BÉLA FLECK — Perpetual Motion (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck has certainly broken more boundaries than any other picker in recent memory, from his early days performing bluegrass-inspired folk compositions on Rounder in the late '70s to his quirky jazz freak-outs with the Flecktones throughout the '90s. In late 2001, this peculiar innovator released an album of banjo interpretations of classical works by Bach, Chopin, and Scarlatti. Before classical purists roll their eyes, they must remember that the banjo hasn't always been seen as the instrument of choice of backwoods musicians in the Appalachian mountains, but as recently as the 1940s was used as a primary rhythm instrument in all manner of parlor music. That being said, Perpetual Motion is a bright and unique take on several well-known classical pieces (Moonlight Sonata, Bach's Cello Suite No. 1) as well as a number of interpretations of Bach's two-part and three-part inventions. These light and brief inventions act as buffers between the longer, more dramatic pieces, but end up serving as some of the highlights of the album. With Fleck often accompanied by Evelyn Glennie on marimba and Appalachia Waltz musicians Joshua Bell and Edgar Meyer on violin and bass, these short, delicate pieces weave in and out of the album, proving that the banjo can be seen in a different light altogether. Fleck's picking is uniquely unparalleled in that he can so easily dip his feet into so many different genres with an instrument that is so quickly pigeonholed. The album drifts easily into the background, which is not necessarily a detraction but, knowing the fire that Fleck can unleash from his fingertips, it would have been nice to have a few more impassioned numbers on the album. The closest the ensemble comes to really making some noise is the final track, Paganini's Moto Perpetuo (arranged in a bluegrass style), which is not necessarily more forceful, but is certainly faster and louder. Zac Johnson
Tracklist :
1. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata In C Major K.159
2. Bach: Two-Part Invention No. 13
3. Debussy: ''Dortor Gradus Ad Parnassum'' From Children's Corner
4. Chopin: Mazurka In F-Sharp Minor
5. Bach: ''Prelude'' From Partita No. 3 For Solo Violin
6. Chopin: Etude In C-Sharp Minor
7. Chopin: Mazurka In F-Sharp Minor
8. Bach: Three-Part Invention No. 10
9. Tchaikovsky: Melody In E-Flat
10. Brahms: ''Presto In G Minor I After Bach''
11. Bach: ''Prelude'' From Suite For Unaccompanied Celllo No. 1
12. Bach: Three-Part Invention No. 15
13. Paganini: Moto Perpetuo
14. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata In D Minor K.213
15. Bach: Two-Part Invention No.6
16. Beethoven: ''Adagio Sostenuto'' From ''Moolight'' Sonata
17. Bach: Two-Part Invention No. 11
18. Beethoven: Seven Variations On ''God Save The King''
19. Bach: Three-Part Invention No. 7
20. Paganini: Moto Perpetuo (Bluegrass Version)
Credits :
Banjo – Béla Fleck
Bass, Piano – Edgar Meyer
Cello – Gary Hoffman
Guitar – John Williams
Mandolin – Chris Thile
Marimba – Evelyn Glennie
Steel Guitar [Steel String Guitar] – Bryan Sutton
Violin – Joshua Bell
Arranged By – Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer

