ROY HARGROVE & ANTONIO HART — The Tokyo Sessions (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Trumpeter Roy Hargrove and alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, two of the finest contemporary hard boppers, made a potent team on this CD featuring sessions recorded in Tokyo during 1991. Hargrove's fierce trumpet solos and Hart's bluesy, equally energetic and accomplished answering alto statements fueled nine excellent reworkings of standards and jazz repertory. The quintet performed such established material as Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark," and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser," and Kenny Dorham's "Lotus Blossom," as well as Cole Porter's "Easy To Love," with confidence and in a smooth yet expressive style. It would still be nice to hear Hart and Hargrove doing their own material rather than simply putting their spin on shopworn, though wonderful, anthems. Ron Wynn
Tracklist : 
1 Bohemia After Dark 5:04
Written-By – Oscar Pettiford
2 Love Your Spell Is Everywhere 6:20
Written-By – Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis
3 Work Song 6:45
Written-By – Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr.
4 I Remember Clifford 7:00
Written-By – Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks
5 Straight No Chaser 4:46
Written-By – Thelonious Monk
6 But Not For Me 6:05
Written-By – Ira Gershwin - George Gershwin
7 Alone Together 7:33
Written-By – Howard Dietz - Arthur Schwartz
8 Lotus Blossom 5:29
Written-By – Kenny Dorham
9 Easy To Love 6:35
Written-By – Cole Porter
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Antonio Hart
Arranged By – Antonio Hart, Roy Hargrove
 Bass – Tomoyuki Shima
 Drums – Masahiko Osaka
 Piano – Yutaka Shiina
 Trumpet – Roy Hargrove

LUIZ BONFÁ —Jacarandá (1973) Vinyl LP | FLAC (tracks) 24-96Hz

After the initial shockwaves of Miles Davis' seminal fusion recordings began to settle, jazz rock fusion began to become a genre unto itself. What Miles had created as a way of opening both the disciplines up to one another -- in the same manner that bossa nova and rhythm and blues did in the 1960s -- created a slew of musical possibilities before fusion closed in on itself in the later 1970s and became its own restrictive genre, full of sterile, workmanlike chops, and endlessly repetitive rhythmic constructs. But perhaps no one, not even Weather Report's Joe Zawinul or Creed Taylor at CTI realized the full aesthetic and panoramic potential of fusing seemingly disparate elements together in an entirely new tapestry, the way that Brazilian composer and guitarist Luiz Bonfá did on Jacarandá in 1973. His collaborators, producer John Wood and arranger/conductor Eumir Deodato, assembled a huge cast of musicians in both New York and Los Angeles, and came up with nothing short of a grooving, blissed-out masterpiece of fusion exotica. The cast of players is in and of itself dizzying: Airto, Deodato, Bonfá on acoustic guitars, Stanley Clarke, Wood, Mark Drury, Ray Barretto, John Tropea (on electric guitars), Bill Watrous, Randy Brecker, Idris Muhammad, Jerry Dodgion, Sonny Boyer, Phil Bodner, Maria Toledo, and many others -- including full string and horn sections. The ambitious Deodato charts opened up the principals and brought hard Afro-Cuban rhythms, softer Brazilian ones, funky riffing soul and R&B interludes, and classical themes and variations, as well as sophisticated jazz harmonics and syncopation to a collection of tunes by Bonfá and others. Sound like a mess? Hardly. This is one of the most disciplined and ambitions recordings to be issued during that decade. Here Bonfá's gorgeous palette of samba and bossa melodies is married to film score dynamics, lush romantic cadenzas, smoking jazz grooves and cultured extrapolations of folk and popular music schemas. creating a stunning mosaic of color, release, pastoral elegance and bad-ass, intoxicating, polyrhythmic Latin soul vistas. While the entire album flows form front to back with seamless ease, there are a few standouts. The opener, "Apache Talk," features Barretto's congas creating a bottom for Muhammad's brushes and snare, as Clarke's bass plays one note insistently and hypnotically before Wood's Rhodes and finally Bonfá's 12-string come shimmering in with a funky urgency that is underscored by Tropea's bluesy fills. When the horns finally enter, the entire thing is popping and grooving on its own punchy axis. It's a wonder that Gilles Peterson hasn't picked up on this cut yet. Elsewhere, Bonfá's velvety tropical read of Enriqué Granados' "Dance No. 5," with its slippery classical guitar and extended harmonic palette, is a whispering wonder of sensual delight. The minor-key riffing in "Strange Message" that becomes a full-blown soundtrack-esque anthem is a wonder, and the jazzy soul of the title track with Drury's popping stand-up bass playing counterpoint to Bonfá's 12-string before Muhammad and Wood kick it on the funky side is breathtaking (Man, if Ralph Towner could only play 12-string like this, he might have been a contender!). Reissued on the JR label, in magnificent, warm, crystalline, 24-bit remastered sound, the album contains an excellent essay on Bonfá by executive producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro. This is the great fusion album that was never released here in the States, where the full possibilities of the new music were personified. If ever there were a case to order a CD online, this is it. It's so fine it's hardly even believable. 
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <- 
Tracklist :
1.    Apache Talk 5:21
Written-By – Luiz Bonfá
2.    Empty Room 6:55
Written-By – Luiz Bonfá
3.    The Gentle Rain 5:35
Written-By – Luiz Bonfá
4.    Dance No. 5 6:47
Adapted By – Luiz Bonfá
Written-By – Enrique Granados
5.    Song Thoughts 3:25
Written, Arranged By – Luiz Bonfá 
6.    You Or Not To Be 2:31
Written-By – Octavio Burnier
7.    Don Quijote 3:30
Written, Arranged By – Luiz Bonfá 
8.    Strange Message 3:28
Written-By – Luiz Bonfá
9.    Jacarandá 4:09
Written, Arranged By – Luiz Bonfá 
10.    Sun Flower 5:23
Written-By – Luiz Bonfá
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Mark Drury (tracks: 7, 9)
Acoustic Guitar [6 & 12-String] – Luiz Bonfá
Arco Bass – Alvin Brehm, Russ Savakus
Backing Vocals – Luiz Bonfá, Maria Toledo, Sonia Burnier
Bass Trombone – Tony Studd
Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Gloria Lanzarone
Concertmaster, Violin – Harry Lookofsky
Congas – Ray Barretto
Contractor [Strings] – Alfred Brown
Drums – Idris Muhammad, Richard O'Connell (tracks: 9)
Electric Bass – Stanley Clarke
Electric Guitar – John Tropea
Electric Piano – John Wood (tracks: 3, 9)
Flute [Solos], Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn – Phil Bodner
Flute, Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Flute, Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Romeo Penque
French Horn – Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon (8)
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Arranged, Conductor – Eumir Deodato
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Boyer
Trombone – Bill Watrous, Garnett Brown, Wayne Andre
Trumpet – Burt Collins, John Frosk, Marky Markowitz
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker
Viola – Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi, Harold Coletta, Selwart Clarke
Violin – David Nadien, Elliot Rosoff, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Katzman, Irving Spice, Joe Malin, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman

