Artist: VA
   Album: Putumayo Presents: Samba Bossa Nova
   Year: 2002
   Label: Putumayo World Music
   Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
   Size: 58,9+44,5MB

   The burgeoning new scene in Brazilian music that began in 2000 continues to grow, as a new generation reinterprets and redefines the classic ideas of samba and bossa nova. Some are the children of those who made the music in the first place, while others simply have their own take on the sound, and this compilation does a fair, if not complete, job of bringing it all into focus. However, without Bebel Gilberto, or the late, glorious Suba, to name but two, it can never be more than a partial glimpse, so be warned. Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum combines descendants of the great Antonio Carlos Jobim with Jacques and Paula Morelenbaum for some beautiful chamber samba/bossa, a world away from the almost avant-garde imagination of Moreno Veloso, the son of Caetano Veloso, who throws all sorts of strangeness into the mix on the classic "Deusa Do Amor" -- but makes it work. For the most part, however, these performers don't stray too far from the tried and true. Even London-based Da Lata, who mixes electronica and mild club beats with live instruments and vocals, don't really push the envelope too hard. Still, there's a beauty in the music here, one which is timeless, and everything here is performed with a real feeling that lifts samba, and particularly bossa nova, out of the tacky lounge rut it had fallen into for too many years. While not the be-all and end-all, this is a very pleasant way to pass an hour or so. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

     Artist: Ray Charles
     Album: Genius Loves Company
     Year: 2004
     Label: EMI
     Genre: Jazz, Blues, Soul, R&B
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
     Size: 55+64,5 MB

     Even as Ray Charles' heath waned, the consummate musician always managed to dazzle. Genius Loves Company would be his last studio album, but is a fitting legacy for his remarkable career. Charles recorded his last song for Genius Loves Company in March 2004. The CD of duets with old friends and lifelong admirers--including Norah Jones, Van Morrison, Diana Krall, Elton John, Willie Nelson, BB King and Gladys Knight--is a testament to the high regard in which the music world held him.

     Artist: Dee Dee Bridgewater
     Album: J'ai Deux Amours
     Year: 2005
     Label: Sovereign Artists
     Genre: Jazz Vocal
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
     Size: 61,6+68,2 MB

     These Parisian cafй tunes bring out the best in this stellar jazz singer, particularly on the opening title track. Accompanied by accordion, which introduces the song, Dee Dee Bridgewater takes you from Paris down to the French Riviera with a warm, slightly island sound as she sings en franзais. And she has no problem creating her soothing jazz pipes regardless of language. It's as if she's been influenced by the greats but also by the late Henry Mancini in terms of some of the arrangements. A cover of "La Mer (Beyond the Sea)" is a faster, up-tempo approach far different than the swinging version by Bobby Darin. Guitarist Louis Winsberg also does a commendable job on this song. Bridgewater shines on several of these songs, especially her tender, hushed tone during "Ne Me Quitte Pas"'s opening before she opens up with drum brushes in the background. She changes things slightly during "Mon Homme (My Man)" when she opts to sing in both French and English, the latter in a rather swinging, tropical manner. The strength of the album is in the selections that suit the singer to a tee, including the soothing, down-tempo arrangement of "Que Reste-T-Il de Nos Amours," holding notes in the vein of Cassandra Wilson or Shirley Horn. The highlight is the dreamy ten-minute "La Belle Vie (The Good Life)" that opens with Bridgewater and a lone bass. In no hurry to finish the tune, Bridgewater seems to outdo herself as an accordion fades in and out of the song prior to a glistening guitar solo. Perhaps the lone aberration is "La Vie en Rose," which has less jazz and more of a world feeling to it as the drums and percussion create a sense of tension. Bridgewater has made a very good album. Tres bien. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide.

     Artist: Nina Simone
     Album: The Tomato Collection
     Release Date: 1994
     Label: Tomato Music
     Genre: Jazz Vocal
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
     Size: CD1: 84,6+92,9 MB
            CD2: 95,9+80,7 MB

     A ragtag double-CD anthology that ranges all over the place: solo jazz piano, show tunes, soul, and live versions of many of her best-known songs, seemingly taken from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Annoyingly — and, sadly, typically for the Tomato label — there is absolutely no information about when and where the tracks were recorded. Despite the drawbacks, in a way this is about the most wide-ranging Simone collection available, and much of the live material is good and quite different from the studio versions, although the fidelity on these is sometimes hissy. Richie Unterberger, AMG