VICTOR WOOTEN — Yin-Yang (1999) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There's little question that Victor Wooten is an ambitious musician. That was evident from his first two records, but Yin-Yang easily reaches farther than any album he has yet made. Spanning two discs, one instrumental and one vocal, Yin-Yang tries a little bit of everything, all underneath a smooth fusion umbrella. There's a bass showcases, worldbeat fusions, bluegrass jazz, smooth soulful jazz with banjos, full-fledged urban soul, songs based around baby gibberish -- a little bit of everything, all given immaculate, glossy production. That clean production not only makes the record sound accessible, but it makes the eclecticism and unpredictable stylistic fusions sound familiar. Depending on your point of view, that's either a good or a bad thing -- it either means Wooten is welcoming more listeners, or it means that it's not challenging. And that's the strange thing about Yin-Yang -- it's not particularly challenging, yet it is complex and difficult to digest in one sitting. That's largely because there's so much music on the record, but it's also because Wooten's ideas sound better when heard a few cuts at a time. He's a very talented musician and has some great ideas, but a little discipline and editing would make his records more convincing and compelling. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Disc 1 Yin (Instrumental)    45:40
1-1        Imagine This  5:08
Bass [2 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Bass [Fretless] – Steve Bailey
Drums – Kelly Gravely
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards, Piano [Acoustic] – Joseph Wooten
Percussion – Darrell Tibbs
Tenor Saxophone – Jeff Coffin
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-2        Yinin' & Yangin' (Instrumental) 4:36
Bass [3 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums, Programmed By – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-3        Hip Bop 4:03
Bass [2 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Organ – Joseph Wooten
Saxophone – Rudy Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-4        Joe's Journey 5:20
Bass [2 Tracks], Guitar [Steel String], Cello – Victor Wooten
Cello – David Blazer, Michael Kott, Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar [Nylon String] – Regi Wooten
Keyboards, Piano [Acoustic] – Joseph Wooten
Soprano Saxophone – Roger "Rock" Williams
Violin – Billy Contreras, Buddy Spicher
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-5        The Urban Turban 2:42
Bass [5 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Kirk Whalum
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-6        Tali Lama 5:17
Banjo – Tali Ovadia
Bass [2 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Djembe, Shaker – Jim Roberts
Drums – Kelly Gravely
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Percussion – Darrell Tibbs
Snare [Additional] – JD Blair
Vocals – Peter Rowan
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-7        Zenergy 6:46
Banjo – Béla Fleck
Bass [1 Track] – Victor Wooten
Drums – Carter Beauford
Fiddle – Stuart Duncan
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Tenor Saxophone – Jeff Coffin
Written-By – B. Fleck, V. Wooten
1-8        Kaila Speaks 3:00
Bass [Bass, Electric Upright Bass (2 Tracks)] – Victor Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Vocals – Kaila Wooten
Written-By – J. Wooten, V. Wooten
1-9        Sacred Place 3:46
Bass [3 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Percussion – Darrell Tibbs
Written-By – V. Wooten
1-10        Resolution 4:57
Bass [5 Tracks], Guitar – Victor Wooten
Cello – David Blazer, Michael Kott
Drums – Carter Beauford
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Violin – Billy Contreras
Violin, Viola – Buddy Spicher
Vocals – Kathy Chiavola
Written-By – V. Wooten
Disc 2 Yang (Vocal)    44:22
2-1        Hormones In The Headphones 4:06
Backing Vocals – Dobehi "Doobie" Lachaden, Michael Kott, Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards, Piano [Acoustic], Theremin – Joseph Wooten
Vocals, Bass [Bass & Acoustic Bass (8 Tracks)] – Victor Wooten
Written-By – Michael Kott
2-2        Yinin' & Yangin' (Vocal) 5:12
Backing Vocals – Andrea Pizzao, Jonathan Morse, Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Rap – Count Bass D
Vocals, Bass [1 Track] – Victor Wooten
Written-By – Dwight Farrell, JD Blair, J. Morse, V. Wooten
2-3        Kaila Raps 4:42
Bass [8 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Vocals – Kaila Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten
2-4        One 4:54
Bass [4 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Joseph Wooten
Trumpet – Rod McGaha
Vocals – Allyson Taylor
Written-By – V. Wooten
2-5        What Crime Is It? 4:55
Bass, Vocals – Victor Wooten
Drums, Vocals [Additional] – JD Blair
Vocals – Bootsy Collins
Vocals [Additional] – Aseem Hetep, Park Law
Vocals, Bass [7 Tracks] – William "Oui-Wey" Collins
Written-By – Bootsy Collins, JD Blair, V. Wooten, William Collins
2-6        Go Girl Go 3:18
Backing Vocals – Michael Kott
Drums – Jennie Hoeft
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Vocals, Bass [1 Track] – Victor Wooten
Written-By – M. Kott
2-7        Pretty Little Lady 3:34
Backing Vocals – Dobehi "Doobie" Lachaden, Joseph Wooten, Mark "Zeke" Sellers, Michael Kott, Victor Wooten
Drums – Kelly Gravely
Guitar [Funky Wah Wah] – Regi Wooten
Keyboards – Joseph Wooten
Vocals, Bass [1 Track] – Victor Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten
2-8        Hero 4:42
Bass [1 Track] – Victor Wooten
Drums – JD Blair
Guitar – Regi Wooten
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Joseph Wooten
Percussion – Darrell Tibbs
Tenor Saxophone – Kirk Whalum
Vocals – Tabitha Fair
Written-By – V. Wooten
2-9        Singing My Song 4:43
Backing Vocals – Dobehi "Doobie" Lachaden, Felicia Fett, Holly Wooten, Marci Chittwood
Drums – JD Blair
Vocals – Jonell Mosser
Vocals, Bass [3 Tracks] – Victor Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten
2-10        Think About That 4:09
Bass [1 Track], Programmed By – Victor Wooten
Vocals – Dorothy Wooten
Written-By – V. Wooten

Vredens dag (Day of Wrath) a.k.a. "Dias de Ira" (1943, Dir. by Carl Theodor Dreyer) VIDEO (ISO)

Synopsis :
Filmed during the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Carl Dreyer’s Day of Wrath (Vredens dag) is a harrowing account of individual helplessness in the face of growing social repression and paranoia. Anna, the young second wife of a well-respected but much older pastor, falls in love with her stepson when he returns to their small seventeenth-century village. Stepping outside the bounds of the village’s harsh moral code has disastrous results. Exquisitely photographed and passionately acted, Day of Wrath remains an intense, unforgettable experience. criterion.com
Title : Day of Wrath (1943)   
Original Title : Vredens dag
Directed : Carl Theodor Dreyer
Duration : 97 min.
Subtitles : English, Spanish, Portuguese
Audio Monoaural in Danish
Genres : Drama
Countries : Denmark

MINA AGOSSI — Well You Needn't (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Mina Agossi offers listeners her unique singing talents on Well You Needn't, a 12-track recording that features songs as varied as her creative muse. Five tracks written by Agossi feature the rarely heard African kamala n' goni played to perfection by Bachir Sanogo while the other side of Agossi's musical personality pays tribute to such versatile musicians as Jimi Hendrix on "Voodoo Chile" and to Thelonious Monk on "Well You Needn't." Known throughout Europe for the use of her voice as an instrument and charismatic personality, Agossi's renditions of these songs have sparked a new interest in her vocal, drum, and bass style, which was evident in her first two recordings released in France. Agossi's free improvisations are what make this recording memorable and her fresh approach to vocal jazz (the use of her voice as a horn and guitar) is reminiscent of Carla Cook's and Suzanne Pittson's innovative vocal eccentricities. However, "Why Don't You Do Right?" is the sexiest and probably the best song on this record. Paula Edelstein
Tracklist :
1 Why Don't You Do Right? 2:40
Written-By – Joe McCoy
2 Don't Look At Me 3:53
Written-By – Mina Agossi
3 Well You Needn't 2:41
Lyrics By – Mike Ferro
Music By – Thelonious Monk
4 Drive 5:15
Written-By – Alex Hiele, Mina Agossi
5 May I Sit At Your Table? 4:39
Written-By – Mina Agossi
6 Father's Talk 6:07
Written-By – Mina Agossi
7 Ghost Of Yesterday 4:05
Written-By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Irene Wilson
8 You 4:15
Written-By – Alex Hiele, Mina Agossi
9 Voodoo Chile 4:23
Written-By – Jimi Hendrix
10 Rose Petals 3:40
Written-By – Mina Agossi
11 After You've Gone 2:18
Written-By – Henry Creamer, Turner Layton
12 Laundry Man Blues 2:56
Written-By – Mina Agossi
– BONUS TRACK –
13 Au Bois De Boulogne 2:34
Written-By – Francis Lemarque, H. Spade
Credits :
Bass – Alex Hiele
Drums – Ichiro Onoe
Percussion, Kora [Kamale N'goni] – Bachir Sanogo
Trumpet – Rob Henke
Vocals, Jew's Harp [Guimbarde], Guiro, Producer – Mina Agossi

