Artist: Yamandu Costa
     Album: Tokyo Session
     Label: Koala Records (KBCW 1022)
     Year: 2005; release: 2006
     Genre: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova, accoustic guitar
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
     Time: 47:53
     Size: ~120 MB

One of the greatest geniuses of Brazilian music of all times, young Yamandu deserves the highest praise. Whenever he is on stage, he fills with joy the most select audience since his impressive performance shows the deep intimacy between Yamandu and his guitar. The recognition he has earned throughout the years reveals what he can offer the audience – recreation of the magic of music - once from his fingers the music he plays travels through his body and soul and is almost miraculously transformed.

Yamandu is a guitar player, composer and arranger that does not fit into a single music style, yet he creates his own when he combines all of them playing his 7-string guitar.

     Artist: Jimmy Raney
     Album: But Beautiful
     Label: Criss Cross (Netherlands) 1065
     Year: 1990, rekease: 1994
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs
     Time: ~68 min
     Size: 112,74 MB (Covers Front/Back HD)
     AMG Rating



Guitarist Jimmy Raney's final recording as a leader is a mellow affair, covering a number of favorite ballads. Joined by bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash (who frequently plays brushes), both of whom were members of Tommy Flanagan's trio at the time, Raney's interpretations are lyrical and intricate, developing long lines and inspiring great interplay among the musicians. Obvious highlights include "Someone to Watch over Me" (which begins with a dazzling unaccompanied introduction) and the brisk rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight." The guitarist's composition "Elegy for Ray Parker," a mellow ballad, serves as a memorial to a painter friend, while "Blues Cycle" was evidently conceived with Mraz during the date and serves as a perfect close to Jimmy Raney's distinguished career.

   Artist - Jay McShann
   Album - Going To Kansas City
   Label - New World Records
   Year - 1972, release - 1996
   Quality - MP3@320 kbps
   Size - 83,3 mb (sharebee)
   Total time - 38:41




   This set, originally put out on Master Jazz and the Australian Swaggie label, features pianist Jay McShann at the peak of his powers. Teamed up with a couple of fine swing tenors (Buddy Tate, who doubles on clarinet, and Julian Dash), bassist Gene Ramey and drummer Gus Johnson, McShann romps through some forgotten numbers from the book of his 1940s big band ("Say Forward, I'll March" and "Four Day Rider"), a few Count Basie-associated tunes, and a couple of basic originals, taking two bluesy vocals. The set gives listeners a strong sampling of Jay McShann's accessible and swinging music.

     Artists - Jay McShann & Buddy Tate
     Album - Crazy Legs and Friday Strut
     Genre: swing, blues
     Label - Sackville Records
     Year - 1976, release 1977
     Quality - MP3@256kbps (LP-rip)
     Size - 90,5mb (sharebee)
     Total time - 49:38



Pianist Jay McShann and tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate are well showcased on this set of duets. Tate leaves his clarinet in the case, and McShann refrains from vocalizing. The results are melodic but swinging instrumental duets, with the emphasis on veteran standards. Highlights of this surprising and successful encounter include "My Melancholy Baby," a three-song "Ellington Medley" and "Rock A Bye Basie." ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Bill Evans
     Album: Very Early Vol.1
     Label: E3 E38
     Years: 1943 - 1949, release: 2006
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs Covers Front/Back @300dpi
     Time: ~ 51 min
     Size: 104,83 MB

It isn't surprising that a number of posthumous releases featuring the legendary pianist Bill Evans have appeared since his premature death at 51 in 1980, but of particular interest are the series of privately made recordings featuring Evans prior to his becoming a professional recording artist. Even with the noise and frequent attempts at comic narration by one of the other band members on "The Way You Look Tonight," there are enjoyable moments. Of course, during a blindfold test it would be tough for anyone to identify Evans' playing during many of these early recordings, as his style wasn't fully formed in the 1940s. His approach to "C-Jam Blues" is in a boogie-woogie vein, while "The Man I Love" receives a brisk loping treatment. The swinging track labeled "To Harry From Family - Improvising" is clearly based on the chord changes to "Just You, Just Me." Evans made relatively few commercial recordings with singers (which included Tony Bennett, Lucy Reed, and Monica Zetterlund), so it is fun to hear him with vocalists on this CD. Dottie Drews' vocals aren't as memorable as the backing she receives, but she isn't a bad singer. Art Hammond performs a rather obscure original by Evans, "It's Love, It's Christmas," which is played as a waltz with a rather straight-laced vocal. Of greatest interest to Evans' fans are the solo piano tracks: an imaginative, well-developed medley of "Body and Soul" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"; an intriguing rehearsal of "Toccata" by Khatchaturian, one of the rare opportunities to hear the pianist playing classical music (which he studied along with flute at Southeastern Louisiana College); and a pretty ballad medley centered around "Moonlight in Vermont." The vintage photographs of Bill Evans in his teens and the warm remembrances of bassist Connie Atkinson (who appears on several tracks) within the liner notes will add to the appeal that this unusual release will have for fans of Bill Evans.