BENNY GOLSON — Turning Point (1963-2002) RM | Immortal Jazz On Mercury Series – 20 | FLAC (tracks) 24-44.1Hz

Renamed Turning Point upon one of its reissues, this quartet set for tenor saxophonist Benny Golson was the beginning of the close of an era. Within a year, Golson would be working full-time as a writer in the studios, and he de-emphasized his playing until making a comeback in the late 1970s. Golson is heard on this LP for one of the last times playing in his original Don Byas/Lucky Thompson-influenced style. Joined by pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb, Golson performs two originals, plus five superior standards, including "How Am I To Know," "Three Little Words" and "Alone Together." A rewarding but sadly out-of-print set. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 How Am I To Know 3:47
 (Dorothy Parker / Jack King)
2 (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over 4:38
 (Herb Magidson / Allie Wrubel)
3 Dear Kathy 4:46
 (Benny Golson) 
4 Three Little Words 4:38
 (Ruby & Kalmer)
5 Turning Point 3:56
 (Benny Golson) 
6 Stella By Starlight 4:50
 (Victor Young / Ned Washington)
7 Alone Together 7:30
 (Dietz & Schwatz)
Credits :
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Jimmy Cobb
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson

THE TOSHIKO TRIO — George Wein Presents Toshiko (1956-2008) Storyville Papersleeve Collection Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Discovered by Oscar Peterson during a Jazz at the Philharmonic tour of Japan, Toshiko Akiyoshi's first recording in the U.S. didn't take place until 1954, though she recorded in Japan for Norman Granz's Norgran label prior to this trio session. Joined by drummer Ed Thigpen, and the young bassist Paul Chambers, the 24-year-old pianist is already an impressive player. This date for George Wein's Storyville label focuses mostly on her originals, which include the dreamy ballad "Kyo-Shu (Nostalgia)," and the intricate bop vehicle "Homework." The two standards include a Bud Powell-influenced arrangement of "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," and a superb, lush "It Could Happen to You." Long out of print, this highly recommended LP was reissued on vinyl by both Black Lion in Europe and Trio in Japan during the 1970s, but it evidently has not yet appeared on CD. Ken Dryden

Tracklist : 

1 Between Me And Myself 5:15

Written-By – Toshiko

2 It Could Happen To You 3:55

Written-By – Burke-Van Heusen

3 Kyo-Shu (Nostalgia) 3:39

Written-By – Toshiko

4 Homework 3:38

Written-By – Toshiko

5 Manhattan Address 2:43

Written-By – Toshiko

6 Sunday Afternoon 4:15

Written-By – Toshiko

7 Blues For Toshiko 5:10

Written-By – Toshiko

8 Soshu No Yoru 1:35

Written-By [Japanese] – Traditional

9 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 4:05

Written-By – Hammerstein II, Romberg

Credits :

