Artist: Miroslav Evacic & Cardas Blues band (MIROSLAV EVAČIĆ I ČARDAŠ BLUES BAND)
     Album: "Fulmination"
     Label: Croatia Records
     Year: 2007
     Release: CD5751410 Digipack
     Genre: Fusion / Folk-Blues / Balkan Blues-Rock
     Format, bitrate: MP3 / 320 Kbps
     Time: 00:33:34
     Size: 64 MB


"Miroslav Evacic was born on 30th March 1973 in Koprivnica, a small town in Podravina (north-west region of Croatia by the Drava river). The first music influence came from his grandfather who played accordion and often used to sing old folk-songs.

Miroslav started exploring ways of getting quality and warmth in sound recording. Soon he became known as a fine producer and was invited to many recording projects. Some of them were some old folk bands that still are active and there he made new relationships and friendships with the people who created Croatian folk music in the middle of 20th century. During that time he went deeper and really touched the roots of his tradition and, spending lots of time in his own studio, experimenting with ideas, he found a way to express his vision and he came out with music he called Chardash Blues.

He found that roots of the blues and his own traditional music are almost identical so Chardas Blues came out as something natural, simple, pure music without any makeovers and massive orchestrations. The simplicity of his expression is almost shocking, and those who live in Podravina can almost describe the nature of this people and land only by listening this music. Those who know the blues say that they can see Mississippi river flowing trough the valley while cows are slowly walk by... Croatian audience was a bit confused with this music. There was nothing to compare it with, there was no specific genre to put it in. The 'world music' movement was something quite unknown in Croatia so it took some time till a response from the world came.

In 2006 he formed a band with the name Cardas Blues Band (Chardash Blues Band)."
~ From record label

     Artist: Thad Jones / Mel Lewis
     Album: Live in Munich
     Release Date: 1976
     Label: A&M Horizon - Vinyl
     Size: 98,77 MB
     Time: 44:18

Live in Munich is a live 1976 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in Munich, Germany and released on the A&M / Horizon Records label. The album won the 1978 Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band.


The last major release by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra before Jones moved to Europe was their strongest in several years. The orchestra was in a state of transition, evolving from an all-star band filled with veterans to a group filled with advanced and hungry young improvisers. Most memorable of the five selections are "Mornin' Reverend," and Jones' flugelhorn showcase on "Come Sunday," and a definitive 16-minute version of his "Central Park North." Heard on this LP (not yet reissued on CD) are such soloists as pianist Harold Danko, Gregory Herbert on tenor, and Jerry Dodgion on soprano, but it is the sound of the ensemble and the colorful Jones arrangements that make this an album well worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artists: Vilnius Jazz Quartet & Neda Malunaviciute
     Album: Bio Jazz
     Country: Lithuania
     Label: Pukas
     Year: 2002; Release: CD-148
     Genre: Jazz / Modern Jazz / Fusion
     Format, bitrate: MP3 / 320 Kbps
     Time: 01:03:13
     Size: 98 MB + 24 MB

     Продолжение, углубление, развитие всего того, что было заложено музыкантами в альбоме, изданном ими годом ранее. Так что можно смело повторить все то, что было уже сказано. Хотя местами музыканты, опять же используя классику джаза как основу, начинают чуть ли не провоцировать ортодоксов. Представьте себе начало пьесы, основанной на струнном квартете №8 Моцарта, после чего следует переход к “I’m Beginning To See The Light”, затем идет откровенно рок-н-ролльный фрагмент, а в конце опять все сводится к Вольфгангу Амадею. Вполне красива и оригинальная пьеса “More Than Samba”, где, понятно, музыки куда больше, чем в обычной самбе.
     Кто-то скажет: ну понятно, до классики музыканты, мол, не дотягивают, вот и вытанцовывают на ней, как хочется. Возражу: чем в сотый, тысячный раз скучно пытаться создать что-то уж очень фирменное, лучше так: с выдумкой, необычно, in the mood, даже слегка ерничая (“Bio Jazz”), но демонстрируя при этом действительно высокий исполнительский класс. Браво! Это не кола, это глоток воды из источника, что в Бирштонасе. Хотя… Кому что нравится… ~ Дмитрий ПОДБЕРЕЗСКИЙ. © 2007 Jazz-Квадрат

     The Vilnius Jazz Quartet is one of the foremost and long-living representatives of the Lithuanian jazz. The quartet continues and expands the principles of the so-called Vilnius jazz school, once laid by the legendary Trio GTCh (Vyacheslav Ganelin - Vladimir Tarasov - Vladimir Chekasin). The most characteristic of those are large-scale compositions, often of a suite form, with a lot of stylistic interplay - combining the unusually twisted jazz standards with jazz-rock and world music, interspersing the original repertoire with quotations of classical as well as pop music. Later the large-scale forms gave way to more concise rondo-suites, which are developed according to the same principles. Open-minded to various experiments, the Vilnius Jazz Quartet collaborates with other musicians including the singer Neda Malūnavičiūtė and the folk music band Sutaras.

