Artist: Rory Gallagher
     Album: Photo Finish
     Year: 1978
     Genre: Blues
     Format, bitrate: 160 кбит/сек
     Size: 57 Мб

Предлагаю вашему вниманию еще один альбом ирландского гитариста Рори Галахера. На мой взгляд один из его лучших альбомов.

Remixed and expanded (with two additional tracks recorded but chopped off the vinyl version) for its debut on CD in 1999, this is a sturdy, workmanlike Rory Gallagher release. Reverting back to a trio, Gallagher toughens up his sound and blazes through some robust blues rockers like "Last of the Independents," "Shadow Play," and "Brute Force & Ignorance" (one of his best hard rock riffs) with nervy energy. Gallagher's swampy side emerges on "Cloak & Dagger," another song that explores his fascination with B-movie gumshoes, a common theme for the Irish blues-rocker. His guitar work is typically excellent throughout, especially on "Overnight Bag," as he overdubs himself on acoustic. Still, the album has a samey feel due to some of the songwriting not being quite up to snuff, and a few tracks, like the moody, slow-burning "Feel to the Fire," stretched well past its breaking point to over six minutes. Of the two additional tunes, "Early Warning" is a typically rugged chunky rocker, and "Juke Box Annie" explores the guitarist's jaunty, slightly funky country style. Neither is essential, but both will be important finds for the Gallagher collector. Brother Donal's liner and track notes are short yet informative, and the sound is an enormous improvement over the original version. There is a remarkable clarity and fullness to the bass, along with a definition that exposes heretofore unheard instruments like the mandolin on "Brute Force..." and hand claps on "Cruise On Out," both previously buried in the mix. Not a great Rory Gallagher album, but a rock-solid one that won't disappoint established fans. Hal Horowitz, AMG

     Artists: Chet Baker and Steve Houben
     Album: Chet Baker - Steve Houben
     Year: 1980
     Quality: MP3 @224kbps
     Size: 51mb, with covers
     Time: 33:23
     Label: Carrere / 52e Rue Est


Steve Houben is a Belgian jazz saxophonist and flutist. He was born in 1950. In the mid 1970s, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Houben created on his return to Belgium the jazz seminar at the Liиge conservatory, in association with Henri Pousseur. In his long career he played with a.o. Joe Newman, Bill Frisell, Toots Thielemans, Chet Baker, Mike Stern, George Coleman and Gerry Mulligan. He won the Belgian Golden Django in 2000 for best Belgian artist (first winner of the new category). He currently teaches jazz saxophone at the Brussels conservatory.

     Artist: Jazzamor
     Album: A Piece of My Heart
     Label: Blue Flame Records
     Genre: Jazz
     Styles: Jazz, Nu-Jazz, Lounge, Nu-Bossa
     Original Release Date: 10.2004
     Quality, Bitrate: FLAC, MP3, 320 kbps
     Size: FLAC - 367 Mb; MP3 - 136.3 Mb; Covers - 3.91 MB

Minimalistic arrangements, 60's Bossa-Nova guitars, electronic sounds. Piano, double bass and percussion. Simple, some times Pop style melodies framed by soundsgames ... Jazz?
No - Jazzamor!
Absolutely beautiful smooth vocals over jazzy chill out sounds.
Amazon.com

     Artist: Rabih Abou-Khalil
     Title Of Album: Em Portugues
     Original Release Date: June 30, 2008
     Label: ENJA Records
     Genre: Oriental Jazz, World Music, Arabic
     Quality, Bitrate: FLAC, image+.cue, lossless; MP3, 256 kbit
     Total Time: 59:28
     Total Size: FLAC - 333.3 Mb; MP3 - 107.48 MB; FULL COVERS - 15.68 MB

