Artists: Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban
     Album: Mambo Sinuendo
     Year: 2003
     Label: Nonesuch
     Quality: Lossless (FLAC, cue, log)
     Size: 320 MB (with scans)

     Этот диск – попытка передать старый стиль, популяризованный Мануэлем Галбаном в Кубе и к которому почему-то никто после него не обращался. Это гитарная музыка, близкая к поп/кроссовер джазу 50-60-х, замешанная на характерной "плывущей" игре слайд-гитариста Кудера и кубинских ритмах Галбана.

     Mambo Sinuendo is a collaboration between Ry Cooder and Buena Vista alum (and formerly of many other groups as well) Manuel Galbán. The album attempts to catch an old style popularized in Cuba by Galbán, and was, surprisingly, never followed up on by anybody after Galbán. It's a guitar-based romp closely based in the pop/jazz crossovers of the 1950s-1960s (Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, etc). There's a touch of exoticism here and there, and a larger touch of a relatively Hawaiian feel throughout the whole via the guitar techniques employed by the pair. It's all somewhere in a form between lounge, mambo, and Esquivel's old space-age-bachelor-pad music. In rare instances, there's even a little bit of a house drum loop added in by the percussionists. Aside from the stray spacey chorus in the title track, it's an entirely instrumental affair, which suits the musicians quite well, giving them a chance to show off their full virtuosity along the way. The musicality these guitarists hold, and the interplay between them, is really the treat of the album. For a nice look at the musical genre that never was, but probably should have been, this makes a good show. Newcomers to Cooder should perhaps dig into some older releases to get a feel before coming to this album, but all others should embrace it quickly.

     Artist: Jacintha
     Album: Autumn Leaves: the Songs of Johnny Mercer
     Year: 1999,release: 2000
     Label: Groove Note Records
     Quality: Lossless (flac, cue, log)
     Size: 347 MB (with scans)

     Nine of the 11 tracks here are ballads. Their uncluttered arrangements spotlight Jacintha's smooth and sensuous voice, while her expressive phrasing draws the most from the classic Johnny Mercer lyrics. Jacintha includes the original lyrics to "Autumn Leaves," done in soft and flawless French; otherwise, her primary innovation is to deliver the tunes straight and sincerely, with minimal improvisation and maximum tenderness. There's no trace of the customary bitterness in "One More for the Road," and her unaccompanied reading of "Moon River" liberates that song from any prior goopy associations. In fact, her version brings out the poignancy of the lyrics so purely that her additional chorus, coming after a rather wandering piano interlude, seems redundant. The band is good but pretty restrained throughout, supplying subtle commentary and close support, then breaks out nicely on the two up-tempo tracks: "And the Angels Sing" and "Something's Got to Give." Jacintha's measured, legato approach isn't very conducive to swinging, but listening to "Skylark"and "Midnight Sun," in particular, is like sipping cool champagne in a fragrant hot tub. Another highlight is the bonus track, "Here's to Life," a signature tune for Shirley Horn, which Jacintha takes at a slightly faster tempo. While it's not a Mercer lyric, its beautiful sentiments and melody fit nicely into this relaxed and intimate set. Whatever this CD may lack in fire, it makes up for in warmth.

      Artist: Buddy Emmons
      Album: Steel Guitar Jazz
      Label: Verve
      Year: 1963
      Format, bitrate: mp3/320 kbps
      Time: 36:20
      Size: 91,3 Mb
      AMG Rating:


