Artists: Doris Day With Andre Previn Trio
     Album: Duet
     Label: Columbia
     Year: 1961; release: 1999
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 91,4 mb
     Total time: 41:18
     AMG Rating:

     Recorded late in 1961, this album is a milestone in Doris Day's career -- despite having generated no hits -- as her best long-player (and, by extension, her best CD), and her purest jazz solo album. Cut as a duet with André Previn (with Previn Trio bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Capp providing occasional support), the album presents Day in the most intimate musical setting of her career. Her trademark style of singing works twice as well here as it did on her swing-era and early solo recordings. The repertory includes "Fools Rush In," and Alec Wilder's "Give Me Time," "Falling in Love Again," and a few Previn-authored pieces that hold up magnificently in this company. The CD reissue includes three previously unreleased outtakes, among them even more upbeat renditions of "Fools Rush In" and "Close Your Eyes." And the notes by Will Friedwald are also a treat. Worth tracking down; if you own only one Doris Day non-hits/non-swing-era CD, this is the one. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

      Artist: Joan Regan
      Album: Just Joan/The Girl Next Door 2LP/1CD
      Years: 1953-1957; release: 2002
      Label: Vocalion [Ex: Decca]
      Quality: MP3@320kb/s
      Size: 158 MB
      Time: 1:09:01

     Artist: Halie Loren
     Album: They Oughta Write a Song
     Label: Victor Entertainment VICJ-61618 2010
     Year: 2008; 2010
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 377MB
     Time: 69:34


     Winner of the Best Jazz Vocal Album Just Plain Folks Award out of over 42,000 entries as well as countless critics raves from around the world, They Oughta Write A Song is finally available nationally. Critics have given praise to 'one of those artists that can sing pop, rock, jazz and even Broadway without missing a beat. They Oughta Write A Song deserves to take a place among the great vocal jazz albums.'

     Artist: Toni Harper
     Album: Toni
     Label: Verve MGV-2001
     Year: 1956
     Format: FLAC (LP rip)
     Time: 40:29
     Size: 77MB

     Toni Harper (born June 8, 1937) (aka Toni Dunlap) is a former child singer, who retired from performing at the age of 29.
     After learning dance under Maceo Anderson, Harper was cast by the choreographer Nick Castle in Christmas Follies, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in 1945. She later went on to perform on stage with Herb Jeffries and Cab Calloway.
     Harper recorded "Candy Store Blues" in 1946, which became a platinum record, appeared twice on Talk of the Town (later the Ed Sullivan Show) in 1949, and made her third and final appearance on the show in 1950.
     After success as a child singer, Harper recorded her first album, Toni, for Verve Records in 1955, with the Oscar Peterson trio. She made two further albums in 1959 and 1962, Lady Lonely and Night Mood, for RCA Victor.
     Harper toured Japan with Cannonball Adderley in 1963, and appeared in the 1965 film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini,[4] before retiring from performing in 1966.

     Toni is a 1956 studio album by Toni Harper, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio.

     Artist: Harumi Kaneko
     Album: I Love New York
     Label: Philips FS-7032
     Year: 1979
     Format: FLAC (LP rip)
     Time: 37:08
     Size: 153MB


     Japanese vocalist Harumi Kaneko, working here in a hip New York session arranged and produced by Bob Dorough – who also duets with Kaneko on two of the album's best tracks! Harumi sings in English throughout, but often with a bit of an accent, which creates a great sort of appeal to the record – especially since Harumi's got a great range in her singing, which we'd find appealing no matter what the language of the date. Players include Hank Jones on piano, Dave Samuels on vibes, Ron Carter on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – and titles include "Brown Skin Girl", "Comin Home Baby", "How About You", "Too Shy To Say", and "A Good Man Is Hard To Find". (SHM CD pressing!) © 1996-2011, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

     Artist: Bernadine Read
     Album: Bernadine (LP rip)
     Label: Epic LN3497
     Year: 1957
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 115MB
     Time: 37:20


     In an era too often characterized by hiccuping vocal groups wall-to-wall tenor saxophones, sepulchral echochamber effects, and ungifted songs with largely incompprehansible lyrics, albums like this one are delightful exceptions.Bernadine is dedicated to the beautifully simple proposition that showcasing an extraordinary singer with a baten of lavely, literate songs will bring a lot of enjoyment to a lot of people. The singer, in her album debut, is Miss Bernadine Read. The songs are some of the most persuasive ever written.