     Artist : Claudine Longet
     Album : Cuddle up with Claudine Longet
     Label: Vampi Soul
     Years : 1970/1974, release: 2003
     Format: MP3;320 kbps
     Size: 95+73 Mb
     AMG rating

Claudine Longet's long suit was really her album's covers, which made their purchase almost irresistable (at least, to men) once they were displayed in record stores. That said, this collection of her combined output for Barnaby Records (the label founded and owned by her then husband, Andy Williams) isn't bad -- the two albums We've Only Just Begun and Let's Spend the Night Together have been combined in these 24 tracks, all remastered in state of the art sound -- little expense was spared in an effort to give Longet's voice the most favorable surroundings possible, so even if her vocalizing on "Close to You" isn't going to make anyone forget either Karen Carpenter or Dusty Springfield, the playing behind her is fine enough that the record is worth hearing, just not necessarily for Longet; and her version of "We've Only Just Begun" isn't half-bad, just not in a league with what the Carpenters did with the song. And on the more solidly uptempo numbers, such as "Broomstick Cowboy," she is very much worth hearing. It all comes off as glittering vocal pop/rock, impeccably played (the CD is almost worth owning just for Joe Osborn's bass work, which is in almost as much sharp relief as Longet's singing). She also acquits herself surprisingly well on "Let's Spend the Night Together," transforming the paean to post-teen lust into a torchy pop ballad that kind of works in its own odd way, almost in the same manner that Alma Cogan's rendition of the Beatles' "Eight Days a Week" gave that song some unexpected twists and permutations. The accompanying booklet is also highly informative, and the trippy faux-psychedelic design of the digipack sleeve is also a fun twist on this material.

     Artist: Gerry Mulligan
     Album: Mulligan and Getz and Desmond 2LP
     Label: Verve
     Year: 1957, release: 1980
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
     Size: 171 mb
     Total time: 78:22
     AMG rating



Baritone-saxophonist Gerry Mulligan had opportunities to record sessions with many of the top saxophonists of his time. This double LP includes his meetings with altoist Paul Desmond (which by itself would be rated best) and Stan Getz (merely a good). The Mulligan-Getz encounter is a bit odd in that on three of the eight selections they switch horns, with Getz playing baritone and Mulligan tenor. One really hears the similarity and overlapping of their styles on those performances but they lower the general quality of the date. On the other hand, the Mulligan-Desmond matchup is wonderful with many swinging and witty moments between the two greats, particularly on "Line for Lyons" and "Battle Hymn of the Republican."

     Artist: Stepan Shaqaryan
     Album: Moon Over the Mountain
     Label: SHARM Holding
     Release: 2009
     Format: Mp3, 320kbps
     Time: 1:04
     Size: 144 MB (with covers)




Представляю Вам собрание записей разных лет композитора, пианиста Степана Шакаряна, профессора Ереванской консерватории, ученика А. И. Хачатуряна и Эдварда Мирзояна. Друзья называют его "Человеком с двумя сердцами", одно из которых принадлежит классической музыке, а другое - джазовой.

     Artist : Gabor Szabo
     Album : Dreams
     Label : SKYE/Blue Moon
     Year : 1968/2007
     Format : MP3
     Bitrate : 320 bps
     File : 97 MB




Here, Gabor Szabo ambitiously pairs his outstanding quintet (featuring Jimmy Stewart) with Gary McFarland's subtle string and horn arrangements in a collection of originals, pop covers, and classical reinterpretations. The result is a sort of accessible third-stream music. Szabo has many fine moments, and provides nice spaces for the beautiful guitar solos of Jimmy Stewart. ~ Douglas Payne, All Music Guide

    Artist: Clarence Gatemouth Brown
    Album: The Original Peacock Recordings
    Label: Rounder
    Year: 1948 - 1959; release: 1990
    Genre: Texas Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 32:39
    Size: 77 mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

Only 12 songs long, this collection remains the best place to begin appreciating why so many young Texas blues guitarists fell in love with Gatemouth Brown's style (until MCA decides to compile the ultimate Brown package, anyway). Listen to the way his blazing axe darts and weaves through trombonist Pluma Davis' jazzy horn chart on 1954's "Okie Dokie Stomp," and/or the stratospheric licks drenching "Dirty Work at the Crossroads." Brown proves that a violin can adapt marvelously to the blues (in the right hands, anyway) on "Just Before Dawn," and blows a little atmospheric harp on "Gate's Salty Blues." - Bill Dahl at All Music Guide

     Artist:Clifford Jordan
     Album:Two Tenor Winner
     Label:Criss Cross (Netherlands)
     Year:rec.Oct 1, 1984 / rel.1984
     Format:MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 49:33
     Size: 109,4 Mb
     AMG rating:

     Artist: Ahmad Jamal
     Album: Rossiter Road
     Label: Atlantic Jazz
     Year:rec.Feb 1, 1986-Feb 2, 1986 / rel.1986
     Format:MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 42:24
     Size: 89,4 Mb

    Artist: Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers
    Album: The Complete Blue Note Recordings Of Art Blakey's 1960 Jazz Messengers (6cd box set)
    Label: Mosaic
    Year: 1960; release: 1992
    Genre: Jazz/Hard Bop
    Format mp3, bitrate: 256 kb/s vbr
    Time: 5:54:52
    Size: 507 Mb
    AMG Rating:

Drummer Art Blakey led many great editions of the Jazz Messengers from the inaugural mid-'50s sessions until his death in the '90s. While arguments rage regarding which was his best, there is no doubt that the 1960-1961 unit figures in the debate. This wonderful six-disc set, notated with care and painstaking detail by Bob Blumenthal, covers studio and live sessions from March 6, 1960, to May 27, 1961, with the same personnel on all but two songs. Producer Michael Cuscuna used only first issue dates, and while he included some alternate takes, he did not litter the discs with second-rate vault material. They smoothly detail the band's evolution, cohesion, and maturation. This set, as with all Mosaic boxes, goes beyond essential. - Ron Wynn at All Music Guide