Bass – Paul Chambers 

Drums – Edmund Thigpen

Piano – Toshiko Akiyoshi 

AL JARREAU — My Old Friend : Celebrating George Duke (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Al Jarreau got his start playing in a jazz trio led by pianist/keyboardist George Duke, so it is fitting that Jarreau pays tribute to Duke, who passed away in 2013, on his 2014 album My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke. It was while working as a vocal rehab counselor at a hospital in San Francisco in the late '60s that Jarreau began singing with Duke's trio. It was also due in part to the popularity of these early performances that both musicians' storied solo careers were launched. On My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke, Jarreau delves into a batch of Duke compositions with a select group of guest artists, many of whom also had connections to Duke. Joining Jarreau here are such luminaries as Gerald Albright, Lalah Hathaway, Jeffrey Osborne, Dianne Reeves, and others. Similarly, backing Jarreau at various times is a superb ensemble of musicians including bassist Stanley Clarke (who also produced the album), keyboardists John Beasley and Patrice Rushen, guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., and drummer John "J.R." Robinson. In fact, Duke himself makes an appearance here via the wonders of modern technology on the languidly romantic "Bring Me Joy." Elsewhere, Jarreau turns his sonorous, joyful voice to such Duke songs as "Sweet Baby," "No Rhyme, No Reason," "You Touch My Brain," and more. Ultimately, My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke is a heartfelt tribute album that, as with many of Jarreau and Duke's previous albums, feels fresh, warm, and full of love. Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1 My Old Friend 4:57
Backing Vocals – Jeffrey Osborne, Katriz Trinidad, Patrick Lundquist, Porcha Clay
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Gerald Albright
Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards, Piano – Patrice Rushen
Producer – John Burk, Stanley Clarke
Saxophone – Gerald Albright
Vocals – Al Jarreau
Written-By – John Lang, Richard Page, Steve George
2 Someday 4:21
Bass – Marcus Miller
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Dianne Reeves
Guitar – Jubu
Keyboards – John Beasley
Producer – John Burk, Marcus Miller
Vocals – Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves
Written-By – George Duke
3 Churchyheart (Backyard Ritual) 4:56
Bass, Bass Clarinet, Programmed By – Marcus Miller
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Marcus Miller
Guitar – Jubu
Keyboards – John Beasley
Lyrics By – Al Jarreau
Music By – George Duke
Producer – John Burk, Marcus Miller
Trumpet – Mike Cotton
Vocals – Al Jarreau
4 Somebossa (Summer Breezin') 4:41
Backing Vocals – Patrick Lundquist
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Gerald Albright
Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards – Greg Phillinganes
Lyrics By – Al Jarreau, George Duke, Patrick Lundquist
Music By – George Duke
Percussion – Lenny Castro
Producer – John Burk, Stanley Clarke
Saxophone – Gerald Albright
5 Sweet Baby 4:31
Backing Vocals – Patrick Lundquist
Bass, Backing Vocals – Stanley Clarke
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Lalah Hathaway
Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards, Piano – Greg Phillinganes
Percussion – Lenny Castro
Producer – John Burk, Stanley Clarke
Vocals – Al Jarreau, Lalah Hathaway
Written-By – George Duke
6 Every Reason To Smile / Wings Of Love 3:51
Backing Vocals – Fred Martin, Katriz Trinidad, Patrick Lundquist, Porcha Clay
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Jeffrey Osborne
Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards, Piano – Patrice Rushen
Producer – John Burk, Stanley Clarke
Vocals – Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osborne
Written-By – George Duke, Jeffrey Osborne, Peter Schless, Stanley Clarke
7 No Rhyme, No Reason 4:05
Drums – Rob Bacon
Featuring – Kelly Price
Keyboards – Brandon Coleman
Percussion – Lenny Castro
Producer – Boney James
Programmed By – Boney James
Vocals – Al Jarreau, Kelly Price
Written-By – George Duke
8 Bring Me Joy 4:36
Bass – Alex Al
Drums – Omari Williams
Featuring – Boney James, George Duke
Guitar – Rob Bacon
Keyboards – George Duke
Percussion – Lenny Castro
Producer – Boney James
Tenor Saxophone – Boney James
Vocals – Al Jarreau
Written-By – George Duke
9 Brazilian Love Affair / Up From The Sea / It Arose And Ate Rio In One Swift Bite 4:46
Backing Vocals – Fred Martin, Katriz Trinidad, Patrick Lundquist, Porcha Clay
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Dianne Reeves
Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards – Patrice Rushen
Percussion – Lenny Castro
Producer – John Burk, Stanley Clarke
Producer [Additional] – Chris Dunn
Vocals – Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves
Written-By – George Duke
10 You Touch My Brain 4:44
Backing Vocals – Patrick Lundquist
Bass – Marcus Miller
Drums – John Robinson
Featuring – Dr. John
Guitar – Jubu
Keyboards – John Beasley
Producer – John Burk, Marcus Miller
Vocals – Al Jarreau
Vocals, Piano – Dr. John
Written-By – George Duke

MARTHA ARGERICH — Edition Solos & Duos (2011) 6CD BOX-SET | Martha Argerich Edition Series | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

