry Klee
French Horn – John Graas (tracks: 1 to 12)
Guitar – Howard Roberts, Laurindo Almeida (tracks: 1 to 12)
Harp – Corky Hale (tracks: 1 to 12)
Percussion – Larry Bunker (tracks: 13, 14)
Piano – Benny Aronov (tracks: 13, 14), Claude Williamson (tracks: 1 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper
Trombone – Dick Noel (tracks: 1 to 12), Frank Rosolino (tracks: 1 to 12), George Roberts, Harry Betts, Herbie Harper, Milt Bernhart (tracks: 13, 14)
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo (tracks: 13, 14), Maynard Ferguson (tracks: 13, 14), Pete Candoli

LENA HORNE WITH LENNIE HAYTON'S ORCHESTRA — Stormy Weather (1957-2002) RM | Bluebird First Editions Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This LP features a fine sampling of the type of material that Lena Horne performed in the 1950s. Backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by her husband Lennie Hayton, Horne digs into such tunes as "Mad About the Boy," "Stormy Weather," "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home," and "Just One of Those Things." The music swings but is middle-of-the-road pop rather than jazz. However, Lena Horne is heard throughout in top form, and this set is easily recommended to her fans. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Tomorrow Mountain 2:57
Duke Ellington / John Latouche
2    Out of This World 3:39
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
3    Summertime 2:54
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
4    Mad About the Boy 3:06
Noël Coward
5    Ridin' on the Moon 1:58
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
6    Stormy Weather 3:47
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
7    Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? 2:14
Charles Warfield / Clarence Williams
8    Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home 3:33
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
9    I'll Be Around  2:56
Alec Wilder
10    I Wonder What Became of Me 3:00
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
11    Just One of Those Things 2:09
Cole Porter
– BONUS TRACKS –
12    Stormy Weather 3:54
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
13    Come Runnin' 2:55
Roc Hillman
14    From This Moment On 1:56
Cole Porter
15    A Cockeyed Optimist 3:30
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
16    I Have Dreamed 2:16
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
17    The Surrey With the Fringe on Top 3:51
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
18    Wouldn't It Be Loverly 2:52
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
19    What's Right for You (Is Right for Me) 2:58
Hubert Doris / Bernie Gluckman / Tommy Goodman
20    Sweet Thing 2:32
Betty Walberg
21    That Old Feeling 2:16
Lew Brown / Sammy Fain
Credits
Vocals – Lena Horne
Orchestra conducted Lennie Hayton
with Jimmy Maxwell, Charlie Shavers and George Duvivier
Notes :
Tracks 12-13: Previously Unreleased.

ABBE LANE WITH SID RAMIN'S ORCHESTRA — The Lady In Red (1958) Vinyl LP | FLAC (tracks) 24-96Hz

The Lady in Red pairs Abbe Lane with arranger Sid Ramin, whose orchestrations are as voluptuous as Lane herself. The album oozes sex appeal from every pore, delivered with a confidence and self-awareness that ultimately transcend cheesecake altogether. Lane is no great singer in any conventional sense, but her sheer braggadocio and jazz-inspired phrasing give her a distinct edge over rival pinups like Julie London -- even better, she tackles chauvinist fluff like "Femininity" with good humor and grace. No less important, Ramin's bold, lively arrangements boast a cinematic flair that calls to mind any number of romantic comedy scores, couching Lane's curves like a velvet chaise lounge. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    In a Little Spanish Town 2:47
Sam M. Lewis / Mabel Wayne / Joe Young
2    Do It Again 3:01
Buddy DeSylva / George Gershwin
3    No Good to Me 2:38
Jack Brooks / Sid Ramin
4    The Lady in Red 3:21
Mort Dixon / Allie Wrubel
5    Ain't Misbehavin' 3:31
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
6    Breezin' Along with the Breeze 2:17
Haven Gillespie / Seymour Simons / Richard A. Whiting
7    You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?) 4:01
Walter Donaldson
8    Femininity 2:58
Ray Evans / Jay Livingston
9    All of Me 4:26
Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons
10    I Get a Kick Out of You 3:54
Cole Porter
11    It's Been a Long, Long Time 2:52
Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne
12    We're Not Children 2:27
Ray Evans / Jay Livingston
Credits :
Orchestrated By, Arranged By – Sid Ramin
Vocals – Abbe Lane