ANNE PHILLIPS — Ballet Time (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Vocalist Anne Phillips may not be a familiar name to many jazz fans, though since she began her professional career in the early 1960s as a member of the Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show, she has worked in many musical formats as a singer, composer, arranger, conductor and producer. This project was a special labor of love, as she recruited a number of old friends that she met along the way and recruited them to appear on one track apiece with her. Her engaging vocal duet with Bob Dorough (who complements their vocals with some lively piano) of his "I've Got Just About Everything" is a playful affair. Phillips lays a bit behind the beat effectively in spots in Dave Brubeck's loping treatment of his timeless "In Your Own Sweet Way," while she captures the nostalgic magic of pianist Dave Frishberg's lyrics in his ballad (with music by Johnny Mandel) "You Are There." Marian McPartland is on hand for her haunting ballad "In the Days of Our Love," with Phillips bringing out the essence of Peggy Lee's lyrics. Phillips' duet with tenor saxophonist Bob Kindred (her husband) of "Embraceable You" is full of humor, as is "Double Talk" a duet with organist Larry Goldings that has a campy lyric in the style of Annie Ross. There's never a dull moment in this delightful musical scrapbook. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Ballet Time    3:12
Anne Phillips
  Anne Phillips feat: Scott Robinson
2     I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before    5:32
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Roger Kellaway
 Anne Phillips feat: Roger Kellaway
3     I've Got Just About Everything    4:02
Bob Dorough
 Anne Phillips feat: Bob Dorough
4     Here's to Life    4:43
Artie Butler / Phyllis Molinary
Anne Phillips feat: Artie Butler
5     In Your Own Sweet Way    4:51
Dave Brubeck / Iola Brubeck
 Anne Phillips feat: Dave Brubeck
6     Double Talk    3:39
Anne Phillips
 Anne Phillips feat: Larry Goldings
7     You Are There    3:16
 Dave Frishberg / Johnny Mandel
 Anne Phillips feat: Dave Frishberg
8     Late Late Show    4:01
Roy Alfred / Murray Berlin
 Anne Phillips feat: John Hart
9     In the Days of Our Love    3:44
Marian McPartland
 Anne Phillips feat: Marian McPartland
10     I Never Went Away    4:57
Richard Rodney Bennett
 Anne Phillips feat: Eddie Monteiro
11     I Was Doing All Right    3:12
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Anne Phillips feat: Matt Perri
12     Embracable You 5:37  
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin  
  Anne Phillips feat: Bob Kindred
13     Romancing Ketchikan    5:53   
Anne Phillips
 Anne Phillips feat: Paul Meyers  
14     New York Night Time Blues 4:50
Anne Phillips
Anne Phillips feat: Joe Locke
15     Fried Bananas     5:02
Dexter Gordon / Anne Phillips
 Anne Phillips feat: Adam Asarnow

ELISABETH KONTOMANOU — Back to my Groove (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

A dramatic vocalist who was born in France but sings in impeccable and unaccented English, Elisabeth Kontomanou is best known in Europe as both a singer and an actress. She has visited New York regularly and along the way has worked with Michel Legrand, Mike Stern, Toots Thielemans, and Jean-Michel Pilc, among others. Kontomanou has a powerful voice and is a fine jazz singer. On Back to My Groove, she performs Gustav Karlström's inventive arrangements to nine of her songs and two numbers from her sidemen. In addition to her impressive singing and the fresh material, some of which sounds like it could have been a standard in the '60s or '70s, Back to My Groove is of strong interest due to the instrumentation. Most selections utilize not only a rhythm section but the Quatuor Elysee String Quartet, a few horns (soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome is well featured) and a harpist. While there are some thoughtful performances, it is the more high-powered pieces, which include some challenging writing for the strings, that are of the greatest interest. Kontomanou gives one the impression that she could sing anything, making Back to My Groove a strong introduction to her music. Scott Yanow 
Tracklist :
1 Back to My Groove 6:13
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
2 What a Life 5:49
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
3 Where I'm Coming From 7:37
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
4 The Abuse 3:46
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
5 Black Angel 8:00
Elisabeth Kontomanou
6 You've Changed My World 5:19
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
7 Late Cold Night 4:04
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
8 Summer 5:14
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
9 My Love 6:52
Thomas Bramerie 
10 Dreams of Gold (Are Dreams of You) 3:47
Gustav Karlström
11 Peace on Earth
Elisabeth Kontomanou 
Credits :
Leon Parker - Percussion
Thomas Bramerie - Ac Bass
Orrin Evans - Piano
Donald Kontomanou - Drums
Marvin Sewell - Guitars
Sam Newsome - Saxophone
Gustav Karlstrom - Vocal 
Gregoire Maret - Harmonica
Isabelle Olivier - Harp
Pierrick Pedron - Alto Sax
David El Maleck - Tenor Sax
Daniel Zimmerman - Trombone
Elisabeth Kontomanou - Composer, Vocals