'Argerich brings to bear qualities that are seldon contained in one person,' wrote Alex Ross in the New Yorker. 'She is a pianist of brainteasing technical agility; she is a charismatic woman with na enigmatic reputation; she is na unaffected interpreter whose native language is music.' Here, Argerich inhabits solo Works by Chopin and Schumann and, in a kaleidoscope of duo repertorie, collaborates with fellow pianists such as Anderszewski, Bronfman, Freire, Kovacevich, Montero, Rabinovitch and Zilberstein.
Tracklist :
CD1. (70:35)
 Chopin : Piano Sonata No. 3 · Mazurkas Op.39
 Schuman : Kinderszenen
CD2. (79:41)
 Schumann : Andante & Variations K501
 Mozart : Andante
 Mozart / Grieg : Piano Sonatas K545
 Mozart / Busoni : Fantasie
 Liszt : Réminiscences de Don Juan · Conerto Pathetique
CD3. (71:41)
 Mendelssohn : A Midsummer Night's Dreams
 Brahms : Sonata in F Minor for two pianos · Haydn Variations
CD4. (70:0+)
 Rachmaninov : Suites 1 & 2 for two pianos · Six Morceaux Op. 11
CD5. (71:57)
 Prokofiev : Symphony No. 1 'Classical'
 Tchaikovsky : The Nutcraker - Suite
 Shostakovich : Concertino for two pianos
 Ravel : Ma Mère l'Oye - Suite
 Lutoslawski : Paganini Variations
CD6. (77:03)
 Messiaen : Visions de l'Amen
 Gustavino : Tres Romances argentinos
 Piazzolla : Three Tangos 
Credits :
Martha Argerich with
Piotr Anderszewski · Yefim Bronfman · Gabriela Montero · Nelson Freire · Lilya Zilberstein · Stephen Kovacevitch · Alexandre Rabinovitch ...

MARTHA ARGERICH — Edition Concertos (2011) 4CD BOX-SET | Martha Argerich Edition Series | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Martha Argerich Edition: Concertos is one of several box sets issued in 2011 in honor of her 70th birthday. These four discs gather ten complete concertos recorded between 1997 and 2009 for EMI. As an artist as well-known for her loyalty to particular repertoire and particular musicians, most of these works have been recorded by Argerich multiple times. Prokofiev's Concerto No. 3, one of the first concertos she ever recorded, is here in a 1997 performance with conductor Charles Dutoit, one of her best collaborators. The two recorded both Chopin concertos the following year, also included here. Others of Argerich's most frequent collaborators are found on Beethoven's Triple Concerto: Renaud Capuçon, Mischa Maisky, and Alexandre Rabinovitch. The recordings of fellow pianist Mikhail Pletnev's Fantasia elvetica and of Falla's Noches en los jardines de España come from her Lugano Festival, an annual event founded in 2002 where Argerich gathers friends -- her familiar collaborators and new, promising, young musicians -- for music-making. The collection unfortunately does not include Ravel's Concerto in G, the other concerto typically noted as one of Argerich's best interpretations. Yet, it should very well satisfy those who want to get to know Argerich's work in the concerto repertoire as a mature musician at the height of her talent. Patsy Morita
Tracklist :
CD1. (69:02)
 Chopin : Piano Concertos 1 & 2 
CD2. (70:10)
 Prokofiev : Piano Concertos 1 & 3
 Bartók : Piano Concerto No.3
CD3. (64:35)
 Beethoven : Triple Concerto
 Schumann : Piano Concerto
CD4. (77:20)
 Shostakovich : Piano Concerto No. 1
 De Falla : Noches em los Jardines de España
 Pletnev : Fantasia elvetica

MARTHA ARGERICH — Edition Chamber Music (2011) 8CD BOX-SET | Martha Argerich Edition Series | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Perhaps the world's most charismatic pianista, Martha Argerich is also a generous and convivial colleage - a virtuoso who eschews solo recitals in favour of chamber music. Indeed, with the Martha Argerich Project in Lugano, she has become the linchpin of a festival devoted to ensemble performance.
This 8-CD set sees Argerich collaborating with na array of colleagues that includes Itzhak Perlman, Maxim Vergerov, Renaud Capuçon, Misha Maisky, Gautier Capuçon, and Micahel Collins.
CD1.
Beethoven : Violin Sonata No.9 “Kreutzer"
Franck : Violin Sonata in A major
CD2.
Beethoven : Piano Quartet in C major WoO36 No.3 · Clarinet Trio, op.11 · Piano Trio in D major, op.70 No.1 “Ghost”
Chopin : Intoduction and Polonaise brillante 
CD3.
Schumann : Violin Sonata No.1 & 2 · Fantasiestücke op.73 · Märchenbilder, op.113
CD4.
Schumann : Piano Quintet · Piano Quartet · Andante and Variations, op.46
CD5.
Haydn : Piano Trio in G major, Hob.XV:25 “Gipsy Trio”
Mendelssohn : Piano Trio No.1 i
Schumann : Fantasiestücke, op.88
Debussy : Cello Sonata · La plus que lente · Minstrels · Prélude No.12
CD6.
Franck : Cello Sonata 
Bartók : Violin Sonata No.1 · Contrasts 
CD7.
Shostakovich : Piano Quintet · Piano trio No.2 in E minor, op.67
Leoš Janáček : Concertino
CD8.
Schumann : Piano Quintet · Violin Sonata No.2 · Fantasiestücke, op.73

