Artist: B.B. King
     Album: The Ultimate Collection
     Label: Geffen Records
     Years: 1953-1998, release: 2005
     Format: MP3 320kbps
     Time: 79:45
     Size: 165 MB

Geffen's 21-track B.B. King compilation attempts the impossible--to provide a single-disc overview of the blues icon. Arranged chronologically, THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION begins with "Three O'Clock Blues," King's first Number One hit from 1953 and continues straight through to 1998's "I'll Survive." King's most essential recorded moments--"You Upset Me Baby," "Don't Answer the Door," and "The Thrill Is Gone," among others--are included. Though a lot of fine material is overlooked for economy's sake, this is as solid a collection of the legend's first 50 years as anyone could want under one cover.
The compilation does the listener a service, not only by representing the arc of King's spectacular career, but by bringing together work from different labels (a task usually riddled with disputes over song rights). Original versions of songs released on RPM, Kent, ABC, and MCA are included here, as are two tracks from 1965's LIVE AT THE REGAL, still one of King's most incendiary recordings. Every cut on the album brilliantly showcases King's soulful, technically flawless guitar work and impassioned singing, making THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION a great place for the uninitiated to begin learning about this monumental bluesman.

     Artist: The Billy Taylor Trio
     Album: The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido
     Label: Prestige/OJC
     Year: 1954; release : 1991
     Format, bitrate: Mp3, 320kb/s
     Time: 31:40
     Size: 65,1 Mb
     AMG rating

Having already dedicated half of 1953's Cross Section to numbers with Machito's band, it was no surprise that Bill Taylor's 1954 follow-up, Trio with Candido, would feature more Latin touches -- this time with star Cuban conga player Candido. In line with fellow jazz pianists George Shearing and Red Garland, Taylor doesn't incorporate the Cuban clavé beat so much as he includes the percussion for accentuation. In spite of this, Candido offers up some provocative solos, especially on the fast-paced Taylor original "A Live One," which features the pianist and percussionist trading an energetic set of fours. Medium to slow-tempo Taylor originals, though, dominate the program, including "Bit of Bedlam," where the chaos is decidedly cool. Throughout the album, Taylor uses his fleet, Teddy Wilson-informed solo chops to pleasant effect, even stretching out a bit on "Mambo Inn" to complement Candido's own lengthy workout. A very nice program of Latin-tinged bop numbers which unfortunately has not found its way to CD, but occasionally can be found on LP. For at least some of Taylor's Latin forays, there is the CD reissue of Cross Section. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide

     Artist: Marcus Miller
     Album: A Night In Monte-Carlo - Live
     Label: Dreyfus Jazz
     Year: 2008, release: 2010
     Format,bitrate: mp3,320 kbps
     Playtime: 01:03:30
     Size: 143,02 MB


Marcus Miller, bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger, likes unusual collaborations, and this new album “A Night in Monte-Carlo” is another different departure : paying with a septet, including a DJ on turntables, plus a 48-piece orchestra, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, including an 18-piece string section. But this orchestra is fully capable of playing in a hip, swinging style, with more than a touch of Arabic influence from their North African neighbours. The album - his first new release since the 2008 “SMV” album with three bass guitar leaders : Miller, Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten - was recorded live in the opulent Monte-Carlo Opera house on November 29th 2008, with special guests Roy Hargrove and Raul Midón.

Lastly a great bonus track : a version of the Billie Holiday classic “Strange Fruit recorded at Miller’s Los Angeles studio, featuring him on bass clarinet with the incredible Herbie Hancock on piano. ~ systemrecords.co.uk

     Artists: James Moody & Al Conh
     Album: Too Heavy For Words
     Label: MPS Records
     Year: 1971 ; release : 1974
     Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 CBR
     Time: 48:08
     Size: 105 Mb

     Artist - Dizzy Gillespie
     Album - New Wave
     Label - Philips
     Year - 1962, release - 1963
     Quality - MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
     Size - 73,7 mb
     Total time - 34:08
     AMG Rating

Этот превосходный, довольно редкий альбом, как мне кажется, нужно рассматривать, как продолжение сессии, начатой в уже хорошо знакомом альбоме этого Гениального музыканта - Dizzy On the French Riviera, там те же музыканты, те же даты записи. Странно, что до сих эти записи не объединили в одном альбоме. Надеюсь, что испанские лейблы, которые в последние годы переиздают массу хорошей музыки 50х-60х годов прошлого века, восполнят этот пробел.

