Artist: Horace Silver
    Album: Rockin' With Rachmaninoff
    Label: Bop City Records
    Year: Jun 10 - Aug 15, 1991 ; release: 2003
    Genre: Jazz/Hard Bop
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:03:51
    Size: 171 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

Horace Silver's Rockin' With Rachmaninoff was originally conceived as a stage musical, complete with singers, dancers, musicians, and a narrator to tell the story of the composer's idea of Duke Ellington introducing Sergei Rachmaninoff to all the jazz greats in heaven. Though it was only performed a few times during a short run in 1989 at the Barnesdale Theatre in Hollywood, Silver had the foresight to record selections from it two years later, though it would be a dozen additional years before this music became available commercially, released by Bop City. "Rocky's Overture" is a solid opener, featuring the leader and trombonist Andy Martin, while "Rocky Meets the Duke" is a blend of Silver's readily identifiable style of hard bop with the swinging feeling of Ellington. "Satchmo's Song" is a warm waltz sung with gusto by Dawn Burnett, followed by a spirited Michael Mossman trumpet solo. Andy Bey, a favorite of numerous musicians, is featured in several selections, but pays a warm tribute to tenor sax great Coleman Hawkins in "A Ballad for Hawk." Although it is an instrumental, there's no missing the spiritual influence in the driving "Hallelujah to Ya," which has brilliant solos by tenor saxophonist Rickey Woodard and Mossman, as well as the composer. If this CD is any indication as to the quality of Horace Silver's short-lived musical, it must have been one hell of a show; too bad it wasn't videotaped. - Ken Dryden at All Music Guide

     Artist: Various Artists
     Album: Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo, Hot Town
     Label: ABC Music
     Year: 1992
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
     Time: 49:48
     Size: 104MB





     This CD sampler in the Robert Parker series mostly features territory bands from cities other than New York, Chicago and New Orleans. Other than a selection apiece from Jimmie Lunceford (1930's "In Dat Mornin'"), Duke Ellington, Andy Kirk and Benny Moten, all of the groups are quite obscure (such as those led by Alonzo Ross, Charley Williamson, Troy Floyd and Slatz Randall), making this release of greater than usual interest although unfortunately complete sessions are not reissued. Excellent music most highly recommended to listeners who want a general sampling of early rarities.

     Artist: Various
     Album: An Anthology Of California Music - Jazz West Coast, Volume 3
     Label: Pacific Jazz JWC 507
     Year: 1957
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs
     Time: ~ 44 min
     Size: 98,55 MB Covers Front/Back HD

     Artists: Various
     Album: An Anthology Of California Music - Jazz West Coast, Volume 2
     Label: Pacific Jazz JWC 501
     Year: 1954-1956
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs
     Time: ~ 46 min
     Size: 101,20 MB Covers Front/Back HD

     Artists: Various
     Album: An Anthology Of California Music - Jazz West Coast, Vol. 1
     Label: Pacific Jazz JWC 500
     Year: 1958
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs
     Time: ~ 44 min
     Size: 96,36 MB Covers Front/Back HD


This is one of five rare LP from Pacific Jazz catalog. Jazz West Coast, an anthology of California music, is a collection of unissued and alternate takes from the musical files of WP label. Some of these takes are present in re-editions of original Pacific Jazz LP in CD format as bonus tracks.



This World Pacific LP anthology is the kind of release that drives jazz fans crazy. Originally assembled as a companion piece to a book of jazz photography under the same title, it featured a number of then unissued songs or alternate takes when it came out in 1957. Since then, many but not all of the tracks have been added to the individual CD reissues of the artists, but several of these CDs have already lapsed from print. The rarest tracks include Zoot Sims' quartet arrangement of "I'll Remember April," with Bob Brookmeyer on piano; alto saxophonist Bud Shank playing Bob Cooper's appropriately named "Wailing Vessel," which is unusual as it features three valve trombonists, including Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and Maynard Ferguson (instead of his usual trumpet); Johnny Mandel's "Low Life," played by Bud Shank and Bob Brookmeyer (on valve trombone); and, finally, Bud Shank (on flute) with Shorty Rogers performing the flügelhornist's "Lotus Bud." The tracks present on this album by Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Clifford Brown, and Laurindo Almedia should be easy to locate on CD. If found at a reasonable price in decent condition, this long unavailable LP should appeal to fans of West Coast jazz. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

