Artist - René Thomas
Album - Modern Group
Label: Polydor
Recorded: 1956
Size: 41,9Mb (LP-rip)
Quality: mp3/192 kbps

"I absolutely adore Rene Thomas music. I knew him first as a man, a very nice and honest man, then recently, late at night listening to a college radio station, they played the entire record of Rene with Chet Baker ; I loved it - great sound, great lines, great feeling - what a National Treasure Rene is for the rather formidable Jazz scene that has generated from Belgium ... I appreciate so much that I could met him before he left us ... merci, Rene, J't'aime ... au revoir !"
LARRY CORYELL : (Guitar genius booklet)

Artist: Stephane Grappelli & Diz Dizley Trio
Album: Violinspiration
Label - MPS
Year - 1975
Quality- MP3@192 kbps (LP-rip)
Size - 61,8 mb

It was while organising the Cambridge Folk Festivals in the early 70's that Diz invited Stephane Grappelli to make an appearance. Steph had not played his style of Jazz since Django died in 1953 - mainly because he couldn't find reliable acoustic guitar players. The best guitar players to suit his style of Violin Jazz were all gypsies - & reliability was a problem. It was for that reason that Steph had stepped out of the limelight for almost 20 years, before meeting with Diz. Stephane wanted a pianist to accompany him at the Cambridge Folk Festival, but Diz couldn't get the piano across the field to the stage, so he suggested that he & Denny Wright accompany the legendary Stephane Grappelli. It was an outstanding success. When Diz formed the Diz Disley Trio with Ike Isaacs, Steph was asked to lead the band on a short tour.

Artist - Leroy Vinnegar
Album - Walkin' The Basses
Label - Contemporary
Year - 1992
Quality - MP3@320 kbps
Size: 64+62 mb
Total time - 41:18

Bassist Leroy Vinnegar was a familiar figure on the West Coast scene of the late '50s and early '60s and drew praises for his entertaining, yet musically sophisticated "walking" basslines. Vinnegar has not lost his prowess, and this album features him heading a group with pianist Geoff Lee, drummer, Mel Brown and percussionist Curtis Craft.
While it is Vinnegar's date, he doesn't dominate, but sets the table. Vinnegar produced the session and arranged nine of the eleven songs, co-arranging a tenth with Lee.
It isn't so much easy listening as nice, sophisticated material from four established pros who enjoy working with each other.

Artist: Cliff Jordan
Album: Cliff Jordan
Label: Blue Note
Quality: FLAC & MP3@320
Size: 156 MB & 87 MB
Time: 40:37

One of the great lost ones from Blue Note -- hard to find in any pressing, and a killer hardbop session from the days when the label could crank them out with a quality unmatched by other labels! Jordan's leading an unusual group here -- a septet, with Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, John Jenkins, Ray Bryant, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor -- and although on first glance, the session may appear to be more of an unstructured blowing session, it's actually not, and holds together nicely throughout. Titles include "Not Guilty", "St. John", "Blue Shoes", and "Ju-Ba". (United Artists pressing. Cover has a small cut corner, otherwise looks great!) © 1996-2008, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Artist - René Thomas
Album - René Thomas And His Orchestra
Label - Barclay
Year - 1997
Quality - MP3@192 kbps
Size - 37 mb


Rene Thomas was a poet of the guitar. He left his mark upon me. He was the synthesis of Django and Jimmy Raney's American School. It's fantastic. I've a bit associated with him and he was a personage. I was very influenced by his style when he heard me. It pleased him and he was proud of that. One day, I pointed it out to him and he answered me : You could choise worse !
CHRISTIAN ESCOUDE : (Jazz Hot number 541, June 1997)

Artist: Krzysztof Komeda
Album: The Complete Recordings of Krzysztof Komeda vol. 13 - FilmMusic
Label: CD 159 Polonia
Year: 1998
Genre: Jazz
Format, bitrate: MP3@320 kbps
Time: 51:17
Size: 111.78 Mb

Комеда (Trzcinski ) родился 27 апреля 1931 года в Познани, начал играть на фортепиано возрасте до семи лет. Получил медицинское образование. С 1956 по 1962 гг, Комеда и его трио приняли участие во многих польских фестивалях всегда представляя очень амбициозные программы. В эти же годы пришли и первые успехи в гастрольной деятельности: в Москве, Гренобле, Париже, Стокгольме. В 1965 году Komeda Quintet выпустил свой исторической альбом под названием Polskie Nagrania . Альбом получил прекрасную прессу по всему миру. Особый этап это творческое содружество Комеды с Романом Полански. Музыка к фильмам наполнена славянским лиризмом, польской романтической музыкальной традицией. Десятилетия прошли после трагической смерти Комеды (23 апреля 1969 г.) , однако, его музыка все еще жива, вдохновляя художников и новых слушателей.

