Artist: Willie Nelson
     Album: Stardust
     Label: Sony
     Year: 1999
     Genre: Country
     Tracks: 12
     Time: apr. 37:00 min.
     Format: mp3, Bitrate: @ CBR 256
     Size: 81 MB

     15 years before Tony Bennett made the Great American Songbook safe for the MTV generation, there was Willie Nelson's STARDUST, one of the greatest "crossover" albums in history. The concept was simple: Willie singing a select group of familiar standards by composers such as Carmichael, Berlin, Weill, Ellington, the Gershwins, all in his familiar and inimitable style. Yet the result is not a quite a country treatment of these tunes. For one thing, the great R&B organist Booker T. Jones produced the session in addition to performing with Nelson's superb band featuring the estimable Mickey Raphael on harmonica. One of the enduring pleasures of STARDUST is the interplay between hushed organ, keening harmonica and Nelson's own stately gut-string guitar as well as his beautifully measured, plaintive singing.

   Artist: Yo-Yo Ma
   Album: Appalachia Waltz
   Year: 1995
   Release: 1996
   Label: Sony Classical
   Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
   Time: 1:09:38
   Size: 160 MB
   All Music Guide Rating:


   A traditional american fiddling music, old-time Texas folked-based style arrangement in hands of the most generation's great and virtuosi classical musicians - Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer.
   Традиционная американская скрипичная музыка, аранжировка старинного техасского стиля в руках величайших и виртуознейших классических музыкантов поколения - Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer.

            MA, MEYER, O'CONNOR: SOMETHING ENTIRELY NEW
   Traditional fiddling in America has its repertorial and stylistic roots in the British Isles of the 18th century, where, insofar as the written record may be trusted, elements of the particular cultural milieu conspired to generate a new class of instrumental tunes out of the ancient stock of British folk melodies and the new leaven of the Baroque violin.
   - Alan Jabbour
Notes to the Library of Congress' American Fiddle Tunes compilation.

   Artist: Stephane Grappelli & Yo-Yo Ma
   Album: "Anything Goes" Stephane Grappelli & Yo-Yo Ma play (mostly) Cole Porter
   Year: 1989
   Label: CBS
   Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
   Time: 54:57
   Size: 131 MB


   New duett for the world of music playing immortal melodies everyone is familiar with. Two stringed giants, who had met only few times, on the third time played at the same studio, performed together, and had brought in the classical themes their own parts of themselves, what made this disc one of the most unique recordings in the history of music...
   Новый дуэт для мира музыки играет знакомые всем бессмертные мелодии. Два струнных гиганта, которые встречались всего несколько раз, на третий раз играли в одной студии, выступали вместе и привнесли в классические темы части их самих, что сделало это диск одним из уникальнейших записей в истории музыки...


 

    Artist: Yo-Yo Ma
    Album: The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
    Year: 2003
    Label: Sony Classical
    Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
    Time: 1:16:56 (CD1) + 1:16:05 (CD2)
    Size: 209 MB (Part1) + 143 MB (Part2)
    All Music Guide Rating:


   A compilation of the most outstanding Yo-Yo Ma's melodies, gathered from different the most interesting Ma's albums. The best chance to get acquainted with Yo-Yo's musical genius and his splendiferous 270 years old Petunia, as well as to spend two and a half hours listening to his captivating music, wich ranges from classics to jazz and tango.
   Компиляция одних из наиболее выдаюшихся композиций Yo-Yo Ma, собранные из разных наиболее интересных альбомов Ма. Наилучший шанс для ознакомления с музыкальным гением Yo-Yo и его великолепнейшей 270 летней Petunia, а также для того, чтобы провести два с половиной часа прослушивая его пленительную музыку, ранжирующуюся от классики до джаза и танго.

   The many-faceted career of cellist Yo-Yo Ma is a testament to his search for new ways to communicate with audiences and to his own desire for artistic growth and renewal. Whether performing a new concerto, revisiting a familiar work from the cello repertoire, reaching out to young audiences and student musicians, or exploring cultures and musical forms outside the Western classical tradition. Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. Ma's discography of over fifty albums includes fifteen GRAMMY® Awards. From classical cello concertos, to bluegrass music to the sounds of Brazil, Yo-Yo Ma continues to reinvent himself as a musician and strives to bring Classical music to the mainstream.
   Now, for the first time, you can experience the musical journey of this master of his craft. Here are his most cherished performances on 2 CDs... an essential edition to any musical collection.
   Disc cover.

