Artist: William Parker
     Album: Raining On the Moon - Corn Meal Dance
     Label: AUM Fidelity
     Year: ; release : 2007
     Format, bitrate: FLAC
     Time: 69:39
     Size: 191M + 191M + 38M



     Corn Meal Dance is an incomparable and uncompromising work that AUM Fidelity is deeply honored to present; the release of this wonderful record is how AUM Fidelity is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Our first two releases were put forth in September 1997 and this beauty hits the streets in October 2007. ENJOY, AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD of CORN MEAL DANCE WITH ALL OF YOUR PASSION!

     “For those not familiar with Parker's poetry, these pieces pursue an elemental purity through mystical language and metaphor, often verging on the psychedelic. What marks Raining on the Moon as unique in Parker's long list of recordings is its raw accessibility. And if that serves the purpose of introducing Parker's vision to new ears, it's more than done its job. When jazz historians look back on improvised music at the turn of this century, William Parker will stand as a giant among men." ~ All About Jazz

     Artist: Lee Konitz
     Album: The Lee Konitz Duets
     Recording Date: Sep 25, 1967
     Label: Milestone/OJC
     Quality: mp3 / 320 kbps
     Size: 110 MB
     Time: 44:42


      This CD brings back one of altoist Lee Konitz's greatest sessions. In 1967 he recorded a series of very diverse duets, all of which succeed on their own terms. Konitz is matched with valve trombonist Marshall Brown on a delightful version of "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" and matches wits with the tenor of Joe Henderson on "You Don't Know What Love Is." He plays "Checkerboard" with pianist Dick Katz, "Erb" with guitarist Jim Hall, "Tickle Toe" with the tenor of Richie Kamuca (Konitz switches to tenor on that cut), and an adventurous and fairly free "Duplexity" with violinist Ray Nance. Konitz also has three different duets on "Alone Together" and, on "Alphanumeric," welcomes practically everyone back for a final blowout. The music ranges from Dixieland to bop and free, and is consistently fascinating. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Jacques Loussier Trio
     Album: Baroque Favorites
     Label: Telarc
     Year: 2001
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbit/s
     Time: 58:10
     Size: 134 MB

Jacques Loussier has spent most of his career blending jazz and classical styles into a lightly swinging and highly melodic hybrid. He is most well-known for tackling Bach, but here he covers a range of Baroque composers. Loussier, bassist Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac, and drummer Andre Arpino play pieces by Handel, Pachabel, Scarlatti, Marcello, Albinoni, and Marias. Loussier has a very light touch and the trio is laid-back, never distracting from the melodies. You can hear the influence of Dave Brubeck in Loussier's playing (especially on Marais' "La Sonnerie de Sainte-Geneviиve du Mont"), and much like Brubeck's best work, there is a strong sense of warmth and intelligence on Baroque Favorites. The only complaint one might have is that the brevity of some of the songs breaks up the flow of the record. Nevertheless, Baroque Favorites is a very nice album. ~ by Tim Sendra

     Artist - George Garanian
     Album - All That Jazz
     Label - Мелодия
     Years: 1965-1974, release - 2004
     Quality - MP3@320kb/s
     Total time 71:23

    Artist: Little Walter
    Album: The Best
    Label: Universal Distribution
    Year: 1958; release: 2004
    Genre: Harmonica Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 35:17
    Size: 81,1 Mb
    AMG Rating:

If there's a blues harmonica player alive today who doesn't have this landmark album in their collection, they're either lying or had their copy stolen by another harmonica player. This 12-song collection is the one that every harmonica player across the board cut their teeth on. All the hits are here: "My Babe," "Blues With a Feeling," "You Better Watch Yourself," "Off the Wall," "Mean Old World," and the instrumental that catapulted him from the sideman chair in Muddy Waters' band to the top of the R&B charts in 1952, "Juke." Walter's influence to this very day is so pervasive over the landscape of the instrument that this collection of singles is truly one of the all-time greatest blues harmonica albums, one of the all-time greatest Chicago blues albums, and one of the first ten albums you should purchase if you're building your blues collection from the ground floor up. - Cub Koda at All Music Club

     Artist: Lionel Hampton
     Album: The Original Stardust from the "Just Jazz" Concert
     Label - Decca Records
     Year: 1947, release: 1962
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
     Size: 74,2 mb
     Total time - 44:26
     AMG Rating:



Lionel Hampton's classic live version of "Star Dust" at this "Just Jazz" concert is rightfully acclaimed, and remains one of the highpoints of his long career. Oddly enough Hampton does not appear on the other three selections included on this LP (which has since been reissued on CD) but these fine renditions of "One 'O'Clock Jump," "The Man I Love" and "Lady Be Good" do benefit from excellent solos by trumpeter Charlie Shavers, altoist Willie Smith, Corky Corcoran on tenor and bassist Slam Stewart. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

МОСКВА, 11 января. Народный артист России, известный музыкант Георгий Гаранян скончался на 76-ом году жизни. Об этом сообщила его вдова Нелли Закирова.