     Artist: Mindy Carson
     Album: Making Eyes at Mindy
     Orig Year: 1950's
     Audio CD: 2000
     Label: Jasmine
     Genre: Jazz vocal, Big Band, Swing
     Quality: MP3@320kb/s
     Size: 133 MB
     Time: 58:05



     Mindy Carson: b. 16 July 1927, New York City, New York, USA. After singing on bandleader Paul Whiteman's 40s radio show, female pop vocalist Mindy Carson first hit the US Top 20 in 1946 with a duet with Harry Cool, with a version of Frankie Carle's number 1 "Rumors Are Flying". She continued to have chart successes until the mid-50s - including two with Guy Mitchell - by covering the big hits of the day, including Dean Martin's 1956 UK and US chart-topper "Memories Are Made Of This" and R&B singer Ivory Joe Hunter's "Since I Met You Baby" She also hosted her own radio and television programmes.

     Artist: Jack Wilson
     Album: Easterly Winds
     Label: Blue Note Records
     Year: 1967
     Format: FLAC
     Time: 38:15
     Size: 242MB
     AMG rating:


     Easterly Winds provides an excellent contrast to Jack Wilson's first Blue Note album, Somethin' Personal. Where his label debut was cool and romantic, Easterly Winds is a brassy, funky collection of soul-jazz and hard bop with instant appealing. Wilson keeps the tone fairly diverse, both in his originals and covers. After hitting hard with the funky opening pair "Do It" and "On Children" (both of which illustrate that he was familiar with contemporary soul), he quiets the mood with a nice version of Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love." On the second half, he turns in soul-jazz ("Easterly Winds"), straight hard bop ("Frank's Tune") and the charmingly lyrical "Nirvanna." Throughout it all, Wilson is subtle and tasteful, allowing trumpeter Lee Morgan and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean their time in the spotlight; trombonist Garnett Brown has a couple of nice moments as well, while bassist Bob Cranshaw and Billy Higgins lend solid rhythmic support. It's another impressive, enjoyable effort from one of the most underrated pianists on Blue Note's '60s roster.

      Artist: Lambert Hendricks & Ross
      Album: The Hottest New Group in Jazz
      Orig Year: 1959-62
      Audio CD: 1996
      Label: Columbia
      Quality: APE
      Size: 804 MB
      Time: 1:01:08 + 1:01:51
     AMG Rating:

     The immortal vocal jazz group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross recorded five albums during its career: one apiece for Impulse! and World Pacific and three for Columbia. This two-CD set has all of the music from LH&R's Columbia dates (The Hottest Group in Jazz, Sing Ellington, and High Flying), plus four previously unissued and three very obscure selections. Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross were all very talented jazz singers as individuals, and were masters of vocalese. Virtually every one of their performances was special and, in the long run, influential. With assistance from the Gildo Mahones Trio, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison (on the earliest album), and altoist Pony Poindexter (during the seven bonus tracks), the vocal group is heard in memorable form throughout the two-fer. Among the many highlights are "Twisted," "Cloudburst," Hendricks' hilarious "Gimme That Wine," "Everybody's Boppin'," "Cotton Tail," "All Too Soon," "Main Stem," "Farmer's Market," "Cookin' at the Continental," "Halloween Spooks," and "Popity Pop." Essential music for all serious jazz collections.

     Artists: The Barry Sisters
     Album: We Belong Together (LP rip)
     Label: Roulette SR 25156
     Year: 1961
     Quality: MP3, VBR
     Size: 77MB
     Time: 34:47


     The Barry Sisters established themselves as one of the most unique vocal acts in music performing jazz versions of Yiddish and pop songs. We Belong Together showcases their incredible voices on pop standards. Barry sisters sing in yidish english and italian so well their music never die love them! The Barry Sisters injected more than a little Vegas pizazz and swing into some classic Yiddish tunes, and it translated into frequent appearances on the Ed Sullivan and Jack Paar shows in the late 50s and early 60s.