      Buddy Emmons wasn't the first musician to be featured playing a pedal steel guitar in a jazz setting, but it is unlikely that anyone else recorded an entire date playing one prior to this 1963 session. Although both he and the instrument are indelibly associated with country music, Emmons makes it work for several reasons. He's surrounded by some top players, including Bobby Scott, Jerome Richardson, Art Davis, and Charlie Persip; he also interacts with the band rather than overdoing the special effects available to him, especially the horn-like sounds obtained from his use of the slide. Emmons also chose an intriguing mix of material. Obvious highlights are the loping treatment of "Where or When," featuring Richardson's delicious soprano sax trading off with the leader, and Emmons' hot playing of "(Back Home Again In) Indiana." Equally rewarding are the jazz classics: Ray Brown's soulful "Gravy Waltz," an intricate romp through Sonny Rollins' "Oleo," and Horace Silver's toe-tapping "The Preacher." This was pretty much a one-time affair for Emmons, who returned to country music, though he did record some additional jazz with guitarist Lenny Breau during the 1970s. Although the instrument never really caught on in jazz, this highly recommended album, which was finally reissued on CD in 2003, is well worth checking out.

     Artist: Rhoda Scott
     Album: Live At The Club St.Germain
     Label: Emarcy
     Year: 1974; release: 2007
     Format, bitrate: Flac (separate files) + MP3, 320 kbps
     Time: 1:08'
     Size: 407 Mb (flac) - 156 Mb (MP3)



     Rhoda Scott is a living legend of organ jazz, whom Arthur Rubinstein called, "a great, very great virtuoso." She is a member of that very small group of jazz players who have truly mastered the pedal bass, earning the nickname, "The Barefoot Lady."

     The daughter of a minister, she began playing organ in church and working with gospel choirs, which eventually led to performing with a small jazz band. She studied classical piano, but continued to concentrate on the organ, earning a Masters' degree in music theory from the Manhattan School of Music. Jazz, gospel, and classical music all come together in her approach to music...

     Artist: Jan Johansson
     Albums: Blues
     Label: Heptagon
     Year: 1968, release: 2004
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320 kb/s
     Size: 150 MB




      Jan gives these nice tunes a real bluesy treatment and gets a rich variety of sounds from his piano. All the musicians combine to create various moods from bright lively swing to sleepy and soulful. There is a great sense of relaxed enjoyment in these performances. Anyone who likes jazz and blues piano music will find plenty to enjoy here. The sound is excellent as usual. ~ Graham Roberts, cdbaby.com

     Artist: Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos
     Album: The Prosthetic Cubans
     Label: Atlantic / Wea
     Year: 1998
     Quality: MP3@320kb/s
     Size: 86 mb
     AMG rating


     Великолепный альбом, в Википедии названный "The Prosthetic Cubans" (перевод названия группы).
Marc Ribot мастерски играет на гитаре, безупречно и точно создавая настроение. Этот альбом – трибьют поздним работам Arsenio Rodriguez'a - кубинского композитора гитариста, умершего в 1972 году. Лучший трибьют трудно представить. Большинство композиций написаны Rodriguez'ом. Композиця «Postizo», автором которой является сам Ribot, подчеркивает умение гитариста играть одновременно в традиционном и абсолютно авангардном стиле. Альбом отлично показывает неуловимую чувственность кубинской музыки. Каждый трек – шедевр.

     The mastery and vision of the enduring Marc Ribot shine through on this release. Although there have been many attempts to produce authentic indigenous music of various cultures, most have fallen short; this album succeeds in the wake of failure. Ribot delves deep into Cuban rhythms, and indeed the album is a tribute to the Cuban master Arsenio Rodriguez. Here Ribot finds an authentic Cuban sound employing traditional instrumentation: upright bass, wood blocks, cherke, and other percussion sounds. The performance is inspired, and the band consistently tears through Rodriguez's material, as well as some of their own. Ribot's guitar work nears perfection, and he proves himself to be the most soulful white alive. Songs like "Aqui Como Alla" and "Postizo" confirm these assertions. Although this album does not present the iconoclastic Ribot of The Book of Heads fame, it is an excellent album.

     Artist: Charlie Haden
     Album: Sophisticated Ladies
     Released: 2010
     Label: Emarcy
     Quality: FLAC (tracks)
     Size: 373 MB

     One of the finest double bassists in jazz Charlie Haden says more with a few finely chosen notes than many lesser musicians try and say with a hundred. His warm bass tone is the core element of his stunning Quartet West whose smoky, atmospheric approach to jazz has won them critical acclaim for over twenty years with pianist Alan Broadbent casting a harmonic spell from which phenomenal saxophonist Ernie Watts can take flight, while Laurence Marable’s subtle drumming is perfectly in synch with Haden’s hypnotic bass work.

