Artist: George Benson
     Album: It's Uptown
     Label: Columbia
     Year: 1966, release: 1994
     Genre: Hard Bop / Soul Jazz
     Format, bitrate: MP3/320
     Size: 91,4 Mb

     It's Uptown remains a germinal jazz guitar album. Columbia/Legacy reissued the 1966 classic in 1994. Benson's guitar playing is drenched in bebop, but also strongly influenced by R&B and soul music, as is his quartet's sound overall. And the three vocal cuts -- "Summertime," "A Foggy Day," "Stormy Weather" -- foretell Benson's well-deserved success as an R&B and pop singer. Lonnie Smith's organ and Ronnie Cuber's baritone sax provide the group with an unmistakable signature sound, perhaps dated at first blush, but timeless in actuality. ~ David R. Adler, All Music Guide

     Artist: Monty Alexander Trio
     Album: Echoes of Jilly's
     Year: 1996
     Label: Concord
     Format: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 133,5 MB (rapidshare.com)



     From 1963-67, pianist Monty Alexander played regularly at Jilly's in New York City, a popular hangout where Frank Sinatra would occasionally drop in and, on very rare occasions, sing a song or two. This trio set with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Troy Davis gives Alexander an opportunity to pay tribute to both Jilly's and Sinatra. Performing 13 of the many hundreds of songs associated with the singer, Alexander plays melodic and swinging versions of such tunes as "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Just One of Those Things," "Fly Me to the Moon," "Come Fly With Me" and "Here's That Rainy Day," among others. The songs are mostly pretty familiar, and Alexander does not stretch himself all that much (the only real departure is his haunting unaccompanied melodica solo on "Strangers In the Night"), but his renditions are quite enjoyable and accessible. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artist: Paquito d'Rivera
     Album: Portraits of Cuba
     Quality: mp3@320 Kbps
     Size: 140 MB (scans)
     Year: 1996
     Label: Chesky Records
     Total time: 60:58

     Because Paquito D'Rivera is such a compelling improviser, one greets a heavily arranged and orchestrated session like Portraits of Cuba with some apprehension. But as it turns out, such apprehension is unwarranted, for the Cuban saxman/clarinetist still has enough room to solo and say what needs to be said. With this 1996 session, which was arranged and conducted by Carlos Franzetti and finds D'Rivera backed by combinations of up to 14 musicians, D'Rivera envisioned an Afro-Cuban equivalent of Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain -- and, to be sure, there are some parallels. Franzetti's classical-influenced arrangements recall Gil Evans' work with Davis, and D'Rivera paints an orchestral jazz picture of Cuba much as Davis painted an orchestral jazz picture of Spain. The key phrase here is "jazz picture" -- D'Rivera approaches famous Cuban songs like Ignacio Pineiro's "Echale Salsita" and Ernesto Lecuona's "Como Arrullo de Palmas" from an instrumental jazz perspective; this is jazz with both Afro-Cuban and classical elements, but it's jazz first and foremost. Recorded in New York around the time of the infamous Blizzard of 1996 -- which dumped up to three feet of snow on parts of the Northeastern U.S. -- Portraits of Cuba is among D'Rivera's most essential recordings. ~ Alex Henderson, AMG

     Artist: Enrico Pieranunzi
     Album: Racconti Mediterranei
     Original Release Date: 2000
     Audio CD: 2004
     Label: Egea
     Format: mp3 CBR 320
     Size: 99+39 MB



     Shortly after its initial release, this trio outing received numerous accolades from the European press. To that end, we can add this reviewer’s praise to the existing heap. Here, two major proponents of Europe’s modern jazz scene align with the great American bassist, Marc Johnson. Now just imagine sitting on a sandy beach, somewhere along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, preparing for a sunset that perhaps consummates a relaxing seaside day. Essentially, the band captures this sort of Mediterranean mood, amid jazzy motifs featuring clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi’s enduringly lyrical clarinet work. While pianist Enrico Pieranunzi harmonizes with the clarinetist’s hybrid Italian folk/jazz melodies via fluent single note runs and daintily executed progressions. Johnson is the bond here, yet this is a cooperative effort. At times, you could hear a pin drop, thanks to the artists’ softly stated themes. Moreover, you could almost feel the warm, Mediterranean wind ruffling through the air, as the trio offers us a film score for the mind’s eye. ~ Glenn Astarita, Discuss

     Artist: Jack McDuff
     Album: Legends Of Acid Jazz
     Label: Prestige
     Year: 1964, release : 1997
     Genre: Soul Jazz
     Format, bitrate: MP3/320
     Time: 69:50
     Size: 152 Mo

     Artist: Ray Charles
     Album: Invites You To Listen
     Label: ABC
     Year: 1967
     Format, bitrate: MP3@192 kbit/s (LP rip)
     Time: 0.42:06
     Size: 58 Mb

     Диск был выпущен на виниле в 1967 году и с тех пор никогда не переиздавался. 8 из 10 вещей никогда после этого Рэем не исполнялись.
     Исполнение и аранжировка, по-моему, гениальны!
     К сожалению, запись не очень хорошая, т.к. сделана со старого винила, но лучшего качества не существует вообще нигде.
     Наслаждайтесь.

     Artist: Grant Green
     Album: Feelin' the Spirit
     Label: Blue Note
     Release Date: 1962
     Format: MP3@320 kbit/s + Flac
     Size: 100 MB (MP3) + 276 MB (Flac)
     Time: 47:36 (MP3) + 47:11 (Flac)
     AMG Rating: