Artist: John Mayall
     Album: The Turning Point
     Year: 1969
     Genre: English Blues
     Format, bitrate: Mp3; 192 kb/s
     Size: 94,1 MB
     

     Recorded just after Mick Taylor departed for the Stones, John Mayall eliminated drums entirely on this live recording. With mostly acoustic guitars and John Almond on flutes and sax, Mayall and his band, as his typically overblown liner notes state, "explore seldom-used areas within the framework of low volume music." But it does work. The all-original material is flowing and melodic, with long jazzy grooves that don't lose sight of their bluesy underpinnings. Lyrically, Mayall stretches out a bit into social comment on "The Laws Must Change" on this fine, meditative mood album. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

     Artist: Keith Jarrett
     Album: Yesterdays
     Label: ECM 2060
     Year: 2001, Release Date: Jan 27, 2009
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kb/s
     Time: 76 min
     Size: 173,19 MB

     Yesterdays is the third title ECM has released by Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette (dubbed "the standards trio"). The first two -- The Out-of-Towners released in 2004 and My Foolish Heart issued in 2007 -- were actually recorded later than this live date recorded in Tokyo in April of 2001. This also marks a first in the pianist's career: the George Gershwin tune "You Took Advantage of Me" appeared on My Foolish Heart in a very different arrangement, making this the first time Jarrett has ever employed a single track on two consecutive albums. On My Foolish Heart Jarrett used a full-on ragtime intro to the tune. Here, he employs a denser harmonic construction based on its changes and melodic frame. When the band enters, the pop and swing in the tune become pronounced, standing in the same universe as ragtime (which is more than likely the reason Jarrett employed it before) but also much more sophisticated and harmonically complex. Other standouts on this fine set include the bop burners "Scrapple from the Apple" and "Shaw'nuff," the glorious ballads "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "You've Changed," and a deeply moving rendition of "Stella by Starlight." What is most remarkable about this band is its sense of balance between eloquence, interplay, improvisational communication, and swing. This group is not only a solid link to the tradition Jarrett, Peacock, and DeJohnette all came up with, but it is a solid teaching pointer as to how to employ standards for the music in the future. ~ Thom Jurek, AMG

     Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon & Brother Jack McDuff
     Album: The Blues Is Now
     Release Date: 2005; Recording Date: 1967
     Label: Verve
     Format: Flac (separate tracks)
     Size: 150+40 Mb

     Бесспорная величина джазовой и блюзовой органной музыки Джек Макдафф и джазовый, блюзовый певец Джимми Уизерспун (Jimmy Witherspoon) с альбомом «The Blues Is Now». Настоятельно рекомендую прослушать как любителям джаза, так и блюза.
     Джек Макдафф - Информация на английском.

     Jimmy Witherspoon recorded a series of excellent albums for Verve in the late '60s. Unfortunately, these have not received the attention they deserve, and are frequently relegated in Witherspoon's huge catalog. The Blues Is Now is arguably the finest of these recordings, and Witherspoon's voice is in top form and hugely expressive. Like all of the artist's albums of the decade, it's not the most consistent of listening experiences, but that's of little interest when songs and performances are as good as "My Baby's Quit Me" and Witherspoon's own "Late One Evening." A light-night blues classic, this is Witherspoon at his most relaxed and assured and is a joy to listen to. ~Thomas Ward, All Music Guide

     Artist: Charles Brown
     Album: Since I Fell For You
     Release Date: 1999
     Label: Garland (DCC Compact Classics)
     Type: Compilation
     Genre: Blues
     Format: Flac (image)
     Size: 159+75,3 Mb

     Американский блюзовый пианист, органист и певец Чарлз Браун (Charles Brown) с альбомом «Since I Fell For You». В целом джазовый материал, да и состав тоже (орган, саксофон, гитара, ударные), но сыгранный с большой блюзовой составляющей. Стоит отметить очень хороший звук от DCCCompact Classics (мастеринг Steve Hoffman).
     Рекомендую как любителям джаза, так и блюза, особенно уже знакомым с фортепианным блюзом в исполнении Чарлза Брауна.

     Фото Чарлза Брауна в галерее 1, 2.

     Artist: Elvin Jones
     Album: Time Capsule
     Label: Universe
     Year: 2002 [Recording Date: 1977]
     Genre: Jazz, Avant-Garde, Post-Bop, Hard Bop
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320 kbps
     Time: 40:36
     Size: 89 Mb

     Drummer Elvin Jones' Vanguard recordings of 1975-77, of which this was the final one, generally found him playing with all-stars or augmenting his band with guests. The five obscurities on this LP (three by altoist Bunky Green, who emerges as the date's top soloist) matches Jones with Green, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, the electric piano of Kenny Barron, bassist Junie Booth, guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, and percussionist Angel Allende. Two of the songs ("Frost Bite" and "Digital Display") have bassist Milt Hinton and flutist Frank Wess; the latter piece also adds the soprano of Frank Foster. Overall, the music is worthwhile, although not quite adding up to the sum of its many parts; the set has very little unity despite some individual fireworks. ~ AMG Scott Yanow

     Artist: Alvaro Bello
     Album: Meloalegria
     Release 2006
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
     Time: 53 min, 9 sec.
     Size: 128 mb.

