Artists: Ligia Piro & Juan Cruz de Urquiza
     Album: Strange Fruit
     Label: Gatopop Recording
     Year: 2010
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 334 MB

Juan Cruz Urquiza was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 13, 1965. He has studied at Catholic Argentine University (1983-1985) and Berklee College of Music (1991-1993) where he got the degree as Professional Music Major. He has also studied trumpet with Wilfredo cardozo, Roberto Fernandez, Américo belloto and Lou Mucci, and hamony and improvisation with American Saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. He also has performed with Arnie Lawrence, Paquito D'Rivera, "Chucho Valdes" (At Colon Theater with the Buenos Aires Philarmonic Orchestra), Jhonny Coles, Mike Longo, Marc Copland, Claudio Roditi, Conrad Herwing, Osvaldo Fattoruso, and with most of the best Argentine jazz musicians (Luis Salinas, Javier Malosetti, Horacio Larumbe, Jorge Navarro, B. López Furst, R. Fernández, Mono Fontana, etc). He has also recorded with "The Big Van"y "Los Guachos"(Bill Mchenrry, Chris Cheek, Miguel Zenon, Taylor Haskins, Sandro Tomasi, Ben Monder, Richard Nant, Jeff Ballard and Fernando Huergo) of Guillermo Klein. Conrad Herwing, quinteto urbano, Mariano Otero Orchestra, Javier Malosetti, and with Arida Conta Group, with Tom Harrell, David Kikosky and Donny Mccaslin between others. He has received the next awards: Berklee College of Music award in Argentina( 1989), Boston Jazz Society Achievement (1992), Clarck Terry Award (1993), Trumpet player of the year (Nacion Newspaper 2000/2002/2004/2008) Clarin Shows award 2003 (jazz revelation) Clarin shows awards 2008 (Jazz artist). Since 1994, living in Argentina he makes he'sown group performing at the most importants Jazz clubs of the country. He also works as professional musician recording or playing with: Deep Purple, Sui Generis, Caetano Veloso, Lalo Shifrin, Fito Paez, Joaquin Sabina, Divididos, Andres Calamaro, Armando Manzanero, Mariano Mores, Olga Guillot, Pedro Aznar, Miguel cantilo, Los redonditos de Ricota, Diego Torres, Silvina Garre, Jaf, Sandra Mihanovich, Ruben Rada, Los pericos, Los Piojos, Illya Kuryay and the Valderramas between others.
He is also invited by Portuguese piano player Bernardo Sasseti, to participate at pryect: Mundos with Jordy rossy, Perico Sambeat and Javier Colina performing a concert in Lisbon city and recording to Verve dicografic label. The same year he has been a player from the Paquito D'Rivera quintet, performing at the Punta de Este Jazz Festival, Uruguay. In 1997 he is also invited to participate at the V international Jazz festival made in chile, peforming with James Moody, Ivan Lins, and other important musicians. On 1999 he starts the "Quinteto Urbano", group wich he performs without stops during the year. At the end of the year, the group realase the first recording CD with great criticts from Journalist. Since the same year he works as teacher at the Contemporary music school (Berklee Branh in Argentina). In 2001, he records the second CD realase fro Quinteto Urbano by Aqua records recording label and he performs at the 7 lakes jazz festival. In 2003 Quinteto Urbano records he's third Cd realase by Fresh sound records from Barcelona, peroforming also at Terrassa jazz festival with artist as Branford Marsallis, Wayne Shorter, Brad Meldhau, ect. Quinteto Urbano performs he's third CD realase party at Colon Theater in Buenos Aires performing for almost 3000 people. In 2005 he starts a new proyect with Mariano Otero, Pipi Piazzola and Miguel Tarzia recording he's first soloist album for the recording label sJazz EMI edited in 2007. In 2007 he performs with Spainish piano Player Chano Dominguez performing in Mexico, France and Spain. In 2009 he performs with Ligia Piro at Strange Fruit orchestra realasing a new CD edited at Middle 2009. ~ pmauriatmusic.com

     Artist: David S. Ware Quartet
     Album: Godspelized
     Label: DIW
     Year: 1996; release: 1998
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 256
     Time: 66:43
     Size: 120 mb
     AMG Rating:

     The title is a play on the non-existent word "gospelized." This is Ware's most overt attempt at acknowledging the influence of Albert Ayler, not only on his playing style, but also on his method of hearing and formation. Accompanied by drummer Susie Ibarra, pianist Matthew Shipp, and bassist William Parker, Ware digs deep into the church and the level of spiritual reality to be found there and creates his own sonic vision of how that yearning should be articulated. Crucial to this entire mix is Shipp, who creates harmonic palettes that are wide in their chromatic reach. Ware is free to travel the spaceways in search of angels of light. The title track opens the recording with a series of droning chord progressions offered by Shipp on augmented minor sevenths that open into open-toned major chords. Ware begins to articulate one melodic statement and then collapses it in favor of another as Parker and Ibarra shove the rhythm back at both players. Ware begins to moan through the horn, then bleat, then cry, and then wail, digging his legato style out of his back pocket and pushing into the honking limit in both the middle and lower registers of the horn. Over 15 minutes, he prays through his horn, and his prayers are accented first by Shipp, who pounds home the context, and then by the rhythm section, who draw it out for maximum emotional effect. In contrast, "The Stargazers" is a shimmering, ethereal tune that opens with Shipp playing trill and single notes on both the inside and outside of the piano. He haltingly engages this until the rhythm section kicks in when he shifts to a modal variation on the harmony of "My Favorite Things," which shifts again to a Latin rhythm, and Ware goes deep playing ostinato with Shipp, articulating the theme which begins to stretch after about eight measures. Ware moves off into the stratosphere, but always returning to Shipp's cadence, which is bell-like in its clarity and aplomb. Parker and Ibarra govern the dynamics of the proceeding as well, keeping the restraint until the tension needs to be released — explosively. This is purely spiritual music, inspiring, moving, and deeply affecting. It is also one of the greatest examples of the new jazz to reach outside itself and embrace the traditions of the culture around it, not matter how dissonant that embrace may be.

     Artist: Johnny Hodges
     Album: Johnny Hodges 1952-1954
     Label: Classics
     Years: 1952-1954, release: 2006
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 154 mb
     Total time: 73:46
     

After spending 22 years as Duke Ellington's star alto saxophonist, Johnny Hodges took a break from the Duke and led his own bands from 1951 to 1955, spending much of that time making excellent records for producer Norman Granz. This creative hiatus has been well-documented, most exhaustively by the Mosaic label's Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951-1955. For those who didn't have a chance to flag down that particular anthology, volume four in the Classics Johnny Hodges chronology presents a potent portion of this fascinating chapter in musical history. These recordings were made immediately after the departure of tenor saxophonist Al Sears, who was headed for membership in BMI and a career in the music publishing business following the success of his R&B-infused opus Castle Rock. Like Sears, many of the players in Hodges' various ensembles were members or ex-members of the Ellington Orchestra. The most notable exceptions heard here are master percussionist J.C. Heard and trumpeter Emmett Berry, whose warm personality integrates well with the Ellingtonians, especially trombonist Lawrence Brown and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. On the final three tracks, recorded July 2, 1954, Berry is replaced by powerfully expressive Ellington trumpeter Harold "Shorty" Baker. This session should be treasured for the presence of pianist Call Cobbs, who was destined to make remarkably inspired music with Albert Ayler during the late '60s. A 27-year-old John Coltrane is at least technically present on a gutsy, growling, laid-back blues entitled "Sweet as Bear Meat." Trane's participation, however, is only barely perceptible, as he is allotted no solo space whatsoever, and plays a faintly supportive reed section role similar to that of Floyd "Horsecollar" Williams in the Hot Lips Page band of 1944. Given the nature of this tune, it's a pity that Trane wasn't invited to mingle his tone with the visceral currents of Hodges and Baker. One thing's for sure -- he was listening carefully! Subsequent developments prove that Trane was a devout listener. Take time to reflect upon the fact that this compilation closes with a recording of John Coltrane listening to Johnny Hodges while hardly making any sounds of his own. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide

     Artist: John Scofield
     Album: Time On My Hands
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: 1989, release: 1990
     Format, bitrate: MP3 320kbps
     Time:63:12
     Size:145 MB