Seasoned Abou-Khalil watchers are probably starting to play a little game amongst themselves of guessing what he is going to do next. In recent years the impishly charming Lebanese composer has collaborated with the BBC Concert Orchestra, a Sardinian folk singer, a jazz big band and a serpent player, as well as releasing a highly individual and beautifully crafted solo oud (lute) recording. So, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that his latest album finds him working with a rising star of Lisbon fado, Ricardo Ribeiro. However, this isn't fado music, or remotely Portuguese in character, although Ribeiro's rich, distinctive voice and the beauty of the poetry leave us in no doubt as to where its heart lies. Abou-Khalil's music is rarely Arabic in any traditional sense, but through these songs he has clearly found common ground between the melancholic passion of Andalusian muwashshahat and Portuguese saudade, the wistful longing that suffuses fado. The instrumental accompaniment of oud, accordion, bass and percussion subtly weave around the voice and, for such a small ensemble, provide a remarkably broad palette of colours. The lyrics have been specially written by contemporary Portuguese writers, with the exception of `Casa da Mariquinhas', a verse made famous by Alfredo Marceneiro.
Songlines readers know only too well that cross-cultural collaborations can be tricky beasts, and apparently even Abou-Khalil had reservations about this project at the outset. It's a good thing he took the plunge, for the results of this partnership are extraordinarily successful - creating something wholly original while remaining true to all its parts.
Bill Badley
amazon.co.uk

     Artist: Brian Bromberg
     Album: Downright Upright
     Label: Artistry
     Year: 2007
     Genre: Jazz, Mainstream
     Time: 1:10
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 256 kbit
     Size: 127 mb



One glance at the personnel, which includes such popular "smooth" players as tenors Kirk Whalum and Boney James, trumpeter Rick Braun, and pianists George Duke and Jeff Lorber, could easily lead one to believe that this CD is filled with vacuous and mildly soulful background music. Actually, the playing on Downright Upright is a surprise, for most of the selections are reasonably creative renditions of soul-jazz. Four songs ("Cantaloupe Island," "Mercy Mercy Mercy," "Cold Duck Time" and "Chameleon") are standards given rightfully soulful treatments, and most of Bromberg's originals are worthwhile although a couple veer close to smooth. Most listeners knew that Kirk Whalum could play worthwhile jazz if placed in that context but the fine solos of Boney James and particularly Jeff Lorber will surprise many. Less of a surprise is the virtuosic bass solos of Brian Bromberg, a master at tapping. None of the music on Downright Upright would be considered innovative and the style itself is more than 30 years old, but to hear these pop/jazz musicians challenging each other a bit is fun. One wishes that they did it more often. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Martial Solal
     Album: Live At Village Vanguard
     Label: CAM Jazz CAMJ 7814-2
     Year: 2007
     Genre: Jazz
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
     Time: ~ 54 min
     Size: 74,50 MB

The pianist Martial Solal opened his week at the Village Vanguard on Tuesday night by rolling through tunes that jazz musicians have been amusing and sharpening themselves with for 50 years or more. One of the world's most imposing jazz musicians - being 80 has not dimmed his agility or his imagination - he interpreted each passing moment of the songs as a provocation: spinning out a quick cycle of chords from just one, or interrupting the shape of a melody to add on a whole new structure, invented at breathtaking speed.

     Artist: Albert Ayler
     Album: New Grass
     Label: Impulse
     Year: 1968 (2005 CD reissue)
     Format: MP3@320Kb/s
     Time: 33:09
     Size: 77 Mb

Possibly the most notorious Albert Ayler release and universally misunderstood (i.e., hated) by fans and critics alike. When New Grass was released in 1968 it received a hostile outcry of "sell-out." Listening to New Grass in hindsight; it must be taken into account that even though commercial elements are apparent -- a soul horn section, backup singers, boogaloo drumming from Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and electric rock bass -- Ayler's vocals and tenor playing could hardly gain commercial radio exposure at any time. It's likely Impulse prodded Ayler to move into a more pronounced blues-oriented sound and he went willingly. Ayler wasn't a stranger to R&B or gutbucket blues; he had started his career playing saxophone with Chicago bluesman Little Walter in the '50s. Ayler's screeching tone remains intact on New Grass, but it's mixed with definite R&B riffs like the obvious honkin' nod to "Slippin and Sliddin" on "New Generation." Ayler's attempt to explain himself on the opening track with "Message from Albert Ayler," reveals his impending dread over controversy concerning the material. It is a problem many artists face at some point in their careers when trying to move in a different direction, no matter what the reason; they may end up losing a majority of their audience by taking a foreign approach. Interested listeners now have another chance to hear New Grass, as it was issued for the first time in America on CD in 2005 by Universal/Impulse. Al Campbell, AMG