     Artist: Gato Barbieri
     Album: Apasionado
     Label: Auvidis
     Years: 1981-1983, release: 1987
     Genre: Latin jazz, contemporary jazz,fusion,
     Format: FLAC
     Size: 353 MB (inc. artwork)
     Total time: 49:04
     AMG rating

     Artists - Ben Webster, Modern Jazz Quartet
     Album - 1953 An Exceptional Encounter
     Label - The Jazz Factory
     Year - 1953, release - 2000
     Quality - MP3@320kbps
     Size - 82,1mb (sharebee)
     Total time - 40:07

Recorded over two nights at an unnamed club, this rare meeting of Ben Webster and the Modern Jazz Quartet evidently originated from a radio aircheck. In spite of the fact that the audio balance is somewhat inconsistent, the playing by everyone is exemplary throughout both sessions. Webster, whose performances sometimes suffered from his bouts of heavy drinking, seems particularly stimulated by the driving piano of John Lewis and bluesy vibes of Milt Jackson. In addition to the swing standards for which the tenor saxophonist was well known, he tackles Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" and "Billie's Bounce" with equal enthusiasm. Other selections include ballad features such as "Danny Boy" and "The Nearness of You," the latter showcasing Webster's rich, big tone. Romps through "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Cotton Tail" (one of many recordings of this Duke Ellington masterpiece that is forever associated with Webster) are a delight. Unfortunately, the liner notes concentrate on a biography of Webster and provide no explanation as to how this encounter came about.

     Artist: Larry Young
     Album: Young Blues
     Label: Original Jazz Classics
     Year: 1960, release 1994
     Genre: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
     Format, bitrate: mp3/320 kbps
     Size: 85 MB
     Rating AMG:

     Organist Larry Young's second recording (cut shortly before he turned 20) is the best from his early period before he completely shook off the influence of Jimmy Smith. With guitarist Thornel Schwartz in top form, and bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Jimmie Smith excellent in support, Young swings hard on a few recent jazz originals, some blues and two standards ("Little White Lies" and "Nica's Dream"). Recommended as a good example of his pre-Blue Note work. - Scott Yanow

     Artist: Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
     Album: The Centenary Celebration 1999, Vol. 1
     Label: Louisiana Red Hot
     Years: 1927-1934, release: 1999
     Quality: MP3;320 kbps
     Size: 168 mb (with full scans)
     Total time: 69:52


The occasion of Duke Ellington's 100th birthday allowed almost every record label to release its own commemorative release, invariably containing some play on "centennial" in the title. For Louisiana Red Hot Records, they released a two-volume set, somewhat confusingly titled Centenary Celebration 1999, Vol. 1. The music on these two discs were taken from 78s and reprocessed for stereo by series producer Robert Parker. Naturally, these would have been much better if preserved in mono the stereo does sound artificial and, at times, distracting but credit has to be given to the compilers for assembling a very enjoyable collection of recordings made between 1927 and 1934, and bothering to detail the musicians, recording dates. and 78 rpm catalog numbers, all things uncommon for budget-line collections from smaller labels. That said, this is hardly the place for collectors to go to pick this material up, but casual fans who stumble across this disc at a reasonable price will appreciate it, since there's nothing but great music here. The presentation could have been a little more coherent, and the reprocessed stereo really grates (even though they have instructions in the liners for how to listen to this in its original mono), but the music that's here is good.

