Artist: Jane Monheit
   Album: The Season
   Label: Epic
   Year: 2005
   Format, bitrate: mp3, VBR ~236 kbps
   Size: 66 mb

   Jane Monheit followed her 2004 Sony debut, Taking a Chance on Love, with the Christmas album The Season. It's an inevitable release. Monheit's star has risen consistently -- she's one of the darlings (or saviors) of contemporary vocal jazz alongside artists like Madeleine Peyroux and Norah Jones -- so something as pretty and easily salable as The Season ensures even more name recognition. Which is just fine. Monheit's rich, if mannered delivery is perfect for the classics ("Sleighride," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), and her interpretations of "I Love the Winter Weather/I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" (where Ella Fitzgerald's influence is strong) and the Carpenters ("Merry Christmas Darling") mix striking professionalism with a gentle, breathy swagger that's pretty endearing. Monheit worked with her usual quartet for The Season, though the arrangement for "Merry Christmas Darling" is filled out with a string section and the horns on "The Man with the Bag" combine with Monheit's winsome, scatting vocal to really take it out of time. Is this 2005 or a classic Perry Como special? The Season is a nice holdover for Monheit, a chance to have some fun with some standards while keeping her name and wonderful voice top of mind.

   Artist: Jane Monheit
   Album: Surrender
   Year: 2007
   Label: Concord Records
   Size: 112 mb



   Jane Monheit has a lovely voice, one that in its purest, most lilting form reminds you of the young Barbra Streisand, with the show-stopping qualities that suggests. Her haunting rendition of Sergio Mendes'"So Many Stars," the runaway highlight of Surrender, is also one of the best things she's ever done. (Mendes arranged and produced the track and plays keyboard on it.) Since she stopped trying so hard to be a jazz singer and found her mark as a popular vocalist specializing in Brazilian music (there are also guest turns by singer Ivan Lins and harmonica great Toots Thielemans), Monheit has sounded more at home with herself. The problem is, as delectable as her instrument is, her performances, more often than not, have a perplexing emptiness to them: they're like romantic settings with candles providing the requisite glow but no real warmth. She's only 29, which means she has plenty of time to deepen as an artist. But it could also be that what you hear now is what you're going to get in the future.
   ~ Lloyd Sachs

   Artist: Larry Coryell
   Album: Live At The Village Gate
   Label: Vanguard
   Year: 1971
   Format Mp3, bitrate: 160kbps (LP-rip)
   Time: 38:13
   Size: 43,7 Mb



   No one, not even Robin Trower, embodied the essence of Jimi Hendrix' playing like this sadly unrecognized guitar god. Recorded only four months after Jimi's death, this powerful performance for an appreciative New York crowd has his spirit and some of his chops shot through it. The album's strength is undercut by a long, meandering treatment of the Jack Bruce tune "Can You Follow?" But rock-solid bassist Mervin Bronson and inventive drummer Harry Wilkinson, longtime sidemen for their fleet-fingered frontman, give him all the freedom he needs to crunch his chords, as well as veer off on some jazzy tangents.
   ~ Mark Allan, All Music Guide

   Artist: The Free Spirits (Larry Coryell's First Band)
   Album: Out Of Sight And Sound
   Label: ABC
   Year: 1966
   Format Mp3, bitrate: 256kbps
   Time: 36:41
   Size: 67,2 Mb




   These tentative explorations into relatively uncharted jazz-rock territory retain an engaging, freewheeling verve and warm humor, although the lyrics are sometimes self-consciously hip and spacy. Coryell plays a sitar on "I'm Gonna Be Free," and "Blue Water Mother" employs the still-unusual device of two separate vocal tracks singing two entirely separate sets of lyrics. Obscure even in its day and long out of print, it's worth seeking out, though more for fans of '60s rock than jazz.
   ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

   Artist: Larry Coryell
   Album: Barefoot Boy
   Label: Flying Dutchman
   Year: 1971
   Format, bitrate: Ogg, 460kbps
   Time: 40:33
   Size: 134 Mb


   Produced by Bob Thiele and recorded at Electric Lady studios with engineer Eddie Kramer, Barefoot Boy is one of Larry Coryell's finest recordings as a leader. "Gypsy Queen" was recorded prior to bassist Mervin Bronson's arrival at the studio, and features the percussion section locking into a groove over which Coryell lays down a riff and Steve Marcus cuts loose with a fiery soprano sax solo. When it's his turn to solo on this opening number, Coryell turns up the heat, sounding like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Sharrock. (Coryell played with Sharrock on Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground.) "The Great Escape" finds Coryell cooking over a bass and percussion groove, with Marcus on tenor sax. "Call to the Higher Consciousness" is a side-long 20-minute jam in which all the players take a ride, with Marcus once again cooking on the soprano sax. Roy Haynes is superb throughout, working in tandem with the percussionists to keep the music moving. This recording is a noteworthy example of the possibilities inherent in the early days of fusion, blending the electrifying energy of rock with the improvisational excitement of jazz.