     Artist - Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra
     Album - Sounds Of Great Bands!
     Label - Collectables
     Years - 1958/1959, release - 2007
     Quality - MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 90,19+71,27 mb
     Total time: 49:08 + 38:44


One of the first of Glen Gray's series of albums that revisit the hits of the swing era in hi-fi, this set features a 17-piece band filled with top studio players, many of whom had come to maturity during the swing era. They perform hits by 12 different bandleaders, generally coming as close as possible to note-for-note recreations. Although such musicians as trumpeters Pete Candoli, Manny Klein and Shorty Sherock, clarinetist Gus Bivona, tenors Babe Russin and Plas Johnson and pianist Ray Sherman have their spots, their renditions of such songs as "Begin the Beguine," "Take the 'A' Train," "Flying Home," "Song of India" and "String of Pearls" add nothing to the originals and lack some of the original excitement and spontaneity. With the "real" versions readily available, decades later this nostalgic exercise seems quite pointless. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artist:Kenny Drew Trio
     Album:Your Soft Eyes
     Release:1981
     Label:Soul Note (Italy)
     Format/Bitrate:MP3/320
     Time:40:05




     Pianist Kenny Drew is accompanied by fellow expatriate drummer Ed Thigpen and the talented young bassist Mads Vinding on these 1981 sessions. The leader continued to grow as a player during his years living in Europe, evolving from a strong bop pianist into something more... (AMG)

     Enjoy....

REPOST with a new link

     Artist: Johnny Hodges & Lalo Schifrin
     Album: Previously Unreleased Recordings
     Label: Verve (LP)
     Street Date: 1973
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/256
     Size: 67 MB




     Перед вами достаточно редкий альбом - совместная работа саксофониста Johnny Hodges и пианиста, композитора и дирижера Lalo Schifrin. Сессия была записана в 1963 году, но в виде альбома выпущена лишь в 1973 году.

     To Mr. BlackB

     Artist: Stevie Wonder
     Album:Talking Book
     Label: MOTOWN
     Year: 1972
     Genre: Rhythm-n-Blues
     Format, bitrate: 192 кбит/сек
     Size: 59,5 Mb

Заметил, что талантливейший музыкант, мульти-инструменталист не представлен в клубе.
Предлагаю вашему вниманию один из альбомов золотого периода музыканта.

After releasing two "head" records during 1970-71, Stevie Wonder expanded his compositional palate with 1972's Talking Book to include societal ills as well as tender love songs, and so recorded the first smash album of his career. What had been hinted at on the intriguing project Music of My Mind was here focused into a laser beam of tight songwriting, warm electronic arrangements, and ebullient performances -- altogether the most realistic vision of musical personality ever put to wax, beginning with a disarmingly simple love song, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (but of course, it's only the composition that's simple). Stevie's not always singing a tender ballad here -- in fact, he flits from contentment to mistrust to promise to heartbreak within the course of the first four songs -- but he never fails to render each song in the most vivid colors. In stark contrast to his early songs, which were clever but often relied on the Motown template of romantic metaphor, with Talking Book it became clear Stevie Wonder was beginning to speak his mind and use personal history for material (just as Marvin Gaye had with the social protest of 1971's What's Going On). The lyrics became less convoluted, while the emotional power gained in intensity. "You and I" and the glorious closer "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" subtly illustrate that the conception of love can be stronger than the reality, while "Tuesday Heartbreak" speaks simply but powerfully: "I wanna be with you when the nighttime comes / I wanna be with you till the daytime comes." Ironically, the biggest hit from Talking Book wasn't a love song at all; the funk landmark "Superstition" urges empowerment instead of hopelessness, set to a grooving beat that made it one of the biggest hits of his career. It's followed by "Big Brother," the first of his directly critical songs, excoriating politicians who posture to the underclass in order to gain the only thing they really need: votes. With Talking Book, Stevie also found a proper balance between making an album entirely by himself and benefiting from the talents of others. His wife Syreeta and her sister Yvonne Wright contributed three great lyrics, and Ray Parker, Jr. came by to record a guitar solo that brings together the lengthy jam "Maybe Your Baby." Two more guitar heroes, Jeff Beck and Buzzy Feton, appeared on "Lookin' for Another Pure Love," Beck's solo especially giving voice to the excruciating process of moving on from a broken relationship. Like no other Stevie Wonder LP before it, Talking Book is all of a piece, the first unified statement of his career. It's certainly an exercise in indulgence but, imitating life, it veers breathtakingly from love to heartbreak and back with barely a pause. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