Artist - Lee Konitz
Album - 317 EAST 32ND
Label - Modern Jazz Archive
Year -
Quality - MP3@320 kbps
Size:68,2+89,4

I think this album is also known as "Sound-Lee", but here it is one of the two cd's from the "Modern Jazz Archive" and it's called 317 East 32nd.
Lee Konitz is a unique altoist with a very distinct sound. He has often been called one of the foremost saxophonists of cool jazz along with such other great players like Art Pepper, Stan Getz, and Zoot Sims. Although mainly playing on alto saxophone, Konitz also used the tenor and soprano for recordings. Konitz played with Claude Thornhill's orchestra and was an important member of Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet. He then became known as one of the most important cool alto saxophone players. Especially because of his tonality and inflection he has usually been seen as a cool jazz player. But the label cool had often a negative connotation to it as the altoist's work does not lack emotional expressiveness. It is too restrictive for the wide variety of works Konitz has been involved in throughout his long career. Konitz' influence also transcended the limits of the USA and he proved a significant figure in the development of European jazz in the '50s. Konitz' work influenced many other major players including Art Pepper, Bud Shank, and Paul Desmond. Konitz' first influence and one of his favorite musicians was Lester Young. A lot of Konitz' approach to jazz also stems from studying with Lennie Tristano, a very strong individual himself. In Konitz' early playing, Tristano's influence was still quite apparent. But soon he had found his own unique style of playing. So much so that during the late '40s he was one of the few alto saxophone players who did not follow along Charlie Parker's lines. In contrast to Parker, Konitz played with a very smooth sound and no vibrato. Instead of rhythmic variation, Kontz' play was marked by long smooth lines using the full range of the horn. So when most young players were sounding a lot like Parker, he found his own way of expressing himself. Throughout his career, Konitz has constantly re-examined his play, stayed open to different influences, and absorbed inspiration from other players. Konitz is one of the great improvisers of jazz.

Artist - Boris Vanderlek
Albnum - Blue & Sentimental
Label - A Records
Year - 2003, released - 2005
Quality - MP3@320 kbps
Size: 68,2+60,8 mb

What great album!

Recorded in 2003, released on A-Records of Challenge Recordings in 2005

After witnessing a spectacular battle of tenor saxes at Holland’s North Sea Jazz Festival, where his parents took him in his early teens, Boris Vanderlek decided he wanted to be a tenorman.
That he has been since 1982, in different settings and with many different bands in the jazz and rock scene. He’s most known for being a member of The Houdinis, Tough Tenors and Wild Romance.
After all this time of being a bandmember it was about time that he’s record an album as a leader, which has turned out to be this beautiful recording.

On this album Boris takes us on a musical excursion down memory lane. It consists of ten standards which have long been associated with a singer, a group or a soloist. For example Frank Sinatra’s first hit with the Tommy Dorsey Band “Polka Dots And Moonbeams’.
This carefully selected line-up ofstandards also demonstrates how enjoyably the retror trend has taken possesion of this album.

     Artist - Erroll Garner
     Album - Erroll Garner Plays Misty
     Label - Naxos Jazz Legend
     Years: 1953-1954
     Quality - MP3@320 kbps
     Size:

     Erroll Garner was a true original. No pianist sounded like him before he rose to prominence in the mid-1940s, and few ever played with his consistent joy. Throughout his career, Garner defied several stereotypes. He was always very popular yet never watered down his music. His style did not change much after 1950 yet it never became stale, overly predictable or safe. In a time when jazz was being seen as more ‘serious’ and less entertaining, Garner had no trouble exciting large crowds. And although he never learned to read music, he wrote several notable compositions including ‘Misty’. Music seemed to magically flow through Erroll Garner, and he gave the impression that he never even needed to look at the keyboard; all he had to do was sit down at the piano.[b]

Artist - Milt Buckner.
Album - Birthday Party For H.G.B.S.
Label - MPS
Year - 1970
Quality - MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
Size - 87,8 mb
Total time - 42:00



MPS label formed in the mid-1960s by the late Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, it’s hard to say what was more remarkable: that a studio based in the small town of Villingen, in the German Black Forest, could create a body of work 700 records strong; that it could promote European artists including Jean-Luc Ponty, Albert Mangelsdorff and Joachim Kuhn as well as attract North American musicians including Oscar Peterson, Art Farmer and Milt Buckner; or that it could create a signature sound so distinctive that it rivaled another German label, ECM, for sheer purity of aesthetic.