George Garanian
alto sax player, conductor, bandleader

January 11, 2010: George Garanian Dead At 75 While On Tour In Krasnodar, Russia
The cause of death was heart attack. Funeral arrangements were yet to be announced by mid-day of January 11.
Георгий ГаранянGeorge Garanian (born August 15, 1934, Moscow) was one of the first Russian musicians who attracted attention of Western world as part of the "jazz from USSR". He belongs to the first generation of Russian jazzmen who started to perform after the World War II. As a musician (alto saxophone), conductor and composer he always was among the best Russian musicians. He was the leader of country's best big bands: "Melodia" (70s - 80s), Moscow big band - 1992-95. Now he leads the Municipal big band of Krasnodar City (Southern Russia). This orchestra, supported by the government of Krasnodar District, Southern Russia, performs nationwide.
Garanian recorded more music than any other jazz musician in Russia, performed at many international jazz festivals (Finland, India, Indonesia, Cuba etc.), toured Germany, USA, Japan, Australia, Sweden, France and many other countries. Frederick Starr wrote in his book about Russian jazz that Garanian is one of the best jazz musicians in Russia. Starr quoted famous American critic John Hammond, who heard George at the jazz festival in Prague(Chechoslovakia) - "George Garanian is phaenomenal".
And person number one in jazz, Willis Conover, the host of "Voice of America" jazz program, invited him many times to participate at International jazz festivals in Hungary, Yugoslavia and other countries.
At the present time George Garanian is one of the most "sought after" musicians in Russia. He is the only jazz performer who granted the privilege to perform 4 concerts annually at Moscow Conservatory Great Hall (the most renowned classical venue in East Europe).
Latest work of Garanian : in summer 1999, he conducted Russian symphony orchestra for one-week recording session at Moscow Radio House with famous US jazz group Oregon. Oregon recorded their new album (released in early 2000, entitled "Oregon In Moscow"), kind of a mixture of contemporary jazz and symphony music. Steven Rodby (Pat Metheny Group) was the producer. A photo report from those sessions you may find in our online magazine Jazz Complete. jazz.ru

Мэтр российского джаза Георгий Арамович написал музыку к 40 фильмам. Достаточно вспомнить знаменитую ленту «Покровские ворота», которая по- прежнему любима миллионами зрителей. До последних дней Гаранян не только продолжал заниматься музыкой, но и руководил несколькими ансамблями, в том числе «Мелодией», «Краснодарским Биг- бендом», вел «Джаз-клуб Георгия Гараняна» на Радио России — «Культура», выступал как солист-саксофонист.

Ансамбль «Мелодия» записывался c лучшими отечественными эстрадными исполнителями (Иосифом Кобзоном, Aллой Пугачевой, Львом Лещенко, Людмилой Гурченко и др.), исполнял музыку советских композиторов, например, Давида Тухманова, который сотрудничал c оркестром как в области кино, так и на эстраде, — диск «По волне моей памяти»), звучал в кино (фильмы c музыкой Григория Гладкова, Aлексея Рыбникова, Владимира Дашкевича). По приглашению одного из лучших дирижеров мира — Геннадия Рождественского — ансамбль «Мелодия» и Георгий Гаранян (как солист-импровизатор) принимали участие в премьере Первой симфонии Альфреда Шнитке. В 1989 году Юрий Никулин пригласил Гараняна в Цирк на Цветном бульваре на должность главного дирижера. И теперь многие цирковые артисты выступают под написанную им музыку.

Однако, как признавался сам Георгий Арамович, самым большим достижением он считал свой учебник по аранжировке. Во всех учебных заведениях страны по этой книге учатся не только студенты, но и многие преподаватели. Говорят, что учебник так написан, что даже не музыканту понятно, что и как надо играть, передает ИТАР-ТАСС.