   Artist: John Coltrane
   Album: A Love Supreme
   Label: GRP Records
   Quality: Flac level 8
   Size: 96+96+20 Mb
   

   У самого значительного саксофониста последних 50 лет есть более доступные работы, но колоссальная одухотворенность этой записи побеждает ее непростую авангардную форму. Колтрейн извергает из тенор-саксофона поток страстных звуков, которые, если внимательно вслушаться, следуют за артикуляцией напечатанных на обложке текстов псалмов. Мало кому в музыке удавалось столь же ярко передать молитвенный восторг непосредственного общения с Абсолютом.
   ~ Jazz.ru

   Artist: Thelonious Monk
   Album: Monk In France
   Label: Riverside/OJC
   Year: 1961
   Format, bitrate: Mp3, 256 kb/s vbr
   Time: 59:42
   Size: 65,3 Mb (complete covers)


   In 1961, Thelonious Monk and his quartet toured Europe, producing a series of live albums for various labels. The First European Concert, as well as recordings of Monk in Paris, Italy, Bern, Copenhagen, and Stockholm all date from that year. The performances drew almost exclusively from a body of the pianist's best-loved original material, and Monk in France is no exception. While his playing here is less energized than it can be, Monk's singular philosophy is well intact. The pianist's lines are sparse and fluid. Characteristically, he maps out only the necessary notes in his off-kilter melodies, building solos from perfectly balanced melodic/rhythmic motifs. The European touring lineup is completed by drummer Frankie Dunlop, bassist John Ore, and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse. Rouse had joined Monk two years earlier, replacing Johnny Griffin on 1959's Evidence. He has a vibrant tone and fluid rhythmic sense best heard here on "I Mean You." Monk's responding solo seems slightly reserved, the fire and weight of his attack largely absent. The remaining two-thirds of the rhythm section, while accomplished, do little to drive him in that direction. Performing solo, Monk's reading of the standards "Body and Soul" and "Just a Gigolo" are two highlights. The former features the sort of ornate playing uncharacteristic of the date. Monk spins off dense lines that take many listens to untangle. The latter is given a brief rendition tinged with ringing dissonance. The 1960s would see Monk signing to Columbia Records, where he would release another string of excellent recordings like Monk's Dream, Criss Cross, and Solo Monk. Monk in France represents a pleasant but unessential sidetrack in the pianist's output.
   ~ Nathan Bush, AMG

   Artist: Larry Coryell
   Album: Fairyland
   Label: Mega
   Year: 1971
   Format Mp3, bitrate: 320kbps
   Time: 32:00
   Size: 73,9 Mb





   Fairyland has long been a favorite among fans of Larry Coryell's jazz-rock days. The stripped-down trio format allows Coryell plenty of solo space. He actually sings quite effectively on the first two tracks, but more effective are the torrents of 18th notes, mutated blues licks, and avant-garde sound textures that emanate from his guitar. "Further Explorations for Albert Stinson" is a later incarnation of "The Jam With Albert," which is a staple of Coryell jazz-rock compilations. A rewarding listen.
   ~ Wilson McCloy, All Music Guide

   Artist: Thelonious Monk
   Album: In Italy (live)
   Label: Riverside/OJC
   Year: 1961
   Format, bitrate: Mp3, 224 kb/s vbr
   Time: 45:39
   Size: 69,1 (complete covers)




   Pianist-composer Thelonious Monk's final Riverside recording before signing with Columbia (reissued on CD in the OJC series) was cut during a concert in Italy, part of an extensive European tour that also resulted in recordings from Paris three days earlier. All eight of the songs (which include "Straight No Chaser," "Bemsha Swing" and "Rhythm-A-Ning") had been recorded in more definitive fashion earlier and, although Monk and his tenor Charlie Rouse sound fine, the bass and drum solos of bassist John Ore and drummer Frankie Dunlop on practically every song are consistently dull and unimaginative. This is not one of Thelonious Monk's more significant dates but his fans will still find moments to enjoy.
   ~ Scott Yanow , All Music Guide

ФИАЛКИ по СРЕДАМ (выпуск семнадцатый)