     Artist - Quincy Jones
     Album - Explores The Music Of Henry Mancini
     Label - Mercury
     Year - 1964
     Quality - MP3@256kbps (LP-rip)
     Size - 70,1 mb
     Total time - 37:00

     Arranger Quincy Jones utilizes three overlapping studio bands to perform swinging renditions of a dozen Henry Mancini tunes on this Mercury LP. Bassist Major Holley, Toots Thielemans on harmonica, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's reeds are three of the many voices that Jones employs, along with altoist Phil Woods, tenorman Zoot Sims, trumpeter Ernie Royal, and vibraphonist Gary Burton. Although generally brief (only one of the 12 songs are over four minutes long), the renditions of such tunes as "Baby Elephant Walk," "Dreamsville," "Days of Wine and Roses," and "Moon River" are fresh and often
lively. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Branford Marsalis Trio
     Album: The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born
     Format: APE & mp3 (320k/s)
     Size: 399 & 174 MB (scans)
     Label: Columbia
     Total playing: 72:47


     This set is one of Branford Marsalis' strongest of the 1990s. Marsalis really stretches out on eight numbers including six of his originals (the other two songs are by bassist Bob Hurst). There is one guest appearance apiece from brother-trumpeter Wynton and tenor saxophonist Courtney Pine but otherwise Branford is accompanied only by Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. His playing is often reminiscent in style (but not really sound) of John Coltrane, he is more concise and disciplined than in some of his early-'90s concert appearances and Marsalis is at his most explorative on this inventive blowing session. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artists: Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, Stephen Scott Trio
     Album: Parker's Mood
     Year: 1995
     Label: Verve
     Time: 64:19
     Format: MP3 @320 kbps
     Size: 161 mb (RS.com, with 5% WinRar file recovery) Includes Covers + Scans
     AMG Rating: 4 stars

     In the spirit of continuity and tradition, producers Richard Seidel and Don Sickler gathered the pick of the litter for a convocation over the still-warm remains of Charlie Parker, the most vital, visionary figure in 20th Century music. What makes PARKER'S MOOD so special, and so refreshingly different from your typical Bird blowing session, is the sense of intimacy and interchange, as trumpeter, bassist and pianist take on these complex rhythms and melodies, gathered in a circle, live to two-track, without the aid of a drummer. As a result, PARKER'S MOOD is full of surprises. Not the least of which is the recorded sound, which is resoundingly deep and full of detail, with a real sense of air and space. Much of the credit must go to McBride, whose enormous beat ("Marmaduke"), witty arco work ("Steeplechase") and thundering blues drive ("Red Cross"), and authentic downhome funk ("Star Eyes") are as close to an ideal acoustic bass sound as this generation of players has yet produced. -- Cduniverse.com (continued>>)

     Artist: Yo-Yo Ma
     Album: Obrigado Brazil
     Label: Sony Classical
     Size: 157 Mb
     Time: 71:45
     Format/Bitrate: MP3 320 kb/s


     Послушайте!
     Это СКАЗОЧНАЯ музыка...

REPOST! Happy Birthday, mr. Ma!

     Artist: Cedar Walton
     Album: Composer
     Format: APE & MP3 (320k/s)
     Size: 370 & 134 MB (scans)
     Label: Astor Place (High Resolution Recording)
     Total playing: 71:09
     AMG Rating:

     For Cedar Walton's debut on the Astor Place label, the widely respected veteran pianist contributed all nine selections. Although his "Bolivia" is a jazz standard, Walton is not normally thought of as a major composer. However quite a few of his new pieces could possibly become standards in the future if jazz improvisers explore this disc. Of the more memorable orignals, "Martha's Prize" has a light cheerful melody, "The Vision" gives Ralph Moore an opportunity to show just how distinctive he can sound on soprano, "Happiness" is a joyful hard bop tune a little reminscent of "Little Rock Getaway" with a bridge added, "Underground Memoirs" (which has a particularly strong Walton solo) is a haunting ballad and "Theme For Jobim" swings with a strong bossa beat. The all-star lineup (trumpeter Roy Hargrove, altoist Vincent Herring, Ralph Moore on tenor and soprano, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Vic Lewis) plays up to their potential with Hargrove sometimes recalling Freddie Hubbard, Moore and Herring getting in their spots and the ensemble on a whole sometimes resembling the Jazz Messengers; due to the voicings, there are times when one would swear that a trombone was present. Highly recommended. -- by Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artist: Jef Gilson
     Description: Feat. J.-L. Ponty and J.-L. Chautemps.
     Album: Oeil Vision
     Label: Spalax
     Year: 1981 [Digital Remastered]
     Genre: Jazz, Contemporary
     Format, bitrate: MP3@192 kbps
     Time: 37:02
     Size: 48.6 Mb

     Jef Gilson is a French jazz pianist whose career started in the sixties and was one of the first bandleaders to utilized the talents of a very young violinist named Jean Luc Ponty.
     "Oeil Vision" is an essential collection of tracks by Gilson from between 1962 and 1964. Jean-luc Ponty is present, but restrained. Highlights here are the two long tracks on the second side: "Satirique" and a stunning vocal version of his staple "Chant Inca" (which also appears on "Soul of Africa" and "Jazz a Madagascar").