   Artist: Charlie Christian
   Album: The Genius Of The Electric Guitar [Box set]
   Year: 2002
   Label: Sony
   Format, quality: FLAC(tracks)
   Size: 853mb + 3%

   Once a musician's influence becomes widespread and absorbed, it's often a good idea to step back and remember how revolutionary their work was in its day. Charlie Christian's role as a forefather of the electric guitar was forged not just because he was among the first to use the then-new technology in the late '30s, but also because of his playing. He understood that an electric guitar is a different creature than an acoustic, and he explored this difference with fearless aplomb during his tragically short life (he died in 1942 at the age of 25).
   This four-disc set is a powerful celebration of Christian's legacy. As a young man playing alongside some of the giants of his day, he held his own. His fluid lines became part of basic and continuing language of the electric guitar, setting the stage for everyone from Les Paul to Jimi Hendrix. Beautifully mastered, the 98 tracks here include 17 previously unreleased performances (and another 27 never previously issued in the U.S.). Lovingly compiled, this is an essential title, not just for a jazz fan, but for any fan of the electric guitar--it all traces back to Charlie Christian. --David Greenberger. Amazon.com

   Artist: Roy Rogers
   Album: Slide Zone
   Label: Capitol
   Year: 1994
   Format, Bitrate: mp3@320
   Size: 92 MB

   

   Roy Rogers is somewhat of a rarity in contemporary blues; he's not only a monstrous guitar player, but is also possessed of a distinctive singing voice. In addition, he differentiates himself from the Chicago-style hordes by concentrating primarily on Delta-influenced slide guitar. By no means simply a revivalist, however, he's managed to take the best of Son House and create a unique style that is much more than the sum of its influences. Often sounding like the swamp-bred offspring of Ry Cooder and the Allman Brothers, Rogers (along with bassist Steve Evans and drummer Mike Hyman) opens the album with a pair of furiously funky, syncopated stompers.

   Artist: Karrin Allyson
   Album: Daydream
   Label: Concord Jazz
   Year: 1997
   Format, bitrate: mp3 320Kbps
   Time: 01:03:21
   Size: 138 Mb

   Karrin Allyson has a beautiful voice that is also quite flexible, as she shows throughout this consistently interesting release. The emphasis is a little more on ballads than usual, but there are some heated moments too. Joined by some of her favorite Kansas City-based musicians, plus a few guests (trumpeter Randy Brecker, vibraphonist Gary Burton and altoist Kim Park), Allyson sounds both lyrical and enthusiastic. High points include a touching rendition of "Everything Must Change" (a solo performance in which she accompanies herself on piano), "Daydream," "My Foolish Heart" and "So Danco Samba." (Review by Scott Yanow)

   Artist: Lee Morgan
   Album: City Lights
   Label: Blue Note
   Year: 1957
   Release: 2006
   Quality: FLAC
   Size: 260 MB
   Time: 37:19

   Benny Golson's writing for this date uplifts it beyond most of the jam session sets of the period. Trumpeter Lee Morgan (then 19-years-old) is in excellent form, holding his own with his impressive sidemen (trombonist Curtis Fuller, George Coleman on tenor and alto, pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor). Highlights include "City Lights," "You're Mine You" and "Just by Myself." The title track is full of fire and good humor but it is trumpeter Gigi Gryce's set closer "Kin Folks" -- clocking in at almost ten minutes -- that takes the banner for hardest blowing cut on the session. This fine set was first reissued as part of Lee Morgan's four-CD Mosaic box set, but has since been remastered by Rudy Van Gelder, the original engineer on the date. While there is no bonus material, the sound on this set is much improved over its Japanese reissue. ~ Scott Yanow & Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

     Artist - Ella Fitzgerald,
     Album - Pure Ella
     Label - MCA/GRP
     Years - 1950, 1954 Release - 1994
     Quality - MP3@320
     Size - 90,9
     Total time - 64:04



In 1950, six years before her acclaimed Song Book series for Verve, Ella Fitzgerald recorded eight George and Ira Gershwin classics in intimate duets with the sensitive and lightly swinging pianist Ellis Larkins. Four years later she recorded a dozen more songs (this time by a variety of composers) with Larkins, and all 20 performances are included on this wonderful CD. Although the emphasis is on ballads and fairly straightforward treatment of the high-quality melodies, she does improvise with subtlety and gives great meaning to the lyrics. The exquisite and very memorable set is highlighted by "But Not for Me," "How Long Has This Been Going On?," "People Will Say We're in Love," "Stardust," and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." It is highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow, All Music Guide