Artist: Robert Cray
    Album: New Blues (compilation)
    Label: Hallmark
    Release: 1997
    Genre: blues
    Format, bitrate: mp3 192 kb/s
    Time: 35:51
    Size: 49,4 Mb

A good choice of tracks on a nice compilation issued in 1997 by Hallmark Records

    Artist: Oscar Peterson
    Album: The Complete Clef Mercury Studio Recordings Vol IV
    Label: Pablo Records
    Year: 1951 - 1953
    Release: 2008
    Format, bitrate: Mp3, 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:12:36
    Size: 166 Mb
    AMG Rating:

          EVERY DAY IS AN OSCAR PETERSON DAY !

   Pianist Oscar Peterson has always been something of an enigma. Some listeners categorize him as a commercial overachiever whose flawless technique and perfectionism rendered him ponderous and dull. Others believe him to be Art Tatum's heir who produced a spectacular catalog of lyrical masterpieces. I tend to believe that neither view is quite accurate and that Peterson must be evaluated differently than most jazz artists to arrive at a proper assessment. . . .

    Artist: Robert Cray
    Album: Heavy Picks (compilation)
    Label: Island / Mercury Records
    Release: 1999
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
    Time: 58:41
    Size: 146 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

   Robert Cray left his longtime home Mercury Records following the release of 1997's Sweet Potato Pie, moving to Rykodisc in 1999. Not long after his Ryko debut Take Your Shoes Off — just a little over six months, actually — Mercury released Heavy Picks: The Robert Cray Collection. It wasn't really an attempt to steal the thunder from Take Your Shoes Off, since that album had eased into the catalog by that point; it was merely a welcome compilation of Cray's first 17 years of recording. Almost all of his albums, from 1980's Who's Been Talkin' to Sweet Potato Pie, are represented (1995's Some Rainy Morning is conspicuously missing, perhaps because of its slick soul direction), and the selections are by and large on the money — the crossover hits "Smoking Gun," "Right Next Door (Because of Me)," and "I Guess I Showed Her" are here, but so are some straight-ahead blues cuts, too, including the Albert Collins duet "The Dream." The only real fault with Heavy Picks is that the collection feels haphazardly assembled, bouncing from era to era. Ultimately, however, that doesn't matter, since this captures the highlights from his Tomato and Mercury recordings quite well.
   - Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AMG

    Artist: Buddy Guy with Debbie Davies & The Robert Cray Band
    Album: From Mountain Stage & Austin City Limits
    Label: bootleg
    Year: ???
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 256 kb/s
    Time: 1:17:38
    Size: 84,3 Mb

   This bootleg presents some live performances of the above artists. The only link between them is the fact that all tracks are taken from FM transmissions of Mountain Stage Radio. The good point of the recording is the quality (both sound and playing) and the fact that we can here here some interviews with the artists.
   The bad point is the total lack of information of the venues, the artists involved in the shows besides the headliners and the omission of the time of the concerts.
   If we stick strictly to music, it's a great gift of wonderful music recommended to every blues lover.

   Artist: Леонид Утесов
   Album: Лимончики
   Label: Коминформ-центр
   Year: 1933 - 1937
   Release: 1995
   Format, bitrate: MP3@320 kbps
   Time: 58:23
   Size: 126 Mb

   По традиции, для тех, кто "понюхал" последний букет фиалок от crazy_captain и уже уразумел, что опера, пожалуй, не самый простой для восприятия жанр…

   Многие бы хотели родиться в Одессе, но не всем это удается… - любил говаривать Леонид Утесов. А какой одессит, не посетив буфет, сможет до конца выслушать оперу? Да это же не в моготу...
   Гений Утесова подарил нам такую возможность. Да познакомиться, и немедленно, можно не только с Евгением Онегиным, но в придачу и с Садко, а за одно и с Риголетто причем потратить на это не многим болем 9 минут. Своеобразные музыкальные комиксы от Утесова уже тем полезны, что не восприимчивая к серьезной музыке публика ( не только из Одессы), могла бы запомнить хотя бы названия известных опер. Ура Утесову!
   Итак, внемлем сразу трем операм цельных 9 минут…