KAT EDMONSON — Old Fashioned Gal (2018) Blue-spec CD2 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Old Fashioned Gal, the title of Kat Edmonson's fourth record, certainly describes the singer. Edmonson doesn't truck with modern styles, whether they're musical or technological, but that doesn't mean she's stuck in the past. She's working an older style -- one that's rooted in the first half of the 20th century -- but she's adding to tradition by writing a set of original songs that blend modern lyrical sensibilities with the style of the Great American Songbook. It's a sly, subtle accent on a record that could be mistaken for an old-fashioned LP -- the music and the arrangements are intimate, yet lush; the tempo is never hurried, which gives Edmonson plenty of time to luxuriate in her melodies -- and that helps give this cabaret music an air of welcome freshness. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1 Sparkle and Shine 3:27
Kat Edmonson
2 I'd Be a Fool 2:51
Kat Edmonson
3 A Voice 4:25
Kat Edmonson
4 If 3:08
Kat Edmonson
5 Canoe 3:00
Kat Edmonson
6 Old Fashioned Gal 3:01
Kat Edmonson
7 Please Consider Me 4:44
Kat Edmonson
8 How's About It Baby 3:11
Kat Edmonson
9 Goodbye Bruce 2:29
Kat Edmonson
10 With You 3:33
Kat Edmonson
11 Not My Time 3:10
Kat Edmonson
Credits :
Vocals, Written-By, Producer – Kat Edmonson

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY — Blues in the Night (2006) SACD, Hybrid | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Ann Hampton Callaway is not your typical jazz songbird. For one thing, she's an accomplished and award-winning songwriter, which is unusual in a field dominated by interpreters. But what's most surprising is her voice -- it's a low alto instrument with a rich, dark, butterscotchy tone, and when she gets way down into her lower range the effect can be downright startling. Her latest album is a pleasing mixture of originals and standards, some performed with a small combo that includes bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash, others with the all-female Diva Jazz Orchestra. The big-band pieces pack the most wallop, which is no surprise given both the quality of the band and the fact that the arrangements were written by the great Tommy Newsom; a powerhouse rendition of her own "Swingin' Away the Blues" opens the program with a serious bang, and her small-scale but equally powerful take on the chestnut "Blue Moon" carries the energy forward nicely. The rest of the album is a mix of tender ballads and vibrant uptempo numbers, most with a theme related to the blues, either in a mood of resigned acceptance ("Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Willow Weep for Me") or defiant opposition (the Callaway original "Hip to Be Happy"). She imbues most of these songs with a smoldering, torchy quality that brings new energy to old material, and her new songs stand up very nicely next to the established standards. Highly recommended. Rick Anderson
Tracklist :
1  Swingin' Away The Blues  3:29
Arranged By – Tommy Newsom
2  Blue Moon  5:37
Arranged By – Andy Farber, Ann Hampton Callaway
Written-By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
3  Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most  6:19
Arranged By – Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays
Written-By – Frances Landesman, Tomas Wolf
4  Lover Come Back To Me  3:23
Arranged By – Tommy Newsom
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
5  Stormy Weather / When The Sun Comes Out  5:13
Arranged By – Alex Rybeck, Ann Hampton Callaway
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
6  The I'm-Too-White-To-Sing-The-Blues Blues  3:41
Arranged By – Matt Cattingub
Written-By – Ann Hampton Callaway
7  Willow Weep For Me  6:18
Arranged By – Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays
Written-By – Ann Ronell
8  Hip To Be Happy  2:43
Arranged By – Bill Mays
Arranged By, Written-By – Ann Hampton Callaway
9  It's All Right With Me  5:52
Arranged By – Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays
Written-By – Cole Porter
10  No One Is Alone  4:32
Arranged By – Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays
Written-By – Stephen Sondheim
11  Blues In The Night  4:50
Arranged By – Harold Wheeler, Jack Everly
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
12  The Glory Of Love  3:08
Arranged By – Ann Hampton Callaway, Rodney Jones
Written-By – Bill Hill
Credits :
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Lewis Nash
Guitar – David Gilmore
Lead Vocals – Ann Hampton Callaway
Orchestra – Sherrie Maricle And The Diva Jazz Orchestra (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 11)
Piano – Ted Rosenthal
Producer – Ann Hampton Callaway, Elaine Martone
Vocals – Liz Callaway

MARIA PIA DE VITO · RITA MARCOTULLI - Nauplia (1995) WV (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    'Mmiezo 'O Ggrano 6:00
Written-By – Nicolardi, Nardella
2.    Zitto Chi Sape 'O Juoco 4:45
Written-By – Maria Pia De Vito
3.    Come Un Ritratto 4:10
Written-By – De Vito, Marcotulli
4.    'Nfrisca All'Anema 'E Chilli Quatto 3:16
Written-By – Pietropaoli, De Vito
5.    Scalinatella 4:12
Written-By – Bonagura, Cioffi
6.    'Stu Core Mio 6:01
Written-By – Orlando di Lasso
7.    Ciardino D'Ammore 7:21
Written-By – Maria Pia De Vito
Viene Notte / Aurora / Scitame Sole    (12:55)
8a)        Viene Notte
Written-By – De Vito, Marcotulli
8b)        Aurora
Written-By – Marcotulli
8c)        Scitame Sole
Written-By – De Vito, Marcotulli
9.    Serenata 'E Pulecenella 6:20
Written-By – Cannio, Bovio
10.    Frastunnatu 4:21
Written-By – Alfio Antico
Credits :
Double Bass – Enzo Pietropaoli
Ensemble – Insieme Strumentale Di Roma
Percussion [Percussions] – Arnaldo Vacca, Naco
Piano – Rita Marcotulli
Tambourine [Tammorre] – Alfio Antico
Vocals – Maria Pia De Vito