     Artists: Various
     Album: The Music of Prohibition
     Label: Sony Music Distribution
     Years: 1919-1942; released: 1997
     Quality: mp3 CBR 256
     Size: 127 MB


     There are many fine selections among the 22 numbers included on this sampler CD, most of which were excerpted on the Arts & Entertainment documentary on Prohibition. Despite the inclusion of such titles as "If You Drink Too Much" by the State Street Swingers, the Mississippi Sheiks' "Bootlegger Blues" and Bert Williams' "The Moon Shines on the Moonshine," most of the numbers have nothing to do with Prohibition, and several were recorded after its repeal. But general collectors interested in vintage sounds and not worried about getting complete sessions will find much to enjoy here. There are selections from Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington (several), Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, the Dorsey Brothers, Chick Webb, Bennie Moten, the Mills Brothers, California Ramblers and the Casa Loma Orchestra in addition to the groups mentioned, mostly giving listeners a strong dose of pre swing big band music.

      Artist: Jim Hall & Enrico Pieranunzi
      Album: Duologues
      Year: 2004, release: 2005
      Label: Camjazz
      Quality: mp3 CBR 320
      Size: 116 MB
      AMG Rating:
     
     Jim Hall has long exhibited a sense of adventure in his playing, which has intensified as his career has progressed. His duo meeting with Enrico Pieranunzi (a kindred spirit and one of the most in-demand jazz pianists in Europe) consists of original compositions and inventive duo improvisations (three of them are titled "Duologue" by number), which greatly contrast from one another, along with the extended improvisation "Our Valentines," which seems to briefly hint at "My Funny Valentine" as its inspiration. The compositions are as compelling as the improvisations. "Careful" is a tricky piece recorded many times by the guitarist over the decades; Pieranunzi takes immediately to the Hall's quirky blues. "Jimlogue" has the flavor of a 20th century composition for classical piano; one can easily imagine Hall composing it during his conservatory days, though it could just as easily be brand new at the time of these sessions. Jane Hall (the guitarist's wife) penned the beautiful ballad "Something Tells Me" for an earlier CD; this version proves to be even more spacious and lyrical than its initial recording. The pianist's songs include the tasty waltz "From E. to C.," the provocative "The Point at Issue," and the soothing finale, "Dreamlogue." ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

     Artist: Dusko Goykovic
     Album: Slavic Mood
     Label: Sony/BMG
     Year: 1974, release: 2006
     Quality: MP3 CBR 192
     Size: 62 MB

     

An excellent bop-based soloist who has recorded rewarding sets for Enja, Dusko Goykovich played in Yugoslavia and Germany before visiting the U.S. for the first time with Marshall Brown's International Youth Band (playing at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival). Goykovich attended Berklee (1961-1963) and played with the orchestras of Maynard Ferguson (1963-1964) and Woody Herman (1964-1966) before deciding to return to Germany, leading a group with Sal Nistico (1966). He was with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band (1968-73) and had a 12-piece band with Slide Hampton (1974-1975). Miles Davis is his main influence, but Dusko Goykovich (who has been quite active during the '80s and '90s in Europe) has his own extroverted style. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

     Artist: Ted Heath
     Album: Swing Is King, Vol. 1 & 2
     Label: Vocalion
     Years: 1955-1968;released: 2008
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 184 MB

     Artist: Various Artists
     Album: The Hot Spot OST
     Original Release Date: September 18, 1990
     Label: Antilles
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Total time: 40:56 min
     Size: 93.9 MB



     Саундтрек к фильму Денниса Хоппера «Горячая точка» собрал кучу именитых музыкантов – тут вам и джаз, тут вам и блюз… Возможно, кому-то он покажется чуть однообразным, но слушать этот диск надо именно как саундтрек – и тогда вы ощутите всю прелесть альбома.