   Composer: Niccolo Paganini
   Artist: Itzhak Perlman
   Album: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin
   Label: EMI
   Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
   Time: 1h. 12 min. 17 sec
   Size: 173 mb

   Чуть не забыл, что сегодня среда!!! Хорошо, что вспомнил, а то остались бы сегодня без очередного букетика, грустно было бы...
   Что же такого Вам сегодня предложить? Помнится, 24 каприса Паганини были тепло приняты (кстати, если кто ещё не слышал, так гитарная и флейтовая версии ждут не дождутся, когда Вы с ними ознакомитесь).
   А сегодня я, пожалуй, предложу Вашему вниманию оригинальную версию каприсов в исполнении скрипача Ицхака Перлмана, личности, несомненно, известной всем любителям джаза.
   Считается, что именно Перлману принадлежит лучшее исполение каприсов на сегодняшний день. Может, это потому, что Найджел Кеннеди до них ещё не добрался?
   Впрочем, что это я тут развожу лирику, давайте слушать музыку!

   Artist: Thelonious Monk
   Album: In Copenhagen
   Label: Storyville
   Year: 1961
   Format, bitrate: Mp3, 224 kb/s
   Time: 1:11:15
   Size: 114 Mb
   AMG rating

   Recorded in 1961, Monk in Copenhagen captures Thelonious Monk with his quartet live in concert, performing a repertoire of his tunes (plus a solo piano version of "Body and Soul"). Although this is a typical performance for the time, Monk was at what many believe to be the height of his powers. Too, he had finally begun to receive much deserved public recognition for his brilliance, despite his odd personal mannerisms. The advantage of a live recording is that the quartet gets to stretch out, so that solos are more developed and the individual tracks are generally longer than studio versions of the same songs. The overall recording time is generous, too, so that even though there may be nothing in particular to distinguish this recording from others, it is nonetheless a fine sample of Monk's work with his usual quartet. Tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse is in good form, and bassist John Ore and drummer Frankie Dunlop are strong in support. Monk's solo take of "Body and Soul" is characteristically attractively quirky, and, although short, arguably the highlight of the album. While this recording is hardly indispensable Monk, it is nonetheless excellent work from the artist, and a solid addition to his discography.
   Steven Loewy, AMG

   Artist: Thelonious Monk
   Album: At The Blackhawk (live)
   Label: Riverside
   Year: 1960
   Format, bitrate: Mp3, 256 kb/s vbr
   Time: 59:34
   Size: 97,7 Mb (cover)
   AMG rating





   Thelonious Monk's 1960 quartet (which also includes tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist John Ore and (for a brief period) drummer Billy Higgins is augmented on this live session by two guests: trumpeter Joe Gordon and the tenor of Harold Land. The extra horns uplift the date and add some surprising moments to what otherwise might have been a conventional but still spirited live session. Highlights include "Let's Call This," "Four in One" and a swinging version of "I'm Getting Sentimental over You."
   ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

   Artist: Blind Boys of Alabama
   Album: Go Tell it on the Mountain: Live in New York
   Year: 2003
   Format: DVD-rip | AVI/XVID, 720 x 576
   Audio: Mp3, 320 kbps
   Size: 1,17 Gb

      Synopsis
   The Blind Boys of Alabama have spread the spirit and energy of pure soul gospel music for over 60 years, ever since the first version of the group formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939. Today, founding members Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter and George Scott joined by more recent arrivals Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler, and Tracy Pierce are on a mission to expand the audience for traditional soul-gospel singing while incorporating contemporary songs and innovative arrangements into their hallowed style.
   In December 2003, the band came to New York City to perform a special holiday concert at the famed Beacon Theater with Aaron Neville, John Medeski, Duke Robillard, Chrissie Hynde, Mavis Staples, Michael Franti (Spearhead), Robert Randolph (Sacred Steel player), and Charlie Musselwhite (Blues harmonica icon). This show aired on PBS in December 2004 as part of their pledge drive with the individual band members appearing in pledge breaks.