POLLY BERGEN — The Early Years (2007) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Mostly known as a TV and film actress, Polly Bergen recorded several album of pop standards in the 1950s and '60s, as well as using her expressive voice onstage in musicals. This rare collection features recordings from the very beginning of her career, showcasing tunes from 1950 through 1956. AllMusic
Tracklist :
1.    Honky Tonkin' 2:13
 Williams
feat: Ramey Idriss / Matty Matlock / George Tibbles / Paul Toenniges / Joe Venuti
2.    Mount'n Boys Have Fun with Mount'n Girls 2:37
 Pober-Buck
feat: Ramey Idriss / Matty Matlock / George Tibbles / Paul Toenniges / Joe Venuti
3.    Oh Them Dudes 2:33
Frank Loesser
feat: The Mellowmen & Orchestra
4.    I Got Tookin 2:33
 Elliot-Spina
feat: The Mellowmen & Orchestra
5.    Just the Way You Are 2:55
 Ralph Fredd
6.    I Put My Head in the Lion's Mouth 2:23
 Wyle-Pola
feat: The Mellowmen & Orchestra
7.    Tonda Wanda Hoy 2:48
 David-Livingstone
feat: The Mellowmen & Orchestra
8.    Out of Sight out of Mind 3:27
Gail Smith
9.    Apple on a Pear Tree 2:16
 Hoffmann-Gimbell
10.    Don't Let Our Love Die on the Vine 2:52
 Freed-Livingstone
11.    No One Else Will Ever Know 2:47
 Sherman-Roberts
12.    Let's Make Love 2:18
 Roberts
13.    Someone to Watch Over Me 3:27
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
14.    Autumn Leaves 3:27
Jacques Prévert
15.    Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe 4:02
 Arlen-Harburg
16.    Little Girl Blue 3:46
 Rodgers-Hart
17.    The Way You Look Tonight 2:54
 Kern-Fields
18.    A Woman Likes to Be Told 2:58
 Carmichael
19.    I Thought of You Last Night 2:36
Ralph Freed
20.    When the World Was Young 6;06
 Philippe-Vannier-Mercer
21.    The Wayward Wind 3:10
 Lebowsky-Newman
feat: Morty Stevens & His Orchestra
22.    How Little We Know 2:15
 Leigh-Springer
feat: Morty Stevens & His Orchestra
23.    Too Close for Comfort 2:25
Larry Holofcener
feat: Morty Stevens & His Orchestra
24.    It's All Yours 2:24
 Fields-Schwartz
feat: Morty Stevens & His Orchestra
25.    Darling I Belong to You 2:35
 Barco-Jacobs
feat: Joe Leahy & His Orchestra
26.    One Little Mistake 3:02
 Wolf
feat: Joe Leahy & His Orchestra

NICOLE CROISILLE — Jazzille (1987) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Hallelujah I Love Him So 3:55
Backing Vocals – Diane Tell, Lavelle, Nicole Croisille
Keyboards – Aldo Frank
Written-By – Ray Charles
2.    Bluesette 5:00
Backing Vocals – Aldo Frank, Thierry Eliez
Harmonica, Guitar, Whistle – Toots Thielemans
Other [Oberheim] – Frank Sitbon
Written-By – N. Gimbel, T. Thielemans
3.    The Summer Knows (Summer Of 42) 3:55
Violin [Electric Violin] – Didier Lockwood
Written-By – A & M Bergman, M. Legrand
4.    Ode To Billy Joe 6:10
Bass – Jean-Marc Jafet
Written-By – Bobby Gentry
5.    Allright, Okay, You Win 4:40
Organ [Hammond B3] – Thierry Eliez
Other [Oberheim] – Frank Sitbon
Percussion – Paco Sery
Written-By – M. Watts, S. Wyche
6.    Round Midnight 3:40
Backing Vocals, Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement] – Bernard Arcadio
Written-By – B. Hanighen, C. Williams, T. Monk
7.    Fever 5:40
Percussion – Paco Sery
Piano [Acoustic Piano] – Aldo Frank
Tenor Saxophone – Manu Dibango
Written-By – E. Cooley, J. Davenport
8.    Kisses 3:40
Piano [Acoustic & Roland Digital Pianos] – Aldo Frank
Written-By – A & M Bergman, Ivanlins, V. Martins
9.    Salt Peanuts 5:50
Backing Vocals – Nicole Croisille, Thierry Eliez
Organ [Hammond B3] – Thierry Eliez
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
Credits :
Bass – Jean-Marc Jafet
Drums – André Ceccarelli
Organ [Hammond B3] – Thierry Eliez
Other [Oberheim] – Frank Sitbon
Percussion – Paco Sery
Piano [Roland Digital Piano] Arranged By – Aldo Frank
Synthesizer, Programmed By – Benoît Widemann

CLAIRE MARTIN — Take my Heart (1999) HDCD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