John Scofield has turned the corner from journeyman jazz guitarist to become one of the most inventive and witty players on the contemporary scene. This date, his first for the Blue Note label, builds on a discography following several recordings for the Gramavision label, and also progresses this contemporary jazz music into an individualism that can only bode well for his future efforts. Teamed with the rising-star saxophonist Joe Lovano and the bulletproof rhythm team of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Scofield is emerging as a player of distinction on the electric guitar, and a composer whose mirthful ideas add spark and vigor to his newfound musical setting. In this co-production with Peter Erskine, Sco has found his melodic stride in making music that is bright and clever without being overly intellectual, retaining a soulful quality enriched by the deep-rooted, bluesy tenor sax of Lovano. What is most refreshing is that this music has broken free of clichйs from the earlier original fusion movement, and what Scofield might have accomplished prior. "Farmacology" is an excellent example of this, more in the hard bop vein and echoing both ringing country twang and the unique voicings of Ornette Coleman. There's rambling neo-bop and good-time fun in the unison of guitar and tenor sax during "Wabash III," a lighter, elegant, but free and melodic tone in 6/8 time for "Flower Power," and squeaky clean, sweet, easygoing swing demonstrated on "Since You Asked." Haden and DeJohnette are so well matched as a rhythm team that it's easy to take them for granted, while hard to ignore their brilliance. They load up on New Orleans-style blues while Scofield doles out amusing and fractured lines for "So Sue Me," collectively move to a sleek and sneaky stance on "Let's Say We Did," and rip up a driven, forceful neo-bop for the linear melody of the witty "Stranger to the Light." Even though it's a first-time issue on CD, there are three bonus tracks, including the soul song shuffle "Time and Tide," a free, loose association that identifies "Be Hear Now," and the big-time, rock & roll-flavored, squawky "Fat Lip." It's hard to fathom this being anything other than a sustainable new direction for Scofield's music, one that he can enhance as bandmembers come and go in the not too distant future. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

     Artist: John Zorn
     Movie: Masada Live At Tonic
     Director: Antonio Ferrera
     Label: Tzadik
     Year: 1999, Release: 2004
     Total Time: 1:16:32
     Total Size: 694 Mb
     Codec: XviD
     Width: 512 pixels
     Height: 384 pixels
     Audio: mp3, 320 kb/s

Finally a chance to see one of the great working bands up close and personal. Filmed with an intimate three camera shoot by Antonio Ferrera, a close friend of Zorn and a long time cameraman for the documentary masters the Maysles Brothers, this beautiful DVD captures the band performing a passionate set of music at their home base in the Lower East Side, Tonic, back in the summer of 1999. This is Masada as no one except maybe the band itself has ever experienced it. Filmmaking at its most exciting, bringing you right into the heart of the action. A must for every Masada fan. ~ www.tzadik.com

     Artist: Benny Goodman
     Album: The Benny Goodman Story 2LP, Soundtrack
     Label: Decca
     Year: 1955, release: 1956
     Quality: Vol.1 MP#@192kbit/s CBR; Vol.2 MP#@320kbit/s CBR (LPs-rip)
     Size: 51,34; 81,24 mb (covers included)


Consumer advisory: In 1955, Universal Pictures released The Benny Goodman Story, starring Steve Allen. Goodman himself played the music in the film (which consisted of re-recordings of his old hits), rounding up such former band members as Harry James, Martha Tilton, and Lionel Hampton, and a successful soundtrack LP was issued by Decca. But Goodman wasn't under contract to Decca; he was on Capitol, which rushed him into the studio in December to recut his hits again. Capitol then released this album early in 1956, with the same title as the film and the Decca soundtrack, its cover deceptively declaring that it contained "brilliant new high fidelity recordings made especially for this album of the selections featured in the motion picture of his life." Pretty sneaky. Forty years later, Capitol reissued the album on CD with the same cover, which indicates that ethics in the record business have not improved (in case you were wondering). That said, the reissue adds five bonus tracks, pushing the album to an hour's length. And though the album is not what it claims to be, it is nevertheless a hot session on which Goodman plays with his usual assurance, and the big band, which features Dick Hyman and Milt Hinton along with guest appearances by James, Tilton, and Ruby Braff, and a version of the quintet featuring Hampton, Mel Powell, George Duvivier, and Bobby Donaldson, are effective. (The Decca soundtrack is now on MCA; the original versions are on RCA.) (Originally released on LP by Capitol Records in 1956, The Benny Goodman Story was reissued on CD by Capitol Jazz on Nov. 7, 1995.) ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