     Artists: The Barry Sisters
     Album: Side by Side (LP rip)
     Label: Roulette R 25136
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 154MB
     Time: 35:02



     The Barry Sisters established themselves as one of the most unique vocal acts in music performing jazz versions of Yiddish and pop songs. Side By Side has the sisters at their best on a varied mix of popular songs. The liner notes to the album that followed, Side by Side, which they dedicated to Sullivan, described the experience this way: “[Sullivan] had an Iron Curtain smash in the Barrys, who literally tore down The Kremlin with a rip-roaring Western medleywhich only goes to prove that all you need are ears to hear with, and eyes to see with, and makes no difference-Yank, Britisher, Ruski, or Hottentot, the Barry Sisters have made it.”

     Artist: Dick Lane Quartet
     Album: Without Sauce
     Label: Argo ALP 605
     Year: 1956
     Quality: FLAC (LP rip)
     Size: 92MB
     Time: 30:33

     Artist: Jimmy Knepper
     Album: A Swinging Introduction
     Label: Bethlehem
     Year: 1957
     Quality: FLAC; mp3@320 kbps
     Size: 201 MB; 60,8 mb
     Time: 41:45

     Other than a few titles for Debut, this was trombonist Jimmy Knepper's only record date as a leader until 1976. The music is essentially cool-toned bop with six standards and three Knepper originals all being given swinging treatment. Six of the songs feature the trombonist in a quintet with altoist Gene Quill and the young pianist Bill Evans while the other three titles also star trumpeter Gene Roland (who takes a rare vocal on "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You") and pianist Bob Hammer. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
     Great work from one of the most compelling trombonists of the 50s! Jimmy Knepper is probably best known for his excellent work on some of Charles Mingus' best records – but this set from 1957 shows that Knepper was also an extremely capable (if under-recorded) leader in his own right! The album is one of the rarest Bethlehem sides – and it features Knepper leading a crack group that includes Bill Evans, Gene Quill and drummer Dannie Richmond, making a rare non-Mingus appearance here! The tracks are shortish, and a number of them are standards, but the group swings nicely, and Knepper's tone is nice and edgey on most tracks. Titles include "Avid Admirer", "Close As Pages In A Book", "Ogling Ogre", and "Idol Of The Flies".

     Booker Little
     Album: Out Front + 1
     Label: Candid
     Quality: FLAC & MP3@320
     Size: 289 MB & 113 MB
     Time: 50:16
     AMG Rating:


     Booker Little was the first trumpet soloist to emerge in jazz after the death of Clifford Brown to have his own sound. His tragically brief life (he died at age 23 later in 1961) cut short what would have certainly been a major career. Little, on this sextet date with multi-reedist Eric Dolphy, trombonist Julian Priester, and drummer Max Roach, shows that his playing was really beyond bebop. His seven now-obscure originals (several of which deserve to be revived) are challenging for the soloists and there are many strong moments during these consistently challenging and satisfying performances.

     Artist: Dodie Stevens
     Album: Over the Rainbow (LP rip)
     Label: Dot DLP 3323
     Year: 1960
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 142MB
     Time: 29:28

     Famed for her girl group-era novelty smash "Pink Shoe Laces," teen singer Dodie Stevens was born Geraldine Anne Pasquale in Chicago on February 17, 1946. Raised primarily in California's San Gabriel Valley, as a child she took singing and dancing lessons, and at age eight issued her debut single "Merry-Go-Round and Round," released on the Gold Star label and credited to Geri Pace. In the years to follow she appeared regularly on local television programs, and while performing on the show Strictly Informal was spotted by Crystalette Records president Carl Burns, who rechristened the 12-year-old Dodie Stevens. Her first single for the label, "Pink Shoe Laces," reached number three on the Billboard charts in March of 1959; distinguished from the competition thanks to its daffy spoken verses, the record made Stevens a star, and that same year she issued her self-titled debut LP on Dot and also co-starred in the Don Siegel film Hound-Dog Man. Two more LPs -- 1960's Over the Rainbow and 1961's Pink Shoe Laces -- followed, as did an appearance in the 1961 feature Convicts Four, but Stevens proved unable to maintain her early momentum and retired from performing at 16, getting married and living on a farm in Missouri. She returned to music in 1966, later singing with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 and touring as a backing vocalist behind Mac Davis.