A major departure from Claire Martin's previous efforts, Take My Heart marked the first time she recorded an album that had very little to do with jazz. The British singer had never been a jazz snob; she always had a healthy appreciation of rock, pop and R&B. But jazz was her foundation -- if she interpreted a Tom Waits or Stevie Wonder song, she did so from a jazz perspective. Take My Heart, however, is essentially a pop album with R&B, folk, rock and jazz references -- the only thing on the CD that can honestly be called jazz is a torchy interpretation of the Cahn/Van Heusen classic "Only the Lonely." A gently introspective tone defines this album, and her remakes of Elvis Costello's "Baby Plays Around," the Beatles' "Help" (which she changes from uptempo pop-rock to relaxed pop-folk) and Paul Simon's "Jonah" sound quite personal. Martin co-wrote a few of the songs, including the Joni Mitchell-ish "Pleading Guilty" and "Inner City Girl," a pop/R&B gem that encourages a poor woman to be strong and persevere despite the challenges she faces. Thankfully, Martin the pop singer proved to be every bit as compelling as Martin the jazz singer. Alex Henderson  
Tracklist :
1 River Man 4:34
Nick Drake
2 Take My Heart 3:40
Gordon Mills
3 Only the Lonely 2:57
Sammy Cahn / James Van Heusen
4 Queen Bee 5:25
Rupert Holmes
5 Brilliant Trees 5:26
David Sylvian
6 Jonah 3:44
Paul Simon
7 Help! 4:29
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
8 Inner City Girl 4:36
G. Williams
9 Pleading Guilty 4:20
Claire Martin
10 I Scare Myself 4:37
Dan Hicks
11 Baby Plays Around 3:06
Elvis Costello
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar – Noel Gallagher (tracks: 7)
Arranged By – Paul Stacey
Autoharp – Mark Smith (tracks: 1)
Backing Vocals – Paul Stacey (tracks: 7, 8)
Backing Vocals [Spanish Banter] – Luis Jardim (tracks: 2)
Bass – Arnie Somogyi (tracks: 3)
Bass Guitar – Paul Stacey (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7 to 10)
Bassoon – Jason Rebello (tracks: 3, 5)
Cello – Ben Davis (tracks: 5, 7, 11), Sarah Barker (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6), Stanley Adler (tracks: 4, 6)
Clarinet – Mornington Lockett (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Double Bass – Arnie Somogyi (tracks: 5, 6)
Double Bass [Arco] – Sam Burgess (tracks: 6, 11)
Drums – Clark Tracey (tracks: 3), Jeremy Stacey (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 10)
Dulcimer [Appalachian] – Mark Smith (tracks: 5)
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Gareth Williams (tracks: 8)
Guitar – Paul Stacey (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 8 to 11)
Guitar [Ebow] – Paul Stacey (tracks: 5, 6, 9, 11)
Harmonica – Robin Miller (tracks: 1)
Keyboards – Jason Rebello (tracks: 4), Paul Stacey (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Lead Vocals – Claire Martin (tracks: 1 to 11)
Percussion – Luis Jardim (tracks: 2, 4, 6 to 8, 10)
Percussion [Clay Pot] – Sri Iain Ballamy (tracks: 2)
Piano – Gareth Williams (tracks: 3)
Saxophone – Mornington Lockett (tracks: 8)
Stylophone – Mark Smith (tracks: 7)
Trombone – Nichol Thomson (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Trumpet – Alistair 'Titch' Walker (tracks: 1 to 4, 6), Duncan Mackay (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Vibraphone – Anthony Kerr (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Viola – Charlotte Glasson, John Murphy (tracks: 1, 3 to 6)
Violin – Anna Giddey, Darragh Morgan (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6)

REBECCA MARTIN — Middlehope (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Rebecca Martin's Middlehope starts out as a quirky collection of jazz ballads. But about halfway through, the vocalist turns her attention to two pop/rock-oriented songs by Jesse Harris, who happens to be one of Norah Jones' main songwriters. In fact, the second of these two, "One Flight Down," appears on Jones' debut disc, Come Away With Me. Martin and Jones do seem to share a fondness for the contemporary singer/songwriter aesthetic, but Martin is more of a jazzer; her world-weary drawl gives a lift to old tunes like "Bewitched," "The Sweetest Sounds," "Dindi," and Johnny Mercer's "How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehn." Martin's band includes husband/bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Jorge Rossy, and tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry, but the album's truly defining sound is created by guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkel and Steve Cardenas, a twosome who has graced ensembles led by Paul Motian and Marc Johnson. (They're pretty easy to tell apart; Rosenwinkel takes most of the solos.) Without any other accompaniment, the guitarists frame a particularly vulnerable performance by Martin on the closing "Where Is Love," weaving together shimmering, intersecting lines that obliquely define each unfolding harmony. The band communicates with utmost sensitivity on "A Fine Spring Morning," which is played entirely rubato. And McHenry beautifully shadows the chromatic descending lines of "Midnight Sun" with carefully chosen harmonies. He also sings (who knew?) on "Dindi," doubling the tender melody an octave below Martin. Highly recommended. David R. Adler 
Tracklist :
1 The Sweetest Sounds 5:35
Richard Rodgers 
2 A Fine Spring Morning 3:51
Written-By – B. Haymes
3 The Midnight Sun 6:04
Written-By – J. Mercer, L. Hampton, S. Burke
4 Dindi 5:25
Lyrics By [Portuguese] – A. Oliveira
Written-By – A. C. Jobim
R. Gilbert 
5 How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehen? 4:24
Written-By – T. Scibetta, J. Mercer
6 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered 5:32
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers 
7 Then a Wall Came Up Inside Me 3:11
Written-By – J. Harris
8 One Flight Down 3:07
Written-By – J. Harris
9 Ridin' High 3:26
Written-By – C. Porter
10 Where Is Love? 3:26
Written-By – L. Bart
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Larry Grenadier
Classical Guitar [Nylon String], Electric Guitar – Steve Cardenas
Drums – Jorge Rossy
Electric Guitar – Kurt Rosenwinkel
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Bill McHenry
Vocals, Producer – Rebecca Martin

