Artist : Joanie Sommers
     Album : Let's Talk ABout Love
     Label : Collector's Choice
     Year : 1962, release: 2001
     Format : Mp3/256 kbps
     Size: 63 mb



At the time of the release of this little-known LP (singer Joanie Sommers' fifth for Warner Bros), she was being packaged as the "voice of youth." Backed by a big band arranged and conducted by Tommy Oliver, Sommers interprets a dozen songs having something to do with love, programmed so as to tell a story. Sommers' voice at this point in time was quite musical but can be a bit of an acquired taste. She swings the pieces (a couple newer songs and such standards as "I'm Nobody's Baby," "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me," "Till There Was You" and "Kiss and Run") with sincerity and understanding of the lyrics. Some of the arrangements are a bit dated (using early-'60s pop rhythms), but in general the album works well.

     Artist: Pete Rugolo
     Album: Behind Brigitte Bardot
     Label: Warner Bros WM 4001
     Year: 1959
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs Covers Front/Back HD
     Time: ~ 30 min
     Size: 64,55 MB



Equal parts concept record and mash note, Behind Brigitte Bardot celebrates the legendary French sex kitten via West Coast jazz interpretations of her biggest film themes -- the precise raison d'être behind the album is a mystery, but it's nevertheless a charmer, boasting some of Pete Rugolo's lushest and loveliest arrangements. Teamed with an all-star cast including altoist Bud Shank and trumpeters Jack Sheldon and Pete Candoli, Rugolo adapts themes like "Arsenic Blues," "Mambo Bardot" and "The Night Heaven Fell" from their original cinematic context into wry, cool-toned jazz melodies heavy on innuendo and late-night appeal. Whatever the notion behind the session, the execution's delightful.

     Artist: Bill Charlap
     Album: Plays George Gershwin
     Label: Blue Note Records
     Year: 2005
     Format, bitrate: FLAC
     Size: 260 MB
     Time: 51:18



Bill Charlap, a versatile pianist based in swing who is also a longtime member of the Phil Woods Quintet, pays tribute to the great George Gershwin throughout this likable set. Although some of the ten Gershwin songs are slightly modernized, the music is very much in the tradition. There are up to four horns on some numbers, with the best individual moments coming from veteran tenor Frank Wess on "How Long Has This Been Going On" (sounding a bit like Paul Gonsalves), trombonist Slide Hampton on "A Foggy Day," and altoist Woods whenever he plays. Charlap's longtime trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington is featured on "Who Cares?," and Charlap takes the brief closing "Soon" as an unaccompanied solo. Nothing all that revolutionary or revelatory occurs but the music is pleasing overall, swinging and creative within its boundaries. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Dinah Washington
     Album: Dinah Jams
     Label: Polygram
     Year: August 15, 1954
     Release: 1997
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
     Time: 53:05
     Size: 131MB
     AMG Rating:

     Recorded at the start of Dinah Washington's climb to fame, 1954's Dinah Jams was taped live in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles. While Washington is in top form throughout, effortlessly working her powerful, blues-based voice on both ballads and swingers, the cast of star soloists almost steals the show. In addition to drummer Max Roach, trumpeter Clifford Brown, and other members of Brown and Roach's band at the time -- tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow -- trumpeters Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry, alto saxophonist Herb Geller, and pianist Junior Mance also contribute to the session. Along with extended jams like "Lover Come Back to Me," "You Go to My Head," and "I'll Remember April" -- all including a round of solos -- there are shorter ballad numbers such as "There Is No Greater Love" and "No More," the last of which features excellent muted, obbligato work by Brown. Other solo highlights include Land's fine tenor solo on "Darn That Dream" and Geller's alto statement on the disc's standout Washington vocal, "Crazy." And even though she's in the midst of these stellar soloists, Washington expertly works her supple voice throughout to remain the star attraction, even matching the insane, high-note solo blasts trumpeter Ferguson expectedly delivers. A fine disc. Newcomers, though, should start with more accessible and more vocal-centered Washington titles like The Swingin' Miss D or The Fats Waller Songbook, both of which feature top arrangements by Quincy Jones. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide

     Artist: Erroll Garner
     Album: Solo in New York 1944-45
     Label: Acrobat
     Year: 1944-Aug 30, 1945
     Release: Sep 3, 2002
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
     Time: 1:15:34
     Size: 167MB

ФИАЛКИ по СРЕДАМ (выпуск 52, часть 2)

Composer: Johannes Brahms
Artist: Budapest Festival Orchestra, cond Ivan Fischer
Album: Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dances
Label: Philips Classics
Year: 1998; release: 1999
Genre: classical music
Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
Time: 56 min, 14 sec
Size: 136 mb.
Предчувствуя небольшое брюзжание умудрённого житейским опытом аксакала г-на Малиеффа "Это кто же будет танцевать-то под скрипочку и рояльчик. Шо это за танцы в сельском клубе конца 30-х годов?" сразу предлагаю Вашему вниманию оркестровую версию венгерских танцев г-на Брамса. И конечно же, раз танцы венгерские, исполнять их будет оркестр из славного города Будапешта под управлением дирижёра Ивана Фишера.
Вот теперь точно - ТАНЦУЮТ ВСЕ!!!