     Artists: Coleman Hawkins & Chu Berry
     Album: Tenor Giants
     Release date: 2/8/2000
     Label: Verve Records
     Source: original CD audio
     Ripped: MP3 - 320 kbps
     1 RS Link - 105 mb

     This reissue illustrates Hawkins' influence during the swing era by focusing on his work for Commodore in 1940 and 1943 as well as fellow tenor great Chu Berry's recordings for the same label in 1938 and 1941. (Berry certainly wasn't the only tenor man Hawkins influenced; his big, rugged tone had a direct or indirect influence on everyone from Illinois Jacquet, Ben Webster, and Willis Jackson to Sonny Rollins and Booker Ervin). Though Hawkins' influence on Berry is undeniable, Berry was quite recognizable himself — and his individuality shines through on this CD. Berry swings aggressively on "Sittin' In" and "46 West 52" in 1938 and "Blowin' Up a Breeze" on August 28, 1941 (only two months before he died in a car crash), while his ballad-playing on "Stardust" and "Body and Soul" is gorgeous and unapologetically romantic. Some jazz historians feel that Berry could be overly sentimental on ballads, but to this journalist, his playing was a soulful, lyrical delight. (Besides, there's no law stating that jazz has to be 100% intellect 100% of the time). Meanwhile, the Hawkins material comes from all-star sessions that Leonard Feather produced or co-produced; the 1943 session boasts such heavyweights as trumpeter Cootie Williams and pianist Art Tatum, while the 1940 date, billed as "Coleman Hawkins and the Chocolate Dandies," and finds trumpeter Roy Eldridge and alto saxophonist/clarinetist Benny Carter joining Hawkins on the front line. Hawkins and Carter were both part of the original Chocolate Dandies sessions of 1929-1930, and their rapport was equally strong in 1940. From the forceful to the romantic, Tenor Giants paints an impressive picture of both Hawkins and Berry. -- by Alex Henderson, Courtesy All Music

     Artist: Reuben Wilson
     Album: Love Bug
     Label: Blue Note (LP)
     Release Date: 1969
     AMG Rating:
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320
     Size: 91 MB




     По просьбе г-на tzolelan

     Приятного прослушивания ...

    

     Artist: Mary Lou Williams
     Album:Live At The Cookery
     Label:Chiaroscuro Records
     Year: rec. November 1975/rel.1990
     Format: MP3@320Kb/s
     Time:68:41
     Size: 95.4+57.5 Mb
     

     Artist: Billie Holiday
     Album: All Or Nothing At All: Billie Holiday Story, Vol. VII
     Label: Verve
     Release date: 10/24/1995
     Quality: mp3@320 kbps

     After the publication of her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, Billie Holiday was doing good business in clubs in what turned out to be a last burst of stardom.  We cannot know why she stopped recording for Norman Granz after January 1957 - but the present collection, the last volume in Verve's comprehensive, chronological Billie Holiday Story, is a magnificent culmination of her years with the producer.
     These seven West Coast recording sessions- two dates in August 1956 and a marathon five in one week following January with Sweets Edison, Ben Webster, and Jimmy Rowles- together make the most satisfying set in the singer's Fifties discography.  In fact, this is the one program to put up against her Thirties recordings.  As Donald Clarke, her most recent biographer, says in his liner notes, "As the January sessions unfold and as the great songs go by, we are privileged both to be here and to look back: At the time it was just 'One More for the Road'; now it is the essence of Billie Holiday.

     Artists: Donald Byrd & Doug Watkins
     Album: The Transition Sessions
     Quality: mp3@320 kbps
     Label: Blue Note (Connoisseur-series)
     Release Date: Oct 08, 2002
     Playing Time: 0:49:47 + 1:13:45

     THE TRANSITION SESSIONS compiles 3 LPs: BYRD's EYE VIEW, BYRD BLOWS ON BEACON HILL and AT LARGE; and includes bonus tracks.