 
    Artist: The Great Jazz Trio
    Album: Live at The Village Vanguard Again
    Label: Test Of Time Records
    Year: Feb 19 - 20, 1977 ; release: 2005
    Genre: Jazz/Post-Bop
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 51:05
    Size: 117 Mb
    AMG Rating:

The Great Jazz Trio is in terrific form on this 1981 follow-up to earlier sessions at the Village Vanguard. Hank Jones generously showcases his bandmates, bassist Ron Carter and Tony Williams, rather than relegating them strictly to supporting roles as far too many piano trio leaders have done. Each track is an extended workout. The opener, "Hi-Fly," features an often humorous solo by Jones (which briefly detours into "Les Marseilles"), a fine walking solo by Carter, along with a tasty series of drum breaks by Williams. An intense workout of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" follows the pianist's shimmering interpretation of "Sophisticated Lady." The pulse doesn't slow down with a brisk take of "Wave," powered by Williams. Although "My Funny Valentine" seems like a mandatory standard that every jazz musician must record, the trio's interpretation is an alchemy of elegance and driving hard bop, though Jones can't resist a touch of comedy by inserting a quote from "Nature Boy." The crystal-clear engineering gives the listener a front row seat for the entire set. Originally issued in Japan by East Wind and long unavailable in the U.S. after the demise of Inner City, Test of Time finally reissued this highly recommended Great Jazz Trio date in 2005. - Ken Dryden at All Music Guide

     

     Artist/Album: Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Russell Malone
     Label: Telarc, CD83562/Limited edition
     Year: rel. Oct 25, 2002
     Format: MP3 @ 320 Kbps
     Time: CD 1 - 59:26, CD 2 - 76:55
     Size: 131 Mb + 166 Mb

     Artist:Oliver Nelson
     Album:More Blues And The Abstract Truth
     Label: Impuls!/MCA, Japan
     Year:rec. Nov 10, 1964-Nov 11, 1964/rel.1964
     Format: MP3 @320Kbps
     Time: 43:15
     Size: 95.7 Mb
     AMG rating:

    Artist: Eddie Higgins Trio
    Album: Again
    Label: Venus
    Year: Oct 14 - 15, 1998 ; release: 2002
    Genre: Piano Jazz
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:06:24
    Size: 152 Mb

At the end of his long career of more than five decades, Eddie Higgins reached an unsurpassed exquisite level of wonderful playing. And not only that, he knew very well how to chose his bandmates and collaborators in order to reach best results in his recordings. Although the critics are not very generous with him, maybe for his not breaking ground style, the public is enjoying him very much and his records sales are going sky high.
Here we have another beautiful collection of standards, covers and originals, wonderfully played by Eddie and his trio. All selections are in mellow mood, introspective and go directly to your heart. Strongly recommended to all piano jazz fans. - Bubu Hans

     Artist: Grant Green, Sonny Clark
     Album: The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark
     Label: Blue Note records
     Year:rec.Dec 23, 1961-Jan 31, 1962 / rel.Jul 15, 1997
     Format:MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 134:00
     Size: 149 Mb + 138 Mb
     AMG rating:

     Artists: Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney
     Album: Rendezvous
     Label: RCA Camden
     Year: 2000, relise 1969
     Genre: Traditional Pop
     Format: flac
     Time: 28:52
     Size: 90+88 MB

     Rendezvous is a truncated, re-sequenced version of the 1958 Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney album Fancy Meeting You Here, initially released on RCA's budget label Camden in 1969.

     Artist : George Evans
     Album : Bewitched
     Label: M Swing
     Release Date: Aug 8, 2006
     Year : 2006
     Genre : Vocal jazz
     Format : mp3, bitrate : 320 kbps
     Time: 59:46
     Size : 138 MB




     A smooth operator, a crooner, a classical jazz vocalist, who mixes it up with a soulful swinging sophisticated style — that’s George Evans. His new recording, Bewitched, features some of the best musicians in the country providing superb support on classics from the Great American Songbook. Names like Eisenman, Wallace, Walker, Fuller and Schwager are names that should be recognized by fine music aficionados worldwide.

     Artist: VA
     Album: The Mood Mosaic - Volume 2 - Barnie's Groove
     Label: Stone
     Year: 1997
     Format: MP3, 320 kb/s
     File : 140 MB


Volume 2 of the incredible Mood Mosiac series sees a slight change in direction and what we get is an extremely cool collection of tracks all with a kinda 70's cop show vibe. In fact, a few of the tracks are from cop movie and tv show soundtracks. Track 1 sampled by the Beastie Boys (33% God from the Love American Style EP), track 6 sounds like it was used by EPMD on one of their early LPs and track 13 from Jimmy Smith was sampled again by the Beastie Boys on the track Root Down (Ill Communication). Stomp. 2006.