ФИАЛКИ по СРЕДАМ (выпуск 52, часть 1)

Composer: Johannes Brahms
Artist: Hagai Shaham (violin) & Arnon Erez (piano)
Album: Hungarian Dances (arr. Joseph Joachim)
Label: Hyperion
Year: 2007
Genre: classical music
Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
Time: 1h, 5 min, 50 sec
Size: 161 mb.

Как справедливо отметил в комментарии к прошлому выпуску "Фиалок..." г-н Malieff, до сих пор ни один выпуск не был посвящён выдающемуся немецкому композитору и пианисту, одному из главных представителей романтизма, Иоганну Брамсу. Спешу восполнить этот досадный пробел и предлагаю Вашему вниманию венгерские танцы в исполнении дуэта скрипки и фортепиано. Обложка, как вы, наверное, заметили, с автографом автора
Итак, танцуют все!!!

     Artist: B.B. King & Dave Brubeck
     Album: Jazz Cafe Presents
     Label: Odessa Mama
     Year: 2006
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
     Time: 37:49
     Size: 83MB



      The Dave Brubeck Quartet with clarinetist Bill Smith, bassist Chris Brubeck and drummer Randy Jones, has the most interesting program, utilizing an electronic delay along with Smith's clarinet to add a new touch to "Lover Man," offering an energetic version of "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and introducing a recent work by Brubeck, the very swinging "Ol' Bill Basie" which showcases some fine playing by the leader and some choice bass trombone by son Chris. B. B. King's set is at best average and an odd choice to include on what is predominantly a jazz record. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

    Artist: Bobby Bland & B.B. King
    Album: Together again... Live
    Label: MCA Records
    Year: ; release: 1976
    Genre: Soul - Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 43:44
    Size: 100 Mb

        EVERY DAY IS A B.B. KING DAY !

Bobby Bland and B. B. King Together Again...Live is a live album recorded in 1976 at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. This is a reprise of the wonderfully successful first album these two did together. It is worth having not only for their obvious enjoyment working together, but for the terrific job in "Let The Good Times Roll" and there were still enough good moments to make this more than acceptable. [b]

     Artists: Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney
     Album: The Street Swingers
     Label: Pacific Jazz
     Year: 1957
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps )LP-rip)
     Size: 88,1 mb (sharebee)
     Total time: 38:49




Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer (who also plays some piano on this long out-of-print Pacific Jazz LP) teams up with guitarists Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney, bassist Bill Crow and drummer Osie Johnson for six group originals. The tunes are fairly basic and all of the cool-toned musicians are up-to-par on the lightly swinging material.

     Artist; The Modern Jazz Quartet
     Album; The Best of the Modern Jazz Quartet
     Label: Pablo
     Years: 1981-1985, rellease:1988
     Format; MP3 bitrate 320kbps
     Time; 45:10
     Size; 93.2 MB





Decent overview of late-period Modern Jazz Quartet sessions that were recorded for Pablo in the early '80s, after pianist John Lewis, vibist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Connie Kay renewed their musical association in 1982 following a lengthy absence. They only made a few albums for Pablo in the mid-'80s before returning to Atlantic, but both were excellent. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

    Artist: Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland
    Album: Showdown
    Label: Alligator
    Year: ; release: 1985
    Genre: Texas Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 43:58
    Size: 100 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

Most of the original "blues summit" and blues "supergroup" type gatherings, which were done at Chess Records, were musically pointless affairs, mostly because the artists involved really didn't like the idea behind the albums being recorded or the company they were forced to keep during the recording process. What makes Showdown! work is that the three featured players actually liked each other and enjoyed working together — even more important, they had something to say together musically, which just pours out of the contents of this jewel of a record, a summit meeting between Texas guitar veterans Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland and newcomer Robert Cray — the set is scorching all the way. Collins even treats us to some harmonica playing that's more than a match for his guitar work on "Bring Your Fine Self Home," and the only pity is there's no other contribution by him on the harp anywhere else here. It's all worth hearing, many times over, and if you can't get the Mobile Fidelity version, find the Alligator Records CD, but get this album.[i] - Bruce Eder & Bill Dahl at All Music Guide