   Artist: The Michel Petrucciani Trio
   Album: Live At The Village Vanguard
   Format: DVD-5 / NTSC / All Regions
   Year: 1986
   Release: 2008
   Time: 54 min
   Video: 720x480, 29,970fps, 4:3
   Audio: English, 48 KHz stereo, 192Kbps AC-3 | Dolby Stereo | Dolby Surround 5.1 | DTS 5.1
   Size: 3,6 GB (ISO + md5) Incl. 3% Recovery, 37partsX100Mb

     The great jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani, in a beautiful and powerful concert captured on video at New York City's jazz Mecca the Village Vanguard.
As this set fully demonstrates, Michel Petrucciani was one of the most exciting and important jazz pianists and composers his generation, writing extended pieces that showcase the richness and gorgeousness of his tone and the emotional depth of his playing.
     Joined here by two great sidemen, Palle Danielsson on bass and Eliot Zigmund (once a Bill Evans stalwart) on drums, Petrucciani finds room, amid five extended and swinging meditations, for a collaboration with his special guest, the great jazz guitarist Jin Hall. A wonderful evening of beautiful music.
    ~ from the liner notes by William Hogeland

   Artist: Steve Khan
   Album: Public Access
   Label: GRP Records
   Year: 1989
   Release: 1990
   Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
   Time: 01:07:02
   Size: 165MB
   AMG Rating:

   Steve Khan is a bit of an enigma in jazz guitar circles, as he neither clearly succeeds nor fails in any of his efforts. This is an exception, however, as the presence of Dave Weckl makes for one of the best GRP releases of the '90s. Khan's sound is still a bit weak, but his compositions are strong, as is the amazing percussion of Manolo Badrena. A longtime collaborator with Khan, Badrena seems to have every type of percussion ever made and uses them all effectively. Weckl thrives on the Latin rhythms and both players are complementary to each other. As with his other recordings, Khan's solos are not very interesting, and like Larry Coryell, he tries to play too fast. Despite this, they all seem to be having a great time. "Kamarica" is one of the happiest tunes here and contains some phenomenal soloing by Weckl. "Botero People" has a nice relaxed feel and a great bassline, proving that the tunes here are well written with a focus on rhythm rather than just improvisation. Although Badrena's singing is in Spanish, it is pleasant and an integral part of the music even if you don't know what he's saying. "Mama Chola" is the most intense piece here and features more great soloing by Weckl, who not only helps hold the band together, but actually manages to carry it for the majority of the session.
   ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide

     Artist: Lee Konitz
     Album: Inside HI-FI
     Label: Koch
     Year: 1956
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps


     This excellent recording (part of their 1987 Jazzlore series) features altoist Lee Konitz with two separate quartets during 1956. Either guitarist Billy Bauer or pianist Sal Mosca are the main supporting voices in groups also including either Arnold Fishkind or Peter Ind on bass and Dick Scott on drums. The most unusual aspect to the set is that on the four selections with Mosca, Konitz switches to tenor, playing quite effectively in a recognizable cool style. The overall highlights of this enjoyable album are "Everything Happens to Me," "All of Me," and "Star Eyes," but all eight performances are well played and swinging.
   Scott Yanow, AMG

   Artist: Toots Thielemans
   Album: The Brasil Project
   Year: 1992
   Label: Private, Inc
   Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
   Time: 52:32
   Size: 129,6 MB

   This popular set matches the brilliant harmonica player Toots Thielemans with such top Brazilian performers as Ivan Lins, Djavan, Oscar Castro-Neves, Dori Caymmi, Ricardo Silveira, João Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Luiz Bonfá, Edu Lobo and Eliane Elias, in addition to bassist Brian Bromberg, keyboardist Michael Lang, trumpeter Mark Isham and Dave Grusin. Thielemans is often in a supportive role behind the many soothing Brazilian singers and performers. The atmospheric date surprisingly does not have any Antonio Carlos Jobim songs, instead emphasizing lesser-known tunes (other than Toots' greatest hit "Bluesette"). Easily recommended to fans of Brazilian pop and jazz, this CD was soon followed by a second (and equally rewarding) set featuring many of the same performers.
   ~ Scott Yanow, AMG