It is such a pity that Dizzy Gillespie Philips' LPs have yet to be reissued on CD, for the trumpeter (45 at the time of this recording) was at the peak of his powers in the early '60s. On such songs as "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town," "Careless Love," "One Note Samba" and the "Theme from Black Orpheus," Gillespie and his expanded quintet (with guests Bola Sete or Elec Bacsik on guitar and Charlie Ventura taking a memorable bass sax solo on "No More Blues-Part II") show a great deal of spirit and creativity. Leo Wright (on alto and flute) and pianist Lalo Schifrin are also in fine form throughout this gem.

     Artist - Dizzy Gillespie
     Album - Dizzy On The French Riviera
     Label - Philips
     Year - 1962 (release 2009)
     Quality - MP3@320kbps
     Size: 88,2 mb
     Total time - 38:25
     AMG Rating

   Some of Dizzy Gillespie's best and most well-known material from the '60s with a truly talented band is included on this long-awaited reissue of recordings done in France. A group of American expatriates and Europeans really musicians from all over the world accompany the trumpeter for music that spans bop, Brazilian sounds, and originals. Argentine pianist Lalo Schifrin plays piano and contributes the arrangements and Leo Wright is Gillespie's main foil on flute and alto sax, while Hungarian Elek Bacsik plays guitar in subtle ways that reflect the overall style of the sounds inspired by the French Riviera. A classic, stretched-out take of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "No More Blues" kicks off the set, with the sound of kids on an ocean beach leading to Gillespie and Wright trading halves of the melody line as playful as the children in a perfectly played bossa. Another Jobim standard, "Desafinado," has Wright's bright flute and the muted trumpet of Diz in a more pensive but still hopeful romantic mood. "I Waited for You" is the ultimate languid, laying-in-wait ballad, with Schifrin's refrains cuing the trumpeter's procrastinations, while "Long, Long Summer" is the pianist's ode to a sullen affair with ultraviolet light cool shades included in a swinging and modal approach. "For the Gypsies," penned by the leader, has Bacsik more up-front rhythmically, as Wright's mysterious flute contrasts with Gillespie's sharply precise notes in a sneaky quick bossa rhythm. Also written by Dizzy, "Here It Is" is as memorable a tune as he ever did, a signature strutting shuffle jazz/blues that exemplifies the joy in life always present in his music. That all of the participants are extremely talented and can mix and match with Gillespie beautifully makes this a CD that should appeal universally to all jazz lovers, and especially his biggest fans.
   

     Artists: Mathilde Renault / Jonas Knutsson
     Album: Louana
     Label: SOWAREX
     Year: 2008
     Format, bitrate: mp3, VBR V2
     Time: 53:11
     Size: 66mb

Mathilde and Jonas got to know each other in Stockholm where Jonas pursues a successful international career and works as a teacher as well. Mathilde composed the song "In a Swedish mood" for Jonas and, wishing for him to hear it, got on the plane to Sweden! The audacity and talent of our young composer conquered Jonas. Now they together move forward through music that is original, emotionally rich, jazzy or classical, a bit folk and that even has some brazilian influences.

     Artists: VA
     Album: The Trumpet Summit
     Label: Fresh Sound
     Year: 1968, release: 2010
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320 Kbps
     Time: 81min.
     Size: 173 Mb

Don't pass this one up! Although the record looks like a silly "tribute" album from the title it's actually a brilliant live set that crackles with some intense energy and a soulful spirit that goes way beyond its simple intentions! The album features a sextet of trumpeters that include Woody Shaw, Blue Mitchell, Bill Hardman, Kenny Dorham, Richard Williams, and Walter Kelly all coming together on a set of long, drawn out tracks that offer a great contrast to some of the studio playing that the artists were doing at the time. There's a feel here that's a bit like some of the Left Bank recordings of the late 60s but often harder overall, and in a way that really shows the full talents expressed by the players in such an open-ended and inspirational setting. The rhythm section features Lonnie Smith on piano, Peck Morrison on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums and the whole thing's got a wonderful sound throughout! There's few echoes of Booker Little, Clifford Brown, or Fats Navarro but plenty of the underground east coast scene of the time and titles include very long takes of "Bags Groove", "Confirmation", "What's New", "Blues" and "Sweet Clifford".