   Artist:Thelonious Monk
   Album: The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
   Label: Riverside/OJC
   Year: 1959
   Format, bitrate: Mp3, 320 kb/s
   Time: 53:15
   Size: 122 Mb (cover)
   


   Pianist Thelonious Monk's appearance with a tentet at a 1959 Town Hall concert was a major success. With Hal Overton contributing arrangements of Monk's tunes (including a remarkable transcription of Monk's original piano solo on "Little Rootie Tootie") and solos provided by trumpeter Donald Byrd, trombonist Eddie Bert, altoist Phil Woods, Charlie Rouse on tenor, and baritonist Pepper Adams, this date was a real standout. The program (plus three additional numbers) has also been included in Monk's huge Riverside box set but, for more budget-minded consumers, this CD is a must. There would only be one other recorded occasion (Monk's 1963 Philharmonic Hall concert) when the unique pianist was as successfully featured with a larger ensemble.
   ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

    Artist: Larry Coryell
    Album: Difference
    Label: EGG
    Year: 1978
    Format Mp3, bitrate: 320kbps
    Time: 31:29
    Size: 73,3 Mb




   Yet another outstanding Coryell album, and one of the most unashamed jazz-rock guitar albums, yet all to short IMHO in its duration. The usual guests are around, Tony Williams, Steve Khan, the Brecker brothers, etc… Although the album was recorded in 75, it didn’t see the light of day until 78; indeed it is an assemblage of Electric Lady studio (the Hendrix facilities) recordings and the Montreux festival of the same year. The only things that would make this album a bit different is the label that issued it (Egg) and the unrelated sea photo artwork, as the rest makes it a typical Coryell album.

   Artist - Art Farmer
   Album - Art
   Label - Universal/Polygram [Limited Edition]
   Year - 1960, release - 2007
   Quality - MP3@320 kbps
   Size - 87,9 mb
   Time - 39:57
   AMG Rating




   During a career that spanned close to a half century, Art Farmer was well-known for his consistency as a soloist and a bandleader. This series of studio sessions from 1960, with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Tommy Williams, and drummer Albert Heathe, find the trumpeter in great form, with the usually impeccable accompaniment one expects from Flanagan. Many of the rich ballads featured, including "So Beats My Heart for You," "Goodbye Old Girl," and "Younger Than Springtime," have fallen out of favor in the early 21st century, but Farmer's impeccable performances of these chestnuts sound timeless. A slightly jaunty take of Benny Golson's "Out of the Past" and a spirited rendition of "The Best Thing for You Is Me" also merit attention.
   ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

      Artist: Les McCann
      Album: Another Beginning
      Label: Atlantic
      Year: 1974
      Format, bitrate: Mp3, 224 kb/s (vinyl rip)
      Time: 42:22
      Size: 68,5 Mb

      Artist: Les McCann
      Album: On The Soul Side
      Label: Music Masters
      Year: 1994
      Format, bitrate: Mp3, 192 kb/s
      Time: 1:02:54
      Size: 86,8 Mb (covers)
      AMG Rating:

      While other Les McCann albums have emphasized R&B or soul-jazz vocals, the singer/pianist does very little singing on this CD. Only on "Look to Your Heart" can McCann's vocals be heard. Except for "God Bless America" (which contains a memorable vocal by Lou Rawls), all of the other tracks are jazz instrumentals. Joined by saxman Keith Anderson, trumpeter Jeff Elliott, bassist Abraham Laboriel, and drummer Tony St. James, a 58-year-old McCann makes jazz pianism his top priority on this album. It's a very lyrical and accessible sort of jazz pianism — those who have spent a lot of time savoring Gene Harris' playing or getting into Joe Sample's Carmel should appreciate McCann's melodic playing on "Back Rub," "Shabalala," and other originals. Sadly, On the Soul Side is the last studio album that McCann would record as a leader before suffering a major stroke in early 1995 — one that weakened his piano playing without depriving him of his ability to sing.
   Alex Henderson, AMG

      Artist: Thelonious Monk
      Album: Monk
      Label: Prestige/OJC
      Year: 1954
      Format, bitrate: Mp3, 256 kb/s vbr (vinyl rip)
      Time: 37:36
      Size: 60,8 Mb
      AMG Rating:

      Thelonious Monk's Prestige recordings (reissued on three LP-length CDs) have been somewhat neglected through the years but, with the exception of a date for Vogue, they are the only documentation that exists of the unique pianist-composer's work as a leader during the latter half of 1952 through 1954. This set has four numbers (including Monk's originals "Wee See," "Locomotive" and the catchy "Hackensack") featuring Monk with trumpeter Ray Copeland (an underrated player), tenor saxophonist Frank Foster, bassist Curly Russell and drummer Art Blakey. However it is "Let's Call This" and the two versions of "Think of One" that are best-known, for Monk teams up with the French horn wizard Julius Watkins, bassist Percy Heath, drummer Willie Jones and the great tenor Sonny Rollins. Every Thelonious Monk recording is well worth getting.
   Scott Yanow, AMG