GUITARS UNLIMITED — Quiet Nights And Brazilian Guitars (1966-2013) RM | ジャズ＆ボサノバ名盤ベスト＆モア Series | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Yet another record of instrumental hits meant to cash in on the bossa nova craze, or L.A. session musicians at the top of their game? Certainly fans of Howard Roberts, once a recording artist for Verve, will not want to miss this one, as the cool guitarist lends solos to all but one of the tracks here, a usual assortment of Jobim and Gilberto tunes and soundalikes. No strings anywhere on the album, and arranger Jack Marshall keeps things light and lively. Easy to find in cut-out bins and certainly worth the dollar or two price. Ted Mills

Tracklist :

1. The Girl from Ipanema (Jobim) - 2:44
2. Manha de Carnival (Theme from "Black Orpheus") (Bonfa) - 2:42
 3. Meditation (Meditacao) (Jobim) - 3:06
4. Here Lies Love (Marshall-Mosher) - 2:26
5. Ho-Ba-La-La (Gilberto) - 2:18
6. Bim-Bom (Gilberto) - 2:23
7. Desafinado (Jobim) - 2:41
8. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) (Jobim) - 2:03
9. One Note Samba (Samba de Uma Nota So) (Jobim) - 2:34
10. These Are the Ways of Love (Marshall-Mosher) - 2:37
11. O Barquinho (Little Boat) (Menescal-Boscoli) - 2:32
Credits :
Jack Marshall - Conductor, Arranger, Guitar (2, 5, 7, 11)
Howard Roberts, Bob Bain, Tony Rizzo, Al Hendrikson, Tommy Tedesco, Laurindo Almeida (1, 3, 4, 6, 8-10) alternating with Rosinha de Valenca - Guitar
Shelly Manne, Milton Holland - Drums, Percussion
Frank Flynn - Bells (1,3,4,6,8-10)
Joe Mondragon - Bass
Produced by Jack Marshall and David Cavanaugh.

DAVID SHEA — Hsi-Yu Chi (2000) Composer Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A sprawling, defyingly integrated work fashioned from bits of Chinese, country & western, pop, jazz, rock, and even Celtic musics. Shea's reliance on the sampler is less pronounced here, instead scoring dense, acutely musical numbers ably executed by John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Jim Pugliese, Zeena Parkins, Kato Hideki, and others. Based on a massive 16th-century allegorical text chronicling the journey of the Taoist priest Hsuan-Tsang from India to China. Sean Cooper
Tracklist :
1 Temple / Sai Teen / Tai Tsung / Chang'an / Sun Wu Kung 9:06
2 Three Elements 3:20
3 Five Fingers 4:32
4 Fists Of Fury / Canton Opera Blues / Enter The Dragon / The Underworld 8:19
5 The Woodcutter And The Fisherman 4:09
6 Silk Road / Black Wind Cave / The Weapons 6:38
7 Mara / Five Villages West / Two Sisters Wedding 5:46
8 Two Elements 1:45
9 Rouge 1:58
10 Orchid Tree 4:13
11 Holy Mountain / Jetvana / Pure Land 5:41
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – John Zorn
Bass – Kato Hideki
Drums, Percussion – Jim Pugliese, Sim Cain
Guitar, Banjo – Marc Ribot
Harmonica, Whistle, Percussion – Alex Tobias
Harp, Piano, Accordion – Zeena Parkins
Pipa – Wu Man
Producer, Composed By, Sampler, Piano, Turntables – David Shea
Vocalese – Rebecca Wilson 

ARGENT — Original Album Classics (2009) 5CD BOX-SET | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Sony/BMG repackaged and re-released five of Argent's earliest LPs on Epic -- Argent, Ring of Hands, All Together Now, In Deep, and Nexus -- as a slipcased box set. It's not a bad way to acquire the albums if you don't already own them, but isn't recommended for the casual fan. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
CD1. Argent
CD2. Ring Of Hands
CD3. All Together Now + Pure Love
CD4. In Deep
CD5. Nexus

ARGENT – Circus (1975-2015) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Circus 3:49
 Rod Argent 
2.    Highwire 9:04
 Rod Argent 
3.    Clown 5:54
 Rod Argent 
4.     Trapeze 8:51
 Jim Rodford
5.    Shine On Sunshine 4:08
 Rod Argent 
6.    The Ring 1:17
 Rod Argent 
7.    The Jester 3:41
 Rod Argent 
Credits :
Bass Guitar, Vocals – Jim Rodford
Drums, Percussion – Bob Henrit
Guitar – John Grimaldi
Guitar, Vocals – John Verity
Organ [Hammond Organ], Piano, Mellotron, Vocals, Synthesizer [Moog], Producer, Written-By – Rod Argent

STEPHEN HOUGH — Stephen Hough's Spanish Album (2006) Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

 Stephen Hough’s latest solo album takes us on a colourful tour of Spain and all things Spanish: a kaleidoscope of slants and angles on the soul and character of a once exotic and remote country.