     Artist: Kenny Dorham
     Album: Kenny Dorham And The Jazz Prophets, Vol. 1
     Label: ABC/Paramount
     Year:1956
     Format, bitrate: MP3, 320 СBR
     Time: 38:52
     Size: 87,3 Mb




During the spring and summer of 1956, trumpeter Kenny Dorham recorded two studio albums with his Jazz Prophets, a small hard bop band involving tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a rhythm section of pianist Dick Katz, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Arthur Edgehill. Dorham's jazz was perhaps more intimate and accessible precisely because his horn had an earthier tone, almost like that of a cornet. This music is designed for relaxing and grooving out. It will greatly assist anyone who is traveling by night or trying to make it through to the end of another day.

     Artist: First Cosins Jazz Ensemble
     Album: For The Cos Of Jazz
     Label: Capitol LP 51665
     Year: 1977
     Format, bitrate: MP3, 320kbps (LP-rip)
     Total time: 35:08
     Size: 81 MB



A nice batch of smooth funky instrumentals -- played by a group that's headed by Stu Gardner, working here under the supervision of his old friend and collaborator, Bill Cosby (the "Cos" in the album's title.) Rudolph Johnson (of Black Jazz fame) plays some great solos on the album -- and Stu and Larry Farrow contribute some keyboards that groove along nicely and give the record a slick finish without sounding too smooth overall. Titles include "Beans & Sauce", "Please The Pleasers", "Fit It To The Rhythm", "Funky Johnson", "A Flush Moment", and "Banana Peel".

     Artist: Booker Ervin
     Album: Structurally Sound
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: 1966, release 2001
     Format: mp3, 320
     Size: 150mb (with covers)

Mixing the dusky romanticism of Dexter Gordon and the progressive tonal ideology of John Coltrane, Booker Ervin is often filed under "A" for amalgam alongside other overlooked tenor masters such as Tina Brooks and Hank Mobley. Structurally Sound is perhaps not Ervin's most provocative album, but a solid and tasty endeavor featuring the "suspended" chord sounds popularized by McCoy Tyner during the late '60s. Here, the chords come via the brilliant pianist John Hicks, who opens the album with funky high-end triplet figures on Randy Weston's "Berkshire Blues." Joining in is a well-selected roster of musicians, many of whom were also overshadowed by their more well-known contemporaries, including Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Red Mitchell on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Tolliver contributes the original composition "Franess," a Wayne Shorter-influenced affair that features his fat and burnished tone. They also cover Oliver Nelson's blissful standard "Stolen Moments" to good effect. Originally ending with an athletic up-tempo version of "Take the 'A' Train," the Blue Note Connoisseur Series reissue includes a sparkling "Shiny Stockings," featuring an especially inspired chorus by Ervin. An oddball version of "White Christmas" also makes it onto the disc, as do alternate takes of "Franess" and "Deep Night."

     Artist: Benny Goodman
     Album: Swing Into Spring
     Label: Sandy Hook Records
     Year: 1958; release: 1981
     Format, bitrate: FLAC/
     Time: 58 minutes
     Size: 206,3 MB
     AMG Rating:

An interesting set of tunes from NBC-TV "The Texaco Star Theatre" telecasted on April 9, 1958. A real all-stars cast (including Harry James, Ella Firzgerald, Teddy Wilson & Red Norvo) makes this item a gem for every Swing fan! Incl. ~ Benny Goodman Band , Benny Goodman Quintet , Ralph Burns and His Orchestra Ella Fitzgerald , Jo Stafford , et al.

Released to tie in with a television show (Swing into Spring) in the late '50s, this LP features some exciting highlights from Benny Goodman's career including "Slipped Disc," "The Earl," a hot "Undecided" with vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, and Helen Ward's rendition of "I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again." It may be hard to find but buy this if you see it.

     Artist:Champion Jack Dupree
     Album: Blues From the Gutter
     Label: Atlantic Records
     Year: 1958
     Format, bitrate: Mp3 @ 192 Kbps
     Time: 36:36
     Size: 50.1 Mb
     AMG Rating:

The 1958 masterwork album of Champion Jack Dupree's long and prolific career. Cut in New York (in stereo!) with a blasting band that included saxist Pete Brown and guitarist Larry Dale, the Jerry Wexler-produced Atlantic collection provides eloquent testimony to Dupree's eternal place in the New Orleans blues and barrelhouse firmament. There's some decidedly down-in-the-alley subject matter — "Can't Kick the Habit," "T.B. Blues," a revival of "Junker's Blues" — along with the stomping "Nasty Boogie" and treatments of the ancient themes "Stack-O-Lee" and "Frankie & Johnny."