Second volume in the great Mood Mosaic series, and even funkier than the first one! The focus here is on funky stuff with a soundtracky feel, and the list includes some remakes -- like Henry Mancini's "Streets of San Francisco" and Bobby Forrester's "Sanford & Son" -- plus some groovy originals like Quincy Jones' "Call Me Mr. Tibbs". Also features Jimmy Smith's hard to find "Root Down", plus "Super Strut" by Port Authority, "Desert is a Circle" by Jodorowsky, and "Mission Impossible" by the 45 Sound Orchestra. Great stuff! © 1996-2010, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

     Artists: Count Basie & Billy Eckstine
     Album: Basie/Eckstine Incorporated
     Label: Label: Roulette Records
     Year: 1959, release: 1994
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 80,9 mb
     Total time: 38:16
     AMG Rating


When the Count Basie Orchestra consented to team up with vocalist Billy Eckstine, choruses of angels must have shouted hallelujah. The combination of Basie's sweet jazz and Eckstine's low-down blues sensibilities meshed well on this one-shot deal, a program mostly of downtrodden songs perfectly suited for the band and the man. Recorded in 1959 as Eckstine's popularity was fading (thankfully, his voice was not, as he sounds great on this set of 11 well-known classic jazz/blues vehicles). For the simple reason that Eckstine convincingly sings all-time winners like the upbeat yet downer tune "Lonesome Lover Blues," the slow "Jelly Jelly" in a mood both the band and vocalist favor, or the wishful thinking of "I Want a Little Girl," you know all too well the co-leaders have ruefully lived through these situations. "Drifting" and "Song of the Wanderer" are somewhat less credible, but Eckstine's stout voice overcomes all sorrow, strife, and sympathy one can't help but deeply feel. "Trav'lin' All Alone," more than any other track, best expresses how the weariness and grind of being on the road can take its toll on even the sturdiest jazz artist, aspects the public does not see behind the scenes, but are exposed full-bore on-stage. Where most everything on the program is languid and sanguine, the exception is an upbeat take of "Little Mama" in blues shuffle-style, while the comfort blues "Don't Cry Baby" has the horns more loud and pronounced, with Eckstine's voice in a similarly projected vibrato. It would be difficult to fault this masterpiece of an album, refined and classy in every detail, showing the Basie band and the immortal icon Eckstine at their absolute best during the very tail-end of an era when big-band swing was royal, and the vocalist was its king.

    Artist: Eddie Higgins Trio
    Album: Don't Smoke In Bed
    Label: Venus
    Year: Feb 18-19, 2000; release: 2002
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:00:24
    Size: 138 Mb
    AMG Rating:

Eddie Higgins has long been a part of the American jazz scene, though he has tended to be overlooked by critics and to a certain extent, record labels in his homeland. But the cagey veteran knows his way around the piano and makes swinging seem effortless, as on these 2000 sessions. Fortunately, the Japanese Venus label has found a steady market for Higgins' CDs in Japan, where he has had many opportunities to record as a leader. This disc is a trio affair with guitarist John Pizzarelli and bassist Jay Leonhart, both accomplished musicians as well. Beginning with a strutting take of "Close Your Eyes," which brings a fresh sound to this old chestnut, it is clear right away that the chemistry among the players is just right. Duke Ellington's lush ballad "I Didn't Know About You" seemed like it was destined to be overlooked, but Higgins is one of many who have offered shimmering treatments of this lyrical gem. The pianist contributed one original, "Brown-Eyed Beauty," which has a George Shearing-like flavor; one can almost imagine Shearing's quintet playing this lovely piece back in the 1960s. The CD is full of standards and forgotten gems that are equally appealing. - Ken Dryden at All Music Guide

     Artist: Eddie Higgins
     Album: If Dreams Come True
     Year: recorded on July 6, 7 & 8, 2004/rel.2005-06-07
     Label: Venus records/24k Gold/Limited edition
     Format: MP3@320 KB/s
     Time: 67:18
     Size: 148.42 Mb