Antonio Soler (whose innumerable sonatas were considered sufficiently outlandish to earn him the sobriquet ‘the devil dressed as a monk’) sets the scene for a sequence of impressionist wonders by Granados, Albéniz and Mompou (a disc of whose pianistic micro-masterpieces—CDA66963—won for Stephen Hough the 1998 Gramophone Instrumental Award), and Federico Longas’s insinuatingly virtuosic charmer Aragón.

Hough then allows outsiders a view into the magical kingdom. Debussy and Ravel peer longingly over the Pyrenees, while Godowsky, Scharwenka, Niemann and finally Hough himself are all in turn unable to resist this richest of cultural experiences.

Stephen Hough’s esoteric recital CDs rapidly acquire something of a cult status. Classic CD wrote of Stephen Hough’s New Piano Album CDA67043: ‘This is a terrific disc. A master pianist reminds us that the piano can delight, surprise and enchant’; while Classic FM Magazine welcomed Stephen Hough’s English Album CDA67267 saying: ‘Hough’s pianism is a constant source of wonder—every chord and phrase perfectly judged’. Hyperion 

The Spaniards    
1.    Sonata In F Sharp Major (Rubio Ed. No 90) 5:23
Composed By – Antonio Soler
2.    Valses Poéticos 11:27
Composed By – Enrique Granados
3.    Evocación (From Iberia Book I) 5:14
Composed By – Isaac Albéniz
4.    Triana (From Iberia Book II) 5:12
Composed By – Isaac Albéniz
5.    Pájaro Triste (From Impresiones Íntimas) 2:26
Composed By – Federico Mompou
6.    La Barca (From Impresiones Íntimas) 1:25
Composed By – Federico Mompou
7.    Secreto (From Impresiones Íntimas) 2:48
Composed By – Federico Mompou
8.    Gitano (From Impresiones Íntimas) 2:53
Composed By – Federico Mompou
9.    Aragon 4:39
Composed By – Federico Longas
The Frenchmen    
10.    La Soirée Dans Grenade (From Estampes) 5:23
Composed By – Claude Debussy
11.    La Sérénade Interrompue (From Préludes Book I) 2:34
Composed By – Claude Debussy
12.    La Puerta Del Vino (From Préludes Book II) 3:19
Composed By – Claude Debussy
13.    Pièce En Forme De Habanera 2:38
Arranged By – Maurice Dumesnil
Composed By – Maurice Ravel
The Others    
14.    Tango 2:49
Arranged By – Leopold Godowsky
Composed By – Isaac Albéniz
15.    Spanisches Ständchen Op 63 No 1 4:32
Composed By – Franz Xaver Scharwenka
16.    Evening In Seville Op 55 No 2 3:34
Composed By – Walter Niemann
17.    On Falla (2005) 4:43
Composed By – Stephen Hough
Credits :
Piano – Stephen Hough
Illustration [Front cover: 'Gazpacho' (Detail)] – Anthony Mastromatteo 

RAVEL : Music for Two Pianos (Stephen Coombs & Christopher Scott) (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
1-4.    Rapsodie Espagnole    (16:05)
5.    Introduction And Allegro    10:19
6.    Entre Cloches (From Sites Auriculaires)    2:54
7.    Shéhérazade (Ouverture De Féerie)    13:10
8.    Frontispice (For Five Hands)    1:43
9.    La Valse (Poème Choreographique Pour Orchestre)    11:33
Credits :
Piano – Christopher Scott, Stephen Coombs 

ERNEST KRENEK : Klavierwerke = Works for Piano (Till Alexander Körber) (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ernst Krenek 1900-1991
1-3.    Sonatine Op. 5 Nr. 1 (1920) (7:33)
4-6. Zwölf Variationen In Drei Sätzen Op. 79 (1937)    (16:20)
7-17. Piano Piece In Eleven Parts Op. 197 (1967)    (9:48)
18-24. Echoes From Austria Op. 166 (1958) (10:07)
25. Klaviersonate Nr. 7 Op. 240 (1988) 11:3
Credits :
Klavier / Piano – Till Alexander Körber

GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET — Reunion with Chet Baker (1958-1988) Pacific Jazz Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet of 1952-53 was one of the best-loved jazz groups of the decade and it made stars out of both the leader and trumpeter Chet Baker. Mulligan and Baker had very few reunions after 1953 but this particular CD from 1957 is an exception. Although not quite possessing the magic of the earlier group, the music is quite enjoyable and the interplay between the two horns is still special. With expert backup by bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Dave Bailey, these 13 selections (plus two new alternate takes) should please fans of both Mulligan and Baker. Scott Yanow
Tracklist : 
1.    Reunion 4:03
 Gerry Mulligan 
2.    When Your Lover Has Gone     5:05
Einar A. Swan
3.    Stardust    4:42
 Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish 
4.    My Heart Belongs To Daddy    4:11
 Cole Porter 
5.    Jersey Bounce    4:25
 Tiny Bradshaw / Buddy Feyne / Edward Johnson / Bobby Plater / Robert Wright 
6.    The Surrey With The Fringe On Top    4:40
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers 
7.    Trav'lin' Light    3:40
 Johnny Mercer / Jimmy Mundy / Trummy Young 
8.    Trav'lin' Light (Alternate Take)    4:30
 Johnny Mercer / Jimmy Mundy / Trummy Young 
9.    Ornithology    5:11
 Benny Harris / Charlie Parker 
10.    People Will Say We're In Love    3:40
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers 
11.    The Song Is You    3:20
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern 
12.    Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You    3:30
 Andy Razaf / Don Redman 
13.    Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (Alternate Take)    3:30
 Andy Razaf / Don Redman 
14.    I Got Rhythm    5:57
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin 
15.    All The Things You Are    6:43
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern 
Credits :
Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Dave Bailey
Trumpet – Chet Baker

NEW ORLEANS — ft. Louis Armstrong · Billie Holiday (1947, Dir. Arthur Lubin) VIDEO (ISO)

Synopsis :
A gambling hall owner relocates from New Orleans to Chicago and entertains his patrons with hot jazz by Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Woody Herman, and others.
1.    The All-Musical Tribute to the Birth of Jazz 1:30:00
Original title : New Orleams (1947)
Directed :  Arthur Lubin
Artists ft. : Arturo De Cordova, Dorothy Patrick, Louis Armstrog, Billie Holiday, Woody Herman & Richard Hageman 
Legends : Spanish, Português 
Audio original in English 
Duration :  1h 30min
Genre : Drama, Music, Romance
Country  : USA

MILES DAVIS — Circle in the Round (1979-1991) 2CD | RM | Columbia Jazz Contemporary Masters Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although this two-disc set is a compilation -- primarily consisting of extended outtakes -- Circle in the Round features the true colors of jazz chameleon Miles Davis (trumpet) during a 15-year (1955-1970) span from eight different recording sessions. Whether it was serendipity or astute coordination that gathered these sides together, Davis enthusiasts will undoubtedly find plenty to enjoy from his prolific and seemingly perpetual metamorphosis. The sessions are presented chronologically for the most part, beginning with a composite of "Two Bass Hit." This version is from an October 1955 Kind of Blue session featuring John Coltrane (tenor sax) and a band Davis refers to as "the trio": Red Garland (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). From the May 1958 recording date comes another major session featuring an all-star lineup: Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (alto sax), Coltrane (tenor sax), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Jimmy Cobb (drums). Their single take on Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" is an amazing performance that allows for some intensely cool solos from Miles and Adderley in particular. Listen as well for some tasty piano fills from Evans, as this is the sort of interaction that he'd become synonymous with. Although "Blues No. 2" is taken from the final session at which Davis and Coltrane would record together, studio documentation reveals that Coltrane did not perform on this piece. The title track appears in an unedited form on the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68: The Complete Columbia Studio box set. It is a heavily Eastern-influenced freebop work featuring Davis -- who is also credited with performing on chimes during this session -- with his famous late-'60s quintet, featuring Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Herbie Hancock (celeste), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams (drums), as well as Joe Beck (guitar). Two early-1968 sessions featuring George Benson (guitar) with the previously mentioned quintet make up the bulk of the second disc. These tracks are fusion incarnate. The delicate interplay between Benson and Hancock is inspiring on both versions of "Side Car" -- although the second reading seems more focused. From a January 1970 Bitches Brew session is a jaw-dropping reading of David Crosby's "Guinnevere," a complete version of which is available on the highly recommended Complete Bitches Brew Sessions (August 1969-February 1970) box set. Although seemingly hodgepodge in arrangement, Circle in the Round is a brilliant examination of the depth of scope and range possessed by Miles Davis. Lindsay Planer   
Tracklist :
1-1 Two Bass Hit 3:42
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Paul Chambers 
Drums – Philly Joe Jones
Piano [Acoustic] – Red Garland
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis 
1-2 Love For Sale 11:49
Alto Saxophone – Cannonball Adderley
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Paul Chambers 
Drums – Jimmy Cobb
Piano [Acoustic] – Bill Evans
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Cole Porter
1-3 Blues No. 2 6:48
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Paul Chambers 
Drums – Philly Joe Jones
Piano [Acoustic] – Wynton Kelly
Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
1-4 Circle In The Round 26:15
Celesta – Herbie Hancock
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Ron Carter
Drums – Tony Williams*
Electric Guitar – Joe Beck
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet, Chimes, Bells – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
2-1 Teo's Bag 5:55
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Ron Carter
Drums – Tony Williams
Piano [Acoustic] – Herbie Hancock
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
2-2 Side Car I 4:58
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Ron Carter
Drums – Tony Williams
Piano [Acoustic] – Herbie Hancock
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
2-3 Side Car II 3:34
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Ron Carter
Drums – Tony Williams
Electric Guitar – George Benson
Piano [Acoustic] – Herbie Hancock
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
2-4 Splash 8:30
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Dave Holland
Drums – Tony Williams
Electric Piano – Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock
Piano [Acoustic] – Joe Zawinul
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Miles Davis
2-5 Sanctuary 8:48
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Ron Carter
Drums – Tony Williams*
Electric Guitar – George Benson
Piano [Acoustic] – Herbie Hancock
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – Wayne Shorter
2-6 Guinnevere 18:06
Bass Clarinet – Bennie Maupin
Celesta, Piano, Electric Piano – Herbie Hancock
Double Bass [Acoustic Bass] – Dave Holland
Drums – Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette
Electric Bass – Harvey Brooks
Keyboards – Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Sitar – Khalil Balakrishna
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Written-By – David Crosby