     Artist: Blossom Dearie
     Album: Sings Rootin' Songs
     Label - DIW
     Orig. Year: 1963
     Quality: mp3; 192 kb/s
     Size: 61 MB
     Time: 30:44



     Her first album after leaving Verve Records, Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' Songs was recorded for Hires Root Beer, on whose television      commercials Dearie had sung. The album was available for 50ў and two bottle caps. Vinyl copies are now rare, and the CD was re-released by DIW Records, a Japanese record label in 2005.

     Artist: Chihiro Yamanaka
     Album: Runnin' Wild
     Label: Verve UCCJ-2077
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 325MB
     Time: 58:22

     Artist: Makoto Deguchi
     Album: Don't Be At a Loss
     Label: AE AECA-10015
     Quality: FLAC
     Size: 325MB
     Time: 57:49

     Artist: Carol Kidd
     Album: I'm Glad We Met
     Label: Linn AKH 017
     Year: 1991, release: 1992
     Quality: FLAC (LP rip)
     Size: 197MB
     Time: 43:09

Somone once described heaven as relaxing in a warm bath with a glass of malt whisky, listening to the flugelhorn. Personally I would substitute the last of these three ingredients for a Carol Kidd album.

There is more variety in this release than in her last one, The Night We Called It A Day; variety in the choice of material, in the arrangements, and more significantly, in that a half of the 12 numbers, she is accompanied by a large string section. Her trio is there too, and in David Newton (piano), Dave Green (bass), and Alan Ganley (drums), it is hard to imagine a better, more sympathetic line-up. Messrs Green and Ganley for example, swing superbly on a vocal/bass/drums version of Please Don't Talk About me When I'm Gone. David Newton's thoughtful piano playing enhances every track.

And what of the vocalist? Well her phrasing, diction and delivery are impeccable. She is at her best on the ballads and her rendition of the Johnny Mardel tune I Wish I'd Met You is a masterpiece. And you can add to that a Peggy Lee-ish interpretation of Lean Baby and a soulful Georgia On My Mind with an orchestration drawing heavily on the Ray Charles version.

If labels have to be stuck on such releases, then this can hardly be classed as a jazz recording. It leans far more to middle-of-the-road popular music. However quality will out, whatever the tag. You'll be glad to get I'm Glad We Met. ~ linnrecords.com

     Artist: Carol Kidd
     Album: Carol Kidd
     Label: Aloi AKH 003 (UK) (1959)
     Year: 1984
     Quality: FLAC (LP rip)
     Size: 195 MB
     Time: 44:10

Recorded in 1984, this title features standards such as The More I See You and We'll Be Together Again, plus a witty Mel Torme arrangement of I Like To Recognise The Tune. Carol is supported by her excellent trio, whose long-standing collaboration ensures sensitive and instinctive performances.

Her best known admirers include Frank Sinatra, who personally invited her to open for him at his Scottish shows, and Tony Bennett who, following a live performance, enthused to Carol: "Where have you been?! You should be world famous!"

Carol Kidd's debut album confirmed her status as a leading jazz singer of modern times and marked the beginning of a career spanning three decades. Carol remains a popular performer in the UK and worldwide, performing sell-out concerts in Jakarta, Bali, Singapore and most recently China in 2007. She was a particular favourite of the late Ronnie Scott. In recent years jazz legends such as George Chisholm, Buck Clayton, Eddie Thomson, Humphrey Lyttelton, Cliff Hardie, Bob Brookmeyer and Martin Taylor have been pleased to work alongside and enthuse about Carol's singing. ~ Murray Smith