     P.S. за материал спасибо xoroshему человеку по имени Garik

     Artist: Ulrich Drechsler Quartet & Tord Gustavsen
     Album: Humans & Places
     Year: 2006
     Label: Cracked Anegg
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320 / lossless (FLAC + cue)
     Size: 158 / 334 MB


     Ulrich Drechsler, known as saxophonist of the internationally celebrated group “Cafe Drechsler” presents in his debut “Humans & Places” his own, very personal compositions for the very first time.
     “Humans & Places” is taking him back to his first instrument, the bass clarinet. Together with longtime companions bass player Oliver Steger and drummer Jörg Mikula, furthermore pianist extraordinaire Tord Gustavsen from Norway he put together a fantastic group. In Tord Gustavsen he found a partner, that perfectly absorbs his ideas, processing them in his unmistakable, unique way. Not to forget austrian pianist Peter Ponger who is playing two tracks on this album.

     Artist: The Blues Preachers
     Albums: Dry Long So
     Released: 2009
     Label: Soap Box Records
     Genre: Harp Blues
     Format, bitrate: mp3, CBR 320 kbps
     Size: 166 MB

     Блюзовый дуэт из Австралии - Brother John и Captain Bluetongue. Казалось бы, проще инструментария не придумать - гитара, вокал да губная гармошка, но как искусно погружают они слушателя в блюзовую атмосферу!
The Blues Preachers will take you to another place and time, somewhere between 1920 and 1940. Their music paints a landscape of pre-war struggle and determination with sounds reminiscent of the Deep South. The Blues Preachers perform a fusion of good old blues, rags, gospel and hillbilly folk. The powerful simplicity of driving finger-style and slide-guitar combined with the sounds of tasteful harmonica and old-school vocal harmonies create a traditional and untarnished sound that will have you on the edge of your seats. The Blues Preachers will make you want to get up and dance with their joyful country and ragtime blues, and send a shiver down your spine with their atmospheric feels, echoing and paying homage to the sacred sounds of early artists such as Blind Willie Johnson. Their 2008 album ‘Next Stop Beulah Land’ and their highly regarded 2009 release ‘Dry Long So’ showcase the talents of the Preachers :- Brother John on guitar, banjo and vocals, and Captain Bluetongue on harmonica, mountain dulcimer and vocals.

     Artist: The Blues Preachers
     Album: Next Stop Beulah Land
     Year: 2008
     Label: Soap Box Records
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 155 MB

     Artist: Patty Waters
     Albums: College Tour
     Label: ESP-Disk
     Released: 1966
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 89 MB

     Одна из странных и малоизвестных джазовых певиц, которую сейчас, по прошествии сорока с лишним лет после ее первых записей, называют «новатором» в искусстве вокала.
Начав петь еще в школе, в начале 60-х она перебралась в Нью-Йорк, где в конце концов обратила на себя внимание таких мэтров джаза, как Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock и Albert Ayler. Последний познакомил ее с владельцем лэйбла ESP-Disk, специализировавшегося на экспериментальном джазе. В 1965 году был записан дебютный альбом ”Patty Waters Sings”, первая сторона которого состояла из коротких, полных меланхолии тихих композиций, в которых певица аккомпанировала себе на рояле. Вторая же сторона была полностью занята 14-минутной версией народной песни "Black is the colour of my true love's hair", по мере развития которой вокал переходил в неистовые крики, стоны и вообще трудноописуемые звуки, словно певица испытывала свой голос на прочность. Недаром в числе ее почитателей такие вокалистки, как Diamanda Galas и Lydia Lynch.
В том же году был записан концертный альбом ”College Tour”, вышедший в 1966 году. Через пару лет певица удалилась от музыки и посвятила себя воспитанию сына. Лишь спустя почти 30 лет она вернулась к музыкальной деятельности, но это – уже другая история...