     Artists: Tony Bennett & K.D.Lang
     Album:A Wonderful World
     Year: 2003
     Label: Sony
     Genre: vocal jazz
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320kbs/s
     Time: 45,25
     Size: 67,4 + 30 MB

     Предлагаю к прослушиванию этот, примечательный во всех отошениях, диск. Великий Тони Беннетт и К.Д. Лэнг исполняют стандарты Луи Армстронга. Опыт, обаяние, вкус со одной стороны и смелость, свежесть, нежность с другой. Прекрасный состав музыкантов. Надеюсь, эти обворожительные дуэты никого не оставят равнодушным.

     Multi-Grammy winners Tony Bennett and K.D. Lang duet on a selection of songs inspired by the legendary Louis Armstrong, including "What A Wonderful World", "La Vie En Rose", "Exactly Like You", "You Can Depend On Me."

     Artist: Maria Rita
     Album: Segundo
     Label: WEA
     Year: 2005
     Quality: mp3@320 kbps + covers
     Size: 100 mb

     Maria Rita took the MPB world by storm in 2003 with her debut album, winning all kinds of awards and crossing over abroad in light of her mammoth success. The beautiful and beautiful-sounding young lady is the daughter of one of Brazil's most (if not the most) legendary vocalists, the late Elis Regina, and if that alone weren't enough to make her a star in waiting, her father is César Camargo Mariano, one of the country's top arrangers, producers, and pianists, and her namesake is Rita Lee, yet another MPB legend. Add to that a close musical partnership with Milton Nascimento, who penned "A Festa," the opening track of her debut album, and you can see why the MPB world was eagerly awaiting her recording debut.

     Artist: Tab Benoit
     Album: Live! Swampland Jam
     Label: Vanguard Records
     Year: 1997
     Format: mp3, Bitrate: @ CBR 320
     Size: 77 MB + 74 MB

     This album is Tab's personal favorite. He has always considered himself more of a live performer than a recording artist. We got together a group of old friends; Raful Neal, Henry Gray, Tabby Thomas, Chubby Carrier, and Johnny Sansone for two sold-out shows in Louisiana. Tab called everyone on-stage in succession to jam, blues revue-style. The energy at these shows was amazing. The album, unlike most live recordings, is not a greatest hits record. None of the tracks appear on previous Tab records. This record is a raw-sounding blues powerhouse. If you play it straight through from start to finish, you feel like you've just been to one great party!

     Artist: Chet Baker
     Albums: Chet Baker in Paris - Vols 1-4 (The Complete Barclay Recordings of Chet Baker)
     Year: 1955-56
     Label: Emarcy/Barclay / 8374742, 8374752, 8374762, 8374772
     Discs: 4
     Tracks: 54
     Quality: MP3 @320kbps (Vol.4 @160kbps)
     Size: 124 + 169 + 118mb / Vol.4 = 77 mb
     With custom covers for Vols 1-3
     WinRar File Recovery: 5%

     In the mid-1950s, Chet Baker, one of the leading members of the West Coast "cool" school of American Jazz, moved to Paris. This move, prompted by the love of a French girl he'd met in New York, landed Baker in Paris at the height of that city's growing jazz scene, and the trumpeter soon found himself recording at the Pathe-Magellen Studio for the highly respected Barclay label. In Paris collects some of the greatest tracks from these sessions, previously available only on five deleted LPs. Baker was at his musical peak at the time of these recordings, and throughout the 14 tracks his lyrical abilities are outstanding, as are the personnel he's got working with him. For the most part, the recording was done with a quartet consisting of a revolving cast of characters, both American [such as pianist Dick Twardzik] and French [pianist Gérard Gustin], although he also cut three tracks with Francy Boland's orchestra. The result is a sound that's up there with the best of Chet Baker's work, especially on the ebullient "I'll Remember April", the touching "These Foolish Things [Remind Me Of You]", the grand "Exitus" and "Everything Happens To Me", the sole track where Baker foregoes his trumpet in favour of his second favourite instrument, his voice. - Amazon