NICO — The Frozen Borderline : 1968-1970 (2007) RM | 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A companion to the same label's masterful reissue of John Cale's Paris 1919, The Frozen Borderline remasters the two albums that Nico recorded (with Cale in attendance) for Elektra and Reprise in 1968 and 1970, adding a heap of bonus tracks and the kind of deluxe packaging that fans -- accustomed to the cheapness of other Nico repackagings -- have previously only dreamed about. Spread across two discs, one per original LP, the two albums sound spectacular. Neither was exactly a production tour de force, their instrumentation dominated, of course, by harmonium, and the handful of flourishes that Cale layered on. But there was a beauty to that simplicity that always cried out to be opened wider, particularly across the earlier Marble Index, and the sound now fills the room, eerie, exotic, and so expansive. The bonus tracks are a treat. Although Desertshore is bolstered only by half a dozen demos, stripped down even further from the familiar versions, Marble Index adds alternate takes of every cut bar the opening "Prelude," together with four songs sliced from the original LP during mixing -- according to the liners, producer Frazier Mohawk simply couldn't listen to more than eight songs!

Two of the orphans, "Roses in the Snow" and "Nibelungen," saw the light of day on the album's 1991 reissue, albeit in different form -- an alternate version of one, an a cappella mix of the other. The other two, "Sagen die Gelehrten" and "Reve Reveiller," make their debut here and, though neither adds anything more than atmosphere and weight to the album, both are very welcome. A bigger shock, however, is delivered by "Nibelungen." Presented here in its full vocal and instrumental glory, it rises to equal any of Nico's subsequent performances or compositions -- and that includes Desertshore's masterful finale, "All That Is My Own," itself one of Nico's most evocative, haunting performances. Desertshore was Nico's third album in four years; she would never make so many records in so little time again. Indeed, by the time she came to cut her next LP, The End in 1974, she'd been away even longer than Syd Barrett, and was beginning to gather up as many legends and myths. Rock history has forgotten that now, and judges Nico more on the strength of her later career, touring through the 1980s until her death in 1988. This extraordinary package takes listeners back to a time when the first part of that future, at least, seemed impossible. Dave Thompson
The Marble Index    
1-1        Prelude    0:59
1-2        Lawns Of Dawns    3:10
1-3        No One Is There    3:36
1-4        Ari's Song    3:20
1-5        Facing The Wind    4:58
1-6        Julius Caesar (Memento Hodie)    5:01
1-7        Frozen Warnings    4:01
1-8        Evening Of Light    5:44
Outtakes    
1-9        Sagen Die Gelehrten    3:52
1-10        Rêve Réveiller    4:07
1-11        Roses In The Snow (Alternate Version)    4:00
1-12        Nibelungen (Complete Version)    3:15
Alternate Versions    
1-13        Lawns Of Dawns    3:15
1-14        No One Is There    3:40
1-15        Ari's Song    3:14
1-16        Facing The Wind    5:05
1-17        Julius Caesar    5:02
1-18        Frozen Warnings    4:21
1-19        Evening Of Light    5:41
Desertshore    
2-1        Janitor Of Lunacy    4:04
2-2        The Falconer    5:42
2-3        My Only Child    3:30
2-4        Le Petit Chevalier 1:17
Vocals [Uncredited] – Ari Boulogne
2-5        Abschied    3:05
2-6        Afraid    3:30
2-7        Mütterlein    4:40
2-8        All That Is My Own    3:36
Demos    
2-9        My Only Child    4:15
2-10        Janitor Of Lunacy    3:58
2-11        Abschied Ode (Death/Farewell)    3:01
2-12        You Are Beautiful (Afraid)    3:17
2-13        The Falconer    5:46
2-14.1        On The Desert Shore (All That Is My Own)    2:44
2-14.2        (no audio)    10:00
2-14.3        Frozen Warnings    4:24
Credits :
Arranged By – John Cale
Harmony Vocals – Adam Miller (tracks: 2-1 to 2-8), John Cale (tracks: 2-1 to 2-8)
Instruments [All Instruments Except Harmonium And Trumpet] – John Cale (tracks: 2-1 to 2-14)
Viola [Electric], Piano, Bass, Electric Guitar, Glockenspiel, Bells, Harmonica [Mouth Organ], Pipe [Bosun's Pipe] – John Cale (tracks: 1-1 to 1-19)
Written-By, Vocals, Harmonium – Nico

FREDRIKA STAHL — Sweep Me Away (2010) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

1  Intro 0:49 

2  Sweep Me Away  3:49 

3  Fast Moving Train  3:21 

4  Rocket Trip To Mars  3:43 

5  Altered Lens  3:56 

6  M.O.S.W  4:02 

7  A Drop In The Sea  3:17 

8  She & I  3:14 

9  Fling On Boy  3:15 

10  What If ?  3:33 

11  In My Head  2:54 

12  Fadin Away  4:05 

13  Song Of July  3:46 

14  So High (Album Version)  3:12
Credits :
Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Songwriter, Grand Piano – Fredrika Stahl

TINA LOUISE — It's Time For Tina : The Songs of Tina Louise (1957-1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Kitsch value aside, what makes It's Time for Tina a cut above most celebrity reissues is the album's conceptual ambition: its sultry songs are arranged in order to create a storyline depicting a night of romance with Tina Louise herself. Plus, it's got Coleman Hawkins on saxophone -- how can you possibly go wrong? Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1 Tonight Is The Night 2:59
Written-By – Raymond Hubbell
2 Hands Across The Table 3:10
Written-By – Jean Delettre, Mitchell Parish
3 Snuggled On Your Shoulder 3:59
Written-By – Carmen Lombardo, Joe Young 
4 Embraceable You 3:56
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
5 I'm In The Mood For Love 3:50
Written-By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
6 Baby Won't You Say You Love Me 3:06
Written-By – Raymond Hubbell
7 It's Been A Long Time 2:26
Written-By – Jule Styne And Sammy Cahn
8 Hold Me 4:33
Written-By – Art Hickman, Ben Black
9 I Wanna Be Loved 3:51
Written-By – Billy Rose, Edward Heyman
10 Let's Do It 2:55
Written-By – Cole Porter
11 How Long Has This Been Going On? 4:08
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin, P.G. Wodehouse
12 Good Night My Love 4:36
Written-By – Harry Revel, Mack Gordon
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Hilton Jefferson
Arranged By – Jim Timmens
Orchestra – Buddy Weed And His Orchestra
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trombone – Tyree Glenn
Vocals – Tina Louise