     Замучила меня вчера бессонница. Ворочался я, значит, в кровати, наматывал на себя простыню, а попутно скипал музыку на плеере, подыскивая что-нибудь успокаивающее. Как назло, практически вся подборка была заполнена заводным бопом, что аж никак не настраивало на сон. Расстроившись окончательно, выбрал случайный режим воспроизведения, и сразу же полилась мне в уши лёгкая и ненавязчивая музыка (вот и говори, что плеер не имеет души - сам для меня мелодию подобрал). Оказалось, играет для меня некий музыкант - Alvaro Bello. Честно скажу, фамилия мне абсолютно не знакома, а вот мелодия как-то потянула в детство. Пел эту песню известный чилийский певец Виктор Хара. Тогда песня была исполнена в этаком маршеобразном стиле, а здесь - мягкая аранжировка, как раз для полуночников. Так что спешу поделиться с Вами приятной музыкой.

     Artists - Herb Ellis & Charlie Byrd
     Album - Guitar, Guitar
     Label - Columbia
     Year - 1963, release - 1964
     Quality - MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
     Size - 77,3 mb
     Total time - 34:56

     Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd (along with Barney Kessel) would team up as Great Guitars starting in the mid-'70s. However a decade before, Ellis and Byrd shared this record date, a quartet outing with bassist Keeter Betts and drummer Buddy Deppenschmidt. The 11 selections are all quite concise (only "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" exceeds four minutes) and fall into the easy-listening category; even "Lady Be Good" is taken fairly slow. A few sparks do occur between the distinctive guitar stylists (highlights include "Carolina in the Morning," "Three Quarter Blues" and "So Danco Samba") and this out-of-print LP is worth searching for but there are more significant Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd recordings readily available. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Glenn Gould/Leonard Bernstein New York Philarmonic
     Album: Beethoven: Concerto № 4 in G Major, Op. 58
     Year: rec. 1961
     Genre: Classical
     Label: Sony Bmg Music Entertainment
     Time: 36:44
     Format: MP3@320/kbs
     Size: 81.45 MB

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 was the piece with which Glenn Gould made his orchestral debut when he was 13, and he performed it more often than any of the composer's other concertos. This recording, with Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic, was made in 1961. Gould's performance is thoughtful, nuanced, and not at all eccentric. What's most striking about his playing is the degree to which he's able to bring out the individuality of the contrapuntal lines. His performance is extremely graceful. The opening of the first movement is luxuriantly fluid and sensuous, and the rhythmically driven sections are delicate and cleanly articulated. It's an understated performance that perfectly suits the character of this most subtle of Beethoven's piano concertos and Gould hides the work's technical demands by making the music seem effortless and spontaneous. Bernstein leads a soulful reading that's not at all flashy, which reveals the work's substance without putting a hugely individualistic stamp on it. The New York Philharmonic's sound is warm and full, and the playing is absolutely secure. Gould's characteristic humming is occasionally audible, but at such a low level that only the purist who demands absolutely clean sound is likely to be offended. A minor quibble: the CD only lasts a little over 35 minutes, and since Sony is reissuing all Gould's Columbia recordings, it would have made sense to pair the concerto with another piece to fill out the disc. by Stephen Eddins

     Artist: Oscar Peterson
     Album: Oscar Peterson Plays My Fair Lady & The Music from Fiorello!
     Label: Verve
     Realase: 1960
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/256
     Size: 62 MB + 70 MB
     Time: 76:38


     С удовольствием представляю довольно редкий альбом Великого Маэстро: Oscar Peterson Plays My Fair Lady & The Music from Fiorello! (2LP in 1CD) где он играет музыку из известных мюзиклов.
     Приятного прослушивания...

REPOST with new links from Mr. Bubu Hans.

     Artist: Bill Watrous
     Album: The Tiger of San Pedro
     Label: Columbia
     Year: 1975
     Format, bitrate: MP3 320 Kbps
     Time: 43:24
     Size: 90,4 Mb

     One of the finest bop-oriented trombonists of the past 30 years, Bill Watrous has had a low profile since moving to Los Angeles in the 1980s despite remaining quite active. Possessor of a beautiful tone and remarkable technique, Watrous has been constantly overlooked in jazz popularity polls of the past two decades. His father was a trombonist and introduced Bill to music. He played in traditional jazz bands as a teenager and studied with Herbie Nichols while in the military. Watrous made his debut with Billy Butterfield, and was one of the trombonists in Kai Winding's groups during 1962-1967. He was a busy New York-based studio musician during the 1960s, working and recording with Quincy Jones, Maynard Ferguson, Johnny Richards, and Woody Herman; playing in the television band for Merv Griffin's show (1965-1968); and working on the staff of CBS (1967-1969). After playing with the jazz-rock group Ten Wheel Drive in 1971, Watrous led his own big band (the Manhattan Wildlife Refuge) during 1973-1977, recording two superb albums for Columbia. After moving to Los Angeles in the late '70s, Watrous continued working in the studios, appearing at jazz parties, playing in local clubs, and leading an occasional big band. He has recorded as a leader for Columbia, Famous Door, Soundwings, GNP Crescendo, and with his late-'90s big band for Double-Time. — Scott Yanow

     Artist: Eric Marienthal
     Album: Crossroads
     Label: GRP Records
     Year: 1990
     Format: Flac
     Total time: 59:36
     Size: 380 MB + Artwork

     Not elevator music here, that's for sure. A fusion effort with an extremely talented band. A fusion's who's who. Chick