     Artists: Kongar-ol Ondar & Paul Pena
     Album: Genghis Blues
     Label: Wadi Rum Production / Genghis Blues Music
     Year: 2000; Release: 657036 1038-2 / HDCD digipack
     Genre: Blues / World Fusion / Soundtrack
     Format, bitrate: MP3 / 320 Kbps
     Time: 01:10:12
     Size: 94 MB + 40 MB

     More than just a record, this is also the story of the journey of Paul Pena, a fine blind American bluesman who learned Tuvan throat singing well enough to win a contest in Tuva. His solo tracks, especially his take on Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues," are the real blues deal, but this record truly takes off when Pena and Ondar duet. The blues and the eerie, often-guttural sounds of throat singing make a natural match, one that simply bewitches with the clear overtones and melodies, while the guitar and Tuvan banjo offer simple, but very plaintive, accompaniment. About the only misstep is the inclusion of the Cape Verdean "Tras d'Orizao," which sticks out like a sore thumb from everything else. Get that out of your system, and the rest is pure magic.

     Artist: Zachary Breaux
     Album: Laidback
     Label: NYC Music
     Year: 1994; Release: Aug 30, 1994
     Format, bitrate: MP4 - Apple Lossless
     Time: 48 min
     Size: 281 MB

     Listening to Zachary Breaux's commercial work on Laidback, it's clear that the guitarist was capable of a lot more. That said, this isn't a bad album -- it isn't a masterpiece, but it's enjoyable most of the time. Mindful of George Benson's more commercial instrumental work, Breaux gets into a likable jazz/R&B/pop groove on such originals as "Small Town in Texas" and "West Side Worry." Harmonica great Toots Thielemans has pleasant, if unremarkable, cameos on John Barry's "Midnight Cowboy" and Breaux's mellow title song, while singer Audrey Wheeler joins Breaux for a vocal duet on a cover of Little Anthony & the Imperials' 1960s hit "Going Out of My Head." Though Breaux wasn't a bad singer, this track really belongs to Wheeler. Make no mistake: Laidback is a decent CD -- although it's a shame to hear Breaux simmering so much of the time when you know he was quite capable of burning. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide.

     Artist: Herbie Mann
     Album: Mississippi Gambler
     Label: Atlantic Records
     Year: 1972
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320 Kbps
     Time: 39:27
     Size 90,5 MB

     This is from the original LP released in 1972.

     Here comes Memphis Underground Mk. III (Memphis Two-Step was Mk. II), with much the same cast of grits-and-gravy sessionmen from Memphis and David "Fathead" Newman along for the ride on tenor and flute. Yet this is by no means a retread of the best-selling sound, for Mann explores somewhat different grooves in a bouquet of pop hits and a couple of down-home-flavored Mann originals. Carlos "Patato" Valdes' congas add an alternative Latin flavor to the Memphis stew and Mann tootles along in his by-now-comfortable soul mode. Not essential listening but good `70s soul-jazz nonetheless. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

     Artist: Madeleine Peyroux
     Album: Half The Perfect World
     Label: Rounder
     Year: 2006, Release: Sep 12, 2006
     Format, bitrate: MP4 - Apple Lossless
     Time: 49 min.
     Size: 275 Mb

     Though dismissed by some critics as a Billie Holiday imitator, Madeleine Peyroux has her own distinctive approach to singing. The Lady Day comparisons are apt, and Peyroux's take on breezy, melancholic jazz and blues pushes a vintage button, but her albums are dressed up in enough contemporary style to make them fresh. HALF THE PERFECT WORLD (2006), for instance, is a deeply pleasurable listen from back to front. Whether she's bringing her elegant, intimate touch to familiar contemporary favorites like Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" and Tom Waits's "The Heart of Saturday Night," or offering up her fine originals, Peyroux turns in a batch of gorgeous, studied performances on HALF. The result is a quiet, haunting gem of an album.

     Artist:Coleman Hawkins
     Album:The Hawk Swings Vol 1 & 2
     Label: Crown (Vol 1) & Fresh Sound (Vol 2)
     Year: 1960
     Release: 1991 (Vol. 1) + 1989 (Vol. 2)
     Format/bitrate:Mp3/320
     Time: 1:05:33
     Size:83.06 + 62.29 mb



     Volume two of "The Hawk Swings" was recorded on the UNITED RECORDS label (#7707) I have both volumes on vinyl. The album cover photo's look as if they were taken seconds apart. Hawk is wearing identical clothing on both. Why the different label??? Only the musicians know I guess. Volume two has the same lineup...Costa, Duvivier, Osie Johnson and Thad Jones...although their names are NOT listed on Volume Two....Songs include Bean In Orbit, After Midnight, Hassle, Moodsville, and Stalking. I don't know if Volume Two is still available. ~ By Peter K. Hittle