THELONIOUS MONK – Underground (1968) Three Version | RM | Jazz Originals Series + Vinyl LP Best Jazz Collection 24-96Hz | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This release has long been considered Thelonious Monk's acknowledgement to the flourishing youth-oriented subculture from whence the collection takes its name. Certainly the Grammy-winning cover art -- which depicts Monk as a World War II French revolutionary toting an automatic weapon -- gave the establishment more than the brilliant swinging sounds in the grooves to consider. Underground became Monk's penultimate studio album, as well as the final release to feature the '60s quartet: Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Ben Riley (drums), and Larry Gales (bass) behind Monk (piano). One of the motifs running throughout Monk's recording career is the revisitation of titles from his voluminous back catalog. The tradition continues with the autobiographical leadoff track, "Thelonious." The instantly recognizable stride piano lines are delivered with the same urgency and precision that they possessed over two decades earlier when he first recorded the track for Blue Note. The presence of Charlie Rouse throughout the album is certainly worth noting. "Ugly Beauty" best captures the sacred space and musical rapport that he and Monk shared. Each musician functions as an extension of the other, creating solos that weave synchronically as if performed by the same pair of hands. Newer material, such as the playful "Green Chimneys" -- named after the school Monk's daughter attended -- as well as the unbalanced hypnotism of "Raise Four," asserts the timelessness and relevance of Monk's brand of bop. The disc ends as it begins with a new twist on an old favorite. Jon Hendricks -- who provides lyrics and vocals on "In Walked Bud" -- recalls the hustle and bustle of the real and spontaneous underground Harlem jam sessions of the late '40s. It is likewise an apt bookend to this chapter in the professional life of Thelonious Monk. Lindsay Planer
Tracklist :
1.    Thelonious 3:15
Written-By – T. Monk
2.    Ugly Beauty 7:19
Written-By – T. Monk
3.    Raise Four 5:49
Written-By – T. Monk
4.    Boo Boo's Birthday 5:54
Written-By – T. Monk
5.    Easy Street 5:55
Written-By – A.R. Jones
6.    Green Chimneys 9:01
Written-By – T. Monk
7.    In Walked Bud 4:18
Vocals – Jon Hendricks
Written-By – J. Hendricks, T. Monk
Credits :
 Bass – Larry Gales
 Design [Cover] – John Berg, Dick Mantel
 Drums – Ben Riley
 Piano – Thelonious Monk
Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Rouse

HAMPTON HAWES · BARNEY KESSEL · SHELLY MANNE · RED MITCHELL — Four! Hampton Hawes!!!! (1958-1988) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pianist Hampton Hawes' 1950s recordings for the Contemporary label are at such a high level that they could all be given five stars. This outing with bassist Red Mitchell, drummer Shelly Manne, and guitarist Barney Kessel (who is a slight wild card) is also quite successful. Two previously unreleased numbers ("Thou Swell" and "The Awful Truth") have been added to the CD reissue. Highlights of the exciting bop date include "Yardbird Suite," "There Will Never Be Another You," and "Love Is Just Around the Corner."  Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Yardbird Suite 6:37
Written-By – Charlie Parker
2    There Will Never Be Another You 6:58
Written-By – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
3    Bow Jest 6:30
Written-By – Red Mitchell
4    Sweet Sue 5:35
Written-By – Victor Young, Will Harris
5    Up Blues 5:10
Written-By – Hampton Hawes
6    Like Someone In Love 3:14
Written-By – Johnny Burke & Jimmy Van Heusen
7    Love Is Around The Corner 5:40
Written-By – Leo Robin, Lewis E. Gensler
– BONUS TRACKS –
8    Thou Swell    4:54
 Written-By – Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers 
9    The Awful Truth    8:09
 Written-By – Hampton Hawes 
Credits :
Bass – Red Mitchell
Drums – Shelly Manne
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Hampton Hawes
Notes. 
Recorded January 27, 1958 in Los Angeles.
Technical data: 30-15,000 cycles. Multiple microphone technique featuring AKG C-12 condenser microphones. Ampex stereo tape recorder. Reeves Soundcraft tape. Reissued and digitally re-mastered for CD, at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley 1988
tracks 8, 9 additional not on original LP