BUDDY MILES — Them Changes (1970-2003) RM | Original Funk LP Series | APE (image+.cue), lossless

This 1970 release by former Band of Gypsy's drummer Buddy Miles is, quite simply, one of the great lost treasures of soul inspired rock music. From the funky drive of the title track to Miles' plaintive singing on "I Still Love You, Anyway" and Greg Allman's "Dreams," the album is filled with the best qualities of both genres. Not only does Miles prove himself to be a great interpretor of songs, but with the title track and "Heart's Delight," he demonstrates his ability to write solid material on his own. Complimented by the Memphis Horns, Miles' songs soar and swing as hard as any Stax release, and his voice, underutilized when he played with the Electric Flag and Hendrix, combines the nuance of soul singing with the grit of rock. Them Changes is definately worth the extra effort to try to locate. Steve Kurutz
Tracklist :
1 Them Changes 3:19
Alto Saxophone – Robert Pittman
Arranged By – Buddy Miles, The Freedom Express
Bass, Bass [Fuzz] – Billy Cox
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Wally Rossunolo
Organ – Bob Parkins
Tenor Saxophone – James Tatum
Trumpet – Teddy Blandin
2 I Still Love You, Anyway 4:12
Arranged By – Buddy Miles, Charlie Karp
Backing Vocals – Bob Hogins, Buddy Miles, Robin McBride
Harpsichord [Electric], Piano – Robin McBride
Organ, Piano – Bob Hogins
Written-By – Charlie Karp
3 Heart's Delight 4:07
Bass – David Hull
Drums, Vocals – Buddy Miles
Flugelhorn – Phil Wood
Guitar – Charlie Karp, Marlo Henderson
Organ – André Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Mark Williams
Trombone – Bob Hogins
Trumpet – Lee Allen
Written-By – Buddy Miles
4 Dreams 4:51
Arranged By – Bob Hogins, Buddy Miles
Backing Vocals – André Lewis, Bob Hogins, Charlie Karp, David Hull, Fred Allen, Lee Allen, Mark Williams, Marlo Henderson, Phil Wood
Drums, Bass – Buddy Miles
Electric Piano – Bob Hogins
Soloist, Guitar [Leslie] – Charlie Karp
Written-By – Gregg Allman
5 Down By The River 6:20
Backing Vocals – Phil Wood  
Drums, Guitar [Lead], Backing Vocals – Buddy Miles
Electric Guitar – Marlo Henderson
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Charlie Karp
Electric Piano, Backing Vocals [Harmony] – André Lewis
Organ, Backing Vocals – Bob Hogins
Written-By – Neil Young
6 Memphis Train 2:55
Baritone Saxophone – Tobie Wynn
Bass – Roland Robinson
Engineer – Warren Dewey
Guitar – Jim McCarty  
Organ – Dwayne Hitchings
Producer – Steve Cropper
Tenor Saxophone – Bobby Pittman, James Tatum
Trumpet – Pete Carter, Tom Hall  
Written-By – B. Rice, Rufus Thomas, R. W. Sparks
7 Paul B. Allen, Omaha, Nebraska 5:31
Drums – Buddy Miles
Written-By, Arranged By – André Lewis, Buddy Miles
8 Your Feeling Is Mine 2:13
Piano – Phil Wood
Soloist, Trombone – Bob Hogins
Written-By – Otis Redding

THE KRONOS QUARTET · TERRY RILEY : Cadenza On The Night Plain (1988) Three Version | APE + WV + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

The Kronos Quartet has made its name by combining extreme virtuosity with equally extreme ecumenism of taste. The group brings the same seriousness to bear on Bo Diddley songs as on works by Arvo Part and George Crumb, so shock value has always been an integral part of their approach. But the Quartet's virtuosity is what saves that approach from gimmickry; they are almost always convincing in their implicit argument that you ought to take all of the music they perform as seriously as they do. This collection of pieces by minimalist Terry Riley consists of four works, all of which are worth hearing but none of which is especially inspiring. "Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector" takes a 14-note motif in the Dorian mode and turns it into a splayed, herky-jerky concatenation of lines that, when taken together, sound like the aural equivalent of tall, uncoordinated kids playing basketball. The piece is not without its charms, but it's not necessarily worth the investment of ten minutes of your life, either. More conventional and attractive are the jazz-based "G Song" and "Mythic Birds Waltz." The title track is a strange, 37-minute program piece thematically devoted to the most woolly-headed of received new age wisdom, from its explicitly India-derived structure to its piously anti-Western section headings. Again, it's not unpleasant, but it isn't compelling, either. Though Kronos plays with its usual incisive flair, the argument for serious listening is not terribly convincing this time out. Rick Anderson
 Terry Riley (b. 1935)
1.    Sunrise Of The Planetary Dream Collector    10:16
2.    G Song 11:03
3.    Mythic Birds Waltz    16:08
4.    Cadenza On The Night Plain (Dedicated To Dr. Margaret Lyon)    37:10
Credits :
 Cello – Joan Jeanrenaud
 Violin – David Harrington, Hank Dutt, John Sherba