Artist: Jimmy Raney
Album: Here's That Raney Day
Label: Black & Blue
Year: 1980
Quality: mp3/256 kbps
Size: 106 Mb
With all Covers


Jimmy Raney was the definitive cool jazz guitarist, a fluid bop soloist with a quiet sound who had a great deal of inner fire. He worked with local groups in Chicago before spending nine months with Woody Herman in 1948. From then on he was in the major leagues, having associations with Al Haig, Buddy DeFranco, Artie Shaw, and Terry Gibbs. His work with Stan Getz (1951-1952) was historic, as the pair made for a classic musical partnership. Raney was also very much at home in the Red Norvo Trio (1953-1954) before spending six years primarily working in a supper club with pianist Jimmy Lyon (1954-1960). After playing with Getz during 1962-1963, he returned to Louisville and was outside of music until resurfacing in the early '70s. During the 1970s, Raney recorded often for Xanadu. He worked frequently with his son Doug Raney (who has a very similar sound on guitar) and was less active in the late '80s and '90s, up until his 1995 death.

Artist: Jimmy Raney
Album: The Complete Jimmy Raney in Tokyo
Label: Xanadu/EMP Musique
Year: 1976
Quality: mp3/256 kbps
Size: 106 Mb

Jimmy Raney is an undiscovered treasure. The depth of the musicanship, especially on this album is clearly unmatched by any guitarist. The cross the bar line phrasing, long lines, perfect time, bird references and general melodic genius. No one gets close to this. He was on the level of Charlie Parker and Bud Powell on his instrument or close to it. Amazon.com

Artist: Сhick Сorea
Album: Rendezvous In New York
Label: Stretch Records. Inc.
Year: 2003
Genre: Jazz, Piano, Vocal, Experimental
Format, bitrate: mp3@320Kbps
Time: 65min + 61min
Size: 135Mb + 143Mb

Этот диск являет собой фрагменты живых выступлений Чика Кориа и его друзей-музыкантов. По содержанию и по составу участников - совершенно бесподобный релиз. Что ни имя, то Имя. При всей предсказуемости Кореа последнего десятилетия, а запись отстоит не так давно по времени от дня сегодняшнего, это все-таки событие. Подобные этому музыкальные события комментировать, такому как я дилетанту, очень не просто. Дух захватывает от чувства почтения к Именам. Посему умолкаю. Предлагаю просто послушать музыку. Никаких откровений конечно не случится, но все сыграно очень внушительно, профессионально-выверено и беспроигрышно.

     Artist: Luiz Bonfa
     Album: Non-Stop to Brazil
     Label: Chesky
     Year: 1989
     Quality: Mp3@320 kbps
     Size: 100 mb

     I could talk about Bonfa the composer or I can talk about Bonfa the guitarist. In either case I would be describing someone who is at the level that most composers and most guitarists aspire to be at. Bonfa has complete control of his instrument and, in addition to that, he’s able to get a warm, rich sound out of something that is basically a piece of wood. At the same time, his catchy melodies keep drawing you back to them and, like Jobim’s songs, have a familiar quality to them that makes you believe you’ve heard them before.

     Artist: Lee Konitz
     Album: Parallels
     Year: 2001
     Label: Chesky Records
     Genre: Jazz, Modern Post Bop
     Format, bitrate: APE, cue
     Size: 341 MB
     Total time: 0.58:00

     The veteran alto saxman isn't doing gospel music anymore, but the staff at Chesky set Konitz and the other members of his quartet up in the perfect acoustic environment of St. Peter's Church in the Chelsea area of New York City. Sonics aside, this is a solid, though fairly laid-back date which displays the formidable ensemble and solo talents of each member. Drummer Bill Goodwin and acoustic bassist Steve Gilmore provide an increasingly swinging rhythm line for Konitz to dance over on an inventive arrangement of "How Deep Is the Ocean." Guitarist Peter Bernstein adds some subtle Wes Montgomery style harmony lines, but the band plays it close to the vest for most of the tune. Bernstein's crisp improvisational solo section is the highlight. With the exception of that tune, a smoky rendition of "Skylark," and Lenny Tristano's "317 East 32nd Street," the collection offers a glimpse of Konitz's strong composing skills. One of the most remarkable aspects of this date is the joyful give and take interaction between Konitz's alto and guest tenor saxman Mark Turner on the bouncy "317 East 32nd" and the ballad "Eyes," which the two co-wrote. On the latter, Konitz and Turner sometimes engage in a witty repartee, and sometimes they fuse for a cool horn section effect. In his liner notes, Konitz says that the nature of this music is filled with possibilities to be creative. Working with cohorts like this, there's no possibility of anything else. ~ Jonathan Widran AMG