    Artist:Duke Pearson
    Album: Hush!
    Label: Jazzline/Lone Hill Jazz
    Years: 1962-1963, release 2008
    Format: mp3@320 kb/s, flac w/scans
    Size: 183MB, 513MB
    Time: 1:18:08
    AMG rating:



  This edition contains Duke Pearson's complete Hush! session, including the date's three alternate takes and the song "Groovin' for Nat", which wasn't issued on the original album. As a bonus, this release also includes both of Pearson's compositions- "Jano" and "Little Johnny C" - from Johnny Coles July 18, 1963 date that would be released on the album Little Johnny C. In addition to Pearson's outstanding compositions, the later date also featured the exact same rhythm section (with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Walter Perkins on drums, and Pearson on piano) used on the Hush! session. The front line consisted of Leo Wright on alto sax and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor sax, and Coles on trumpet.

     Artist: The American Jazz Orchestra with John Lewis Conducting
     Album: The Music of Jimmie Lunceford
     Label: Musicmasters
     Years: 1991, release: 1992
     Format: MP3 & FLAC
     Size: MP3: 107.91MB / FLAC: 283.11MB
     Total Time: 47:02
     AMG rating


For this CD, the American Jazz Orchestra (under the direction of John Lewis and Gary Giddins) attempted to bring back to life twelve of the better charts associated with Jimmy Lunceford's Orchestra. The AJO does what it can to recreate the spirit of Lunceford's orchestra, eliminating all of the ballads, glee club vocals and novelties while focusing on the jazz side of this popular dance band, but there are some major problems. The tempoes are consistently much too slow, really killing off "Margie." In addition the amount of clams by these obviously talented veteran players is unfortunate including three missed notes by trombonist Eddie Bert as he tries to play Trummy Young's famous solo on "Margie" and splattering by trumpeter Byron Stripling during the high-note finale of "Lunceford Special" that is rather embarrassing; why weren't those songs played again? Altoist Jerry Dodgion and trumpeter Marvin Stamm fare best among the soloists but ultimately this seriously flawed recording is quite pointless.

     Artist: Cal Tjader
     Album: The Shining Sea
     Year: 1981, release: 1990
     Label: Concord
     Quality: 256kbs
     Total Time: 00:42:32
     Total Size: 78mb
     AMG rating


When people think of Cal Tjader, they think of latin jazz. The vibist wasn't Hispanic himself, but, like trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, he demonstrated that a jazzman didn't have to be a Latino to be considered a master of afro-cuban rhythms. However, not everything that Tjader played had a strong Latin influence -- latin jazz was only one of the styles that he played and he sticks to a non-Latin approach to bop on "The Shining Sea". Percussionist Poncho Sanchez, who considered Tjader a mentor and played with him extensively during the last seven years of the vibist's life, isn't on this album. Instead Tjader leads a quintet that employs Scott Hamilton on tenor saxophone, Hank Jones on piano, Dean Reilly on bass and Vince Lateano on drums. Produced by the late Carl Jefferson in 1981 -- the year before Tjader's death -- this extremely melodic date is a tribute to composer Johnny Mandel. Hamilton and Jones have plenty of solo space and that's a good thing because this Mandel tribute called for soloists who weren't afraid to be lyrical. The quintet is as cohesive on "Emily" as it is on "Quietly There", "A Time for Love", and the title track. Equally triumphant is the quintet's interpretation of the "Song From M*A*S*H"; like Bill Evans (the pianist, not the saxophonist), Tjader and his allies demonstrate that the "Song From M*A*S*H" can easily lend itself to a jazz interpretation. "The Shining Sea" is not only an inspired salute to a great composer -- it's also one of the best albums from Tjader's Concord period.