     Artist: Dave Brubeck
     Album: Three Classic Albums Plus (Jazz Red Hot & Cool / Newport 1958 / Jazz Goes To Junior College)
     Label: Avid Entertainment / The Orchard
     Years: 1955,1957,1958; release: 2009
     Format: FLAC and Mp3, 320 kbps. Scans.
     Size: FLAC 425+314 mb; MP3: 170+150 mb

AVID Jazz here presents three classic Dave Brubeck albums, including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
Jazz Red Hot & Cool, Newport 1958, and Jazz Goes To Junior College plus an extra bonus track from the First Timex All Star Jazz Festival.the classic St. Louis Blues!. We begin with Jazz Red Hot & Cool where the great man is accompanied as ever by Paul Desmond on alto alongside Joe Dodge on drums and Bob Bates on bass. Here we find the fully formed quartet with all the elements of the Brubeck style firmly in place. At Newport 1958 we find Brubeck paying tribute to the legendary composer and bandleader Duke Ellington with a programme of tunes either written by or associated with the Duke. Here once again he is joined by Desmond but with Joe Morello on drums and Joe Benjamin on bass. Finally we hear Brubeck breaking new ground as he takes his jazz improvisations onto the college circuit for the first time accompanied again by Desmond and Morello but with Norman Bates taking over on bass. With Jazz Goes To Junior College Brubeck met the college audience on their own ground where previously they had only been allowed to hear classical concerts. Of course, as we now know, this innovation was a resounding success opening the door to all kinds of music being performed at colleges and universities. We conclude with our bonus track (slipped in on CD1 for timing considerations), St. Louis Blues from The First Timex All-Star Jazz Festival featuring the same line up as on Jazz Red Hot And Cool. All three albums have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest sound quality ever! ~ Avid Entertainment Jazz

     Artist: B B King
     Album: Live In Japan
     Year: 1971
     Release Date: 1999
     Label: MCA
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kb/s
     Time: 76 min
     Size: 161 MB



     Live albums are often disappointing. Such is not the case with LIVE IN JAPAN. Blues legend King was at the height of his popularity at the time of this 1971 performance. "The Thrill Is Gone" had been a smash hit the previous year, and his albums COMPLETELY WELL, INDIANOLA MISSISSIPPI SEEDS, and LIVE AT COOK COUNTY JAIL had sold extremely well. This live set was recorded with the same crack band that played on COOK COUNTY, and the performance here overflows with a palpable exuberance.The interplay between King and his backing players is wildly energetic and often spontaneous, as the impromptu jam "Japanese Boogie," "Jamming At Sankei Hall," and "Hikari #88" will attest. As always, King's trademark fretboard chops and soulful phrasing are outstanding, and his singing on such gems as "How Blue Can You Get," "Hummingbird," and, of course, "The Thrill Is Gone" seems especially heartfelt. A dynamite shot of classic blues and a top-notch live set.

    Artist: Oscar Brown Jr
    Album: Kicks! The Best Of Oscar Brown Jr
    Label: BGP
    Year: ; release: 2004
    Genre: Vocal Jazz
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:05:57
    Size: 121 Mb
    AMG Rating:


With 23 tracks from all four of Brown's early-'60s albums for Columbia, this is the finest representation of the singer's work on record. It's true that it doesn't include some worthy post-Columbia material, particularly cuts from the 1964 live recording Mr. Oscar Brown Goes to Washington (such as "Brother Where Are You?"). It's also true that some fans might have minor quibbles with the songs selected for this best-of, which omits numbers like "Rags and Old Iron," "Brown Baby," and "Man, Ernest Boy" that could have made worthy inclusions. Yet it's hard to argue with what is here, including as it does standouts like the oft-covered "Work Song" (in two versions, actually); his vocal adaptations of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," Duke Pearson's "Jeanine," and Miles Davis' "All Blues"; "But I Was Cool," one of the most humorous jazz vocal pieces ever; and more serious numbers adapting the work of African-American poetry, "Elegy (Plain Black Boy)," and "When Malindy Sings." The four standards taken from In a New Mood are the least interesting numbers, but at least everything else on the CD is a Brown original, or an adaptation of a musical or literary work to which Brown added new words and/or music. Though he was perhaps a bit too theatrical in his singing and songwriting to get as hip a reputation as gutsier, moodier performers like Nina Simone (who covered several Brown songs in her early days), this remains some of the best music to fuse jazz, pop vocals, and African-American consciousness.[i] - Richie Unterberger at All Music Guide