     Artist: Patty Waters
     Albums: Patty Waters Sings
     Label: ESP-Disk
     Released: 1965
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 75 MB



     Patty Waters herself seems almost as mysterious as her debut record. Her birthplace and date do not usually appear in any articles written about her. All that is known is she moved to Denver, then to LA, where she came to the attention of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. She began voice lessons and Davis helped annotate her compositions. After doing her time through the ranks, she landed in New York. Albert Ayler spotted her at a gig, was impressed, and brought her to the attention of ESP. She recorded Sings and a few months later the live College Tour. Waters recorded with the Marzette Watts Ensemble, then by the end of the '60s had relocated to the west coast and raised a son, only sporadically doing shows until 1996's Love Songs. Despite her lack of output—two records in '65 and '66—she managed to leave an impact on the future of vocal jazz.

     Artist: The Pete Jolly Trio
     Albums: Yeah!
     Released: 1996
     Label: VSOP
     Quality: lossless (FLAC+Cue)
     Size: 397 MB




     Pete Jolly and his sidemen (bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis) celebrated their 21st year as a regularly working trio with this fine V.S.O.P. CD. The musicians sound quite enthusiastic and creative within the boundaries of straight-ahead jazz, showing that they had not run out of ideas yet. Jolly alternates hot pieces with ballads, standards with obscurities. It is a particular pleasure to hear the powerful pianist interpret such rarely performed songs as George Wallington's "Variations," "Crazeology," Al Cohn's brooding ballad "Ah-Moore" and Shorty Rogers' "Diablo's Dance." Other highlights of the enjoyable set include Horace Silver's "Yeah," "Lullaby of the Leaves" and Zoot Sims' "The Red Door." All those years of playing together have definitely paid off.

     Artist: Collard Greens & Gravy
     Album: Devil In The Woodpile
     Label: Black Market Music
     Released: 2007
     Quality: mp3, CBR 320
     Size: 110 MB
     Time: 43.40

     Acclaimed for their gritty, driving, down home-home sound, Collard Greens and Gravy play a mostly original repertoire of foot stomping country blues that would sound right at home in a Mississippi Juke Joint. Ian Collard (Vocals ,Harmonica and Guitar) James Bridges ( Guitar and Fiddle), Anthony Shortte (Drums) have been together since 1995.
     The trio have received many awards including second place at 2001ʼs International Blues challenge in Memphis, the same year the bands second C.D ”More Gravy”, won the Aria award for ”Best Blues and Roots Album”.
     Their third C.D ”Silver Bird” won the ”Best Self-Produced CD” award at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in February 2005.
     Their latest C.D ”Devil In The Woodpile” has won numerous awards including best C.D and best band at both the Australian and Vic/Tas blues awards in 2008/ 2009.
     They have won the Melbourne blues appreciation society "Blues Performer of the Year" award twice, once in 2000 and again last year in 2008. ~ band web site info

     Artist: Cherkasy Jazz Quintet
     Album: Remembering The Beatles
     Released: 2009
     Quality: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 126 MB (with scans)

     "Should we once again repeat that the twentieth century that has passed (as well as yesterday has) is reflected in us today. One of the brightest events of the "century of yesterday" was and still is the fantastic flash of creativity by "The Beatles" that still continues agitating us. Their music genius was reflected in all music genres of today – academic and variety art ones, but not that much in improvisation music. The number of jazz albums devoted to "The Beatles"'s art is just a little bit more than a dozen (and this is during 50 years!). The new album of the great (and creative) team Cherkasy Jazz Quintet of Sergiy Krasheninnikov is our modest contribution into the treasure-box of jazz versions of songs by the Liverpulian four.
     Thus – thirteen LP albums by "The Beatles" (in the chronological order), one song from each. Something is closer to the original, something is farther: jazz is music that is free in its creative search and discoveries.
Let us hope that this new CD by Cherkasy Jazz Quintet will turn to be a nice present both for fans of "The Beatles", and for fans of jazz (which is far not always the same). The task is not easy (but feasible?)."

~Dmitry Zinkov (CD liner notes)