Artist: Ignaz Dinne & Ron Carter
Album: The Next Level
Label: Doublemoon
Recording Date: Oct 11, 2005
Released: Feb 1, 2008
Quality: 320 kbps
Genre: post bop jazz
Size: 120 mb

Still in his mid-30s, Ignaz Dinné is still sufficiently young and fond of discovery to deal with new songs and people with curiosity without prejudices. But at the same time, he has further expanded and solidified the maturity he demonstrated in his debut. This becomes clear in his own compositions, which already sound like standards (e.g., “Pete’s Place”) the first time we hear them, but also in his interpretations of Monk classics, of which there are two on “The Next Level”, certainly also in remembrance of his studies at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (by the way, as the first European and first saxophonist!). Dinné also relies on the two New Yorkers Pete Rende and Jochen Rueckert on piano and drums in his second CD, a group that has played together well for six years in the meantime. In addition, there is mentor and friend Ron Carter on the bass, who is one of the few living real giants of jazz history. But this is nothing unusual for Dinné; born in Bremen in 1971 as son of the known trombonist Ed Kröger, the naturally talented alto saxophonist studied under and played with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Heath, Curtis Fuller and many others. They all predict a great career for him, because he is rooted with convincing naturalness in the tradition of (modern) jazz and he has already achieved a lot at a young age, which many only succeed in doing (or don’t succeed) much later: an unmistakable sound, musical expression that cannot be copied, and aloof but captivating aesthetics.

Artist - Duke Ellington
Album - Original recordings 1945
Label - Naxos Jazz
Year - 1945, release - 2002
Quality - MP3@320 kbps + covers
Size - 134,4 mb

In 1944-45 recordings by Duke Ellington's orchestra began to take a slightly different direction with vocalists being featured more and more. At one stage the Duke had five - Al Hibbler, Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, Marie Ellington and Ray Nance. Some jazz fans believed the band reached a low point when the three female vocalists were featured on It Don't Mean A Thing, a recording noted only for the fine solos by Nance on violin and trumpeter Taft Jordan. Also the quality of the soloists had declined. Al Sears, a competent and superficially exciting tenor saxophonist, was no Ben Webster and many criticised clarinettist Jimmy Hamilton claiming his slickness was no substitute for the sensuousness of Barney Bigard. Although a third of the 18 tracks on Air Conditioned Jungle are vocals there are compensations - trombonist Lawrence Brown shines on the swinging Midriff and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges is at his peerless best on Mood To Be Wooed. Duke plays excellently with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra on Sy Oliver's The Minor Goes A Muggin and Dorsey returns the compliment with the Ellington band, his immaculate trombone adding nice touches to Tonight I Shall Sleep (With A Smile On My Face) which also has a fine solo on Hodges. However, it's the Black, Brown and Beige set which contains the meaty fireworks especially the first 11 transcriptions recorded in 1943 for radio use only by the World Program Service during the two-year recording ban (1942-44) imposed by the musicians' union. The soloists, notably Hodges, Brown, Nance (trumpet and violin), cornetist Rex Stewart and trombonist 'Tricky Sam' Nanton are in top form. Stewart, with his unusual half-valve technique (a squeezed tonal sound obtained by depressing the valve half­way) is in his element on the extended Boy Meets Horn, first recorded in 1938. Ellington staples such as Mood Indigo (here the definitive five minute version) and Caravan (great swinging violin) and Creole Love Call (Nanton magnificent in a plunger mood) are all the better for being longer than usual. Mary Lou Williams arrangement of Blue Skies gets an early workout; three years later it would be renamed Trumpets All Out with the emphasis on that section. A 26-year-old Dizzy Gillespie was in the trumpet section on the first six tracks but was not given solo space. A pity but anyone who digs the Duke will love this set.

   Artist: Lee Wiley
   Album: Night in Manhattan
   Label: Columbia CL 656
   Quality: FLAC & MP3@320
   Size: 183 MB & 82 MB
   Time: 37:15

   A classic set from singer Lee Wiley -- and proof that she was one of the best small group jazz vocalists of her time! The album's got a nice small combo swing mode -- with players that include Bobby Hackett, Joe Buskin, and Stan Freeman -- all backing Lee in a mellow set of familiar numbers, done in an easygoing sort of way. Titles include "Manhattan", "Street Of Dreams", "A Woman's Intuition", "Oh Look At Me Now", and "Soft Lights & Sweet Music". (Original 6 eye logo pressing.)
   © 1996-2008, Dusty Groove America, Inc.