Artist: Don Sleet
   Album: All Members
   Label: OJC/JAZZLAND
   Recording Date: March 16, 1961 Plaza Sound Studios
   Format: FLAC (Track+5%Recovery)
   Size: 279 Mb

   It's safe to say that most jazz lovers have never even heard of Don Sleet. The trumpeter died in obscurity in 1986, and 1961's little-known All Members is his only album as a leader. Produced by Orrin Keepnews, All Members demonstrates that he deserved a much higher profile. This fine hard bop date paints a consistently attractive picture of Sleet, who had a medium tone that was bigger than Miles Davis and Chet Baker but not as big as Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, or Lee Morgan. Nonetheless, Davis and Baker were prominent influences, as was Kenny Dorham (who also favored a medium-toned style of trumpeting). Another valid comparison is Art Farmer. But Sleet was an expressive, swinging player in his own right, and he shows himself to be a captivating soloist on two Clifford Jordan pieces ("The Hearing" and ("Brooklyn Bridge") as well as the familiar standards "But Beautiful," "Secret Love," and "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise." Also impressive is Sleet's exhilarating "Fast Company," which has a title that describes the people who join him on All Members. Although Sleet was obscure, you can't say that about tenor saxman Jimmy Heath, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Ron Carter, or drummer Jimmy Cobb -- all of them are major jazz artists, and all of them are present on this album. The phrase "fast company" also describes Keepnews, who is one of the most famous and prolific jazz producers of all time. In a perfect world, an album as strong as All Members (which Fantasy reissued on CD on its Original Jazz Classics imprint in 2001) wouldn't be so little known. But Sleet's obscurity doesn't make him any less appealing; All Members is a CD that bop lovers should savor.

      Artist: Sonny Clark
      Album: Dial "S" For Sonny
      Year: 1957
      Label: Blue Note
      Time: 45:46
      Format: MP3 @320kbps
      Size: 103mb (includes cover)


      Dial "S" for Sonny, Sonny Clark's first session for Blue Note Records and his first session as a leader, is a terrific set of laidback bop, highlighted by Clark's liquid, swinging solos. Clark leads a first-rate group — Art Farmer (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Hank Mobley (tenor sax), Wilbur Ware (bass), Louis Hayes (drums) — through four originals and two standards, balancing the selections between swinging bop and reflective ballads. There are traces of Bud Powell in Clark's style, but he's beginning to come into his own, developing a style that's alternately edgy and charmingly relaxed. Mobley, Farmer and Fuller have their moments, but Clark steals the show in this set of fine, straight-ahead bop.
   ~ AMG

    Artist: The Ornette Coleman Quartet
    Album: This Is Our Music
    Label: Atlantic
    Year: 1960
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
    Time: 38 min, 46 sec
    Size: 94 mb.


    Итак, друзья мои, пора мне наконец-то вспомнить, что клуб-то у нас джазовый, а ну никак не классический. Буду возвращаться к корням, к истокам, так сказать. Давайте сегодня припадём к истокам современного авангардного джаза - альбому Музыканта, положившего начало целому течению в современной музыке.

ФИАЛКИ по СРЕДАМ (выпуск тридцать первый, слегка опоздавший)

   Composer: P. I. Tchaikovsky / П.И.Чайковский
   Artist: Staatskapelle Dresden, James Levine
   Album: Eugene Onegin/Евгений Онегин (Лирические сцены в трёх действиях)
   Year: 1988
   Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
   Time: 2h, 28 min, 48 sec
   Size: 172+97+84 mb.

   Друзья, простите, вчера был ужасно занят, и именно поэтому букет выкладываю с небольшим опозданием. Сегодня я снова предлагаю прослушать великолепную оперу Петра Ильича Чайковского, но уже в исполнении солистов Дрезденской оперы. Как говорится, для сравнения акцентов, в том числе и музыкальных
   Итак...

   Artist: Toots Thielemans
   Album: The Live Takes, Vol. 1
   Year: 1994 - 1998
   Release: 2000
   Label: Narada Jazz
   Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
   Time: 1:08:33
   Size: 159,5 MB

   Not that there has ever been much competition, but the legendary Toots Thielemans is arguably the world's greatest jazz harmonica player at the turn of the century. This recording, a compilation of live recordings of various jazz standards (from the very familiar "I Love You Porgy"/"Summertime" to the more obscure "Three Views of a Secret") was available overseas for years before receiving its U.S. release in 2000. Longtime fans will certainly love it all, but there are too many dragging stretches where the mood is too subdued to generate much excitement. After a very gentle lullaby take on "Stardust," Thielemans and his ensemble take things up a notch with some energetic interaction and soloing in the final minutes of the seven-and-a-half minute "I Do It for Your Love" and throughout the more swinging "Three Views of a Secret." Even on the quiet pieces ("All the Way" is just way too languid), Thielemans does his usually wonderful job of lingering on certain emotions and improvising sharply. If you're looking for pleasant mood music with rare bursts of adventure, this will fill the bill.

    Artist: Mike Stern
    Album: Ultimate Play Along
    Label: Atlantic
    Release: 1996
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 128 kb/s
    Time: 39:34
    Size: 36,5 Mb

    Book: Paperback 84 pages
    Publisher: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (October 28, 1996)
    Size: 12,9 Mb

   Ultimate Play-Along for Guitar has been developed so that the beginner to intermediate level guitarist can practice in different styles along with all-star musicians including Mike Stern on guitar, John Patitucci on bass and Dave Weckl on drums. This book and CD package contains a CD with seven complete rhythm tracks with the guitar melodies and solos. The book features complete transcriptions of all of Mike Stern's guitar parts and solos, as well as tear-out "roadmap" charts for each tune. -
   alibris.co.uk

    Artist: John Patitucci
    Album: Heart Of Bass
    Label: Stretch
    Release: 1991
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 256 kb/s
    Time: 56:56
    Size: 69,2
   

   Being a bass player and listening to primarily fusion/jazz, I knew John Patitucci's album "Heart of the Bass" would be different. His blend of classical music and the electric bass is tastefully done, providing a very entertaining listen that clearly demonstrates Patitucci's amazing talent. Patitucci also showcases his immense upright-bass skill throughout many songs. Different, but very good.
   - Spark at Amazon.com

    Artist: Mike Stern
    Album: Neesh
    Label: Trio/Absord Music Japan
    Release: 1985
    Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
    Time: 37:46
    Size: 86,7 Mb

   The debut recording by this former Miles Davis sideman incorporates many elements of jazz, most notably fusion. This work also features David Sanborn (s).