Подробнее: http://news.mail.ru/society/3234294/

     Artist: Charlie Haden
     Album: Now Is The Hour
     Label: Verve/Universal, Japan
     Year: rec. Jul 18, 1995-Jul 20, 1995/ rel. 1995
     Format: MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 59:40
     Size: 131, 8 Mb
     AMG rating:

     Artist: Michel Legrand
     Album: Paris Jazz Piano
     Label: Universal/Polygram
     Recording Date: Oct 20, 1959-Nov 9, 1959
     Size: 70 mb
     Format/bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s

Near the beginning of his career, Michel Legrand was primarily known as a jazz pianist, so it shouldn't be surprising to learn that none of his compositions are present on these 1959 studio sessions, which originally were issued by Phillips. With bassist Guy Pederson and drummer Gus Wallez, Legrand covers songs by French composers of the day along with the ever-popular "Moulin Rouge" and a somewhat upbeat arrangement of the Edith Piaf's usually maudlin "La Vie en Rose," as well as standards from the Great American Songbook by Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Vernon Duke, and Mack Gordon. Most of the songs have a Parisian theme to them, Legrand's piano style is hard to define, as he shows a variety of influences without letting any of them overwhelm his sound. Michel Legrand's eventual fame as a composer would grow tremendously during the decades that followed the making of this recording, but this CD reissue from the Jazz in Paris series is well worth purchasing to get a taste of his early career. ~Ken Dryden, AMG

Всем, кто, как и я в этот мрачный день торчит в мрачном оффисе и лишь мечтает о весне, любви и Париже, рекомендую этот чудесный, ненавязчивый, теплый и воздушный альбом!

    Artist: Freddie King
    Album: The Very Best of Freddy King vol. 1 & 2
    Label: Collectables Records
    Year: ; release: 2002
    Genre: Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:19:44 + 1:19:46
    Size: 162 + 186 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

The phrase "very best of" in an album title usually indicates a highly selective collection of an artist's career highlights. By that standard, in one sense Collectables Records' The Very Best of Freddy King, Vol. 1 should be called something else; a more accurate description of the contents would be "The Complete Freddy King on Federal Records, Vol. 1." That's because this is the first of three discs that present every recording King made for the King Records subsidiary Federal in chronological order. This disc traces King's Federal stint from his first recording session on August 26, 1960, to the following July. But in another sense, The Very Best of Freddy King is an apt title. King enjoyed all of his singles chart success during 1961, scoring six entries on the R&B charts and five on the pop charts, and all of those tracks are included here, from "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling" to "Christmas Tears." King's biggest hit was the instrumental "Hide Away," which hit the pop Top 40 and the R&B Top Five and gained even more recognition when it was remade by John Mayall and Eric Clapton on the Bluesbreakers album. Perhaps King's best-known song was the B-side of "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling," "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," which Clapton remade on the celebrated Derek & the Dominos album Layla, and of course King's version is included here. Indeed, it is difficult at this juncture to listen to almost any King recording and not be reminded of his chief disciple, Clapton. But that only means this collection is an essential addition to the basic library of blues fans. - William Ruhlmann at All Music Guide

     Artist: Toshinori Kondo, Eraldo Bernocchi, Bill Laswell
     Album: Charged
     Label: Apollo
     Year: 1999
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 Kbps
     Time: 52:37
     Size: 122 Mb

     As firmly rooted in the vibe of Miles Davis’ post-Bitches Brew ”electric” phase as it is in the beats, tones and noises of the hip-hop and dub undergrounds, Charged represents a vital addition to the newly formed Innerhythmic imprint. Call it a soundtrack for the future of the avant garde metropolis, or simply an international ”power trio” record — either way, the collective statement made here by three of the most individual and revolutionary musicians playing today is one of liquid, funky, mutant and at times brutal sonic emmissions from the distant edges of electronic space and time.
     Although he was once dubbed the ”Japanese Miles Davis” by the German magazine Musikwoche, over the years Toshinori Kondo has cultivated a sound that is strictly his own as leader and producer of his progressive agit-punk-funk group IMA. Eraldo Bernocchi has collaborated with numerous artists in the ambient and dub styles — including Mick Harris (Scorn), Almamagretta, SOMMA (with Bill Laswell), and more — from his Milan-based Verba Corrige production studio. Bill Laswell is a veteran of countless sessions and live shows as both bassist and producer, having participated in or produced some 300 albums across all genres and boundaries since his arrival on New York’s ”no wave” scene in 1979.
     Charged brings together the improvisational strengths of all three musicians in an atmosphere of ”third mind”-like proportions: using amplified sounds and beats, the silences between, and the recording studio itself as an instrument, this is music borne out of living kinetic energy, probing the reaches of extreme voltage and subsonics with a vengeance. ~ last.fm

    Artist: Albert King
    Album: King Of The Blues Guitar
    Label: Atlantic
    Year: 1966 - 1968; release: 1969
    Genre: Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 256 kb/s vbr
    Time: 57:03
    Size: 63 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

Atlantic's original vinyl edition of this was comprised of Albert's Stax singles — a few from Born Under a Bad Sign, along with "Cold Feet," "I Love Lucy" (two of King's patented monologues), and the beautiful "You're Gonna Need Me." Great stuff. Even greater, though, is the CD reissue, which includes those singles (which didn't appear on any other LPs) and all of Born Under a Bad Sign. Need I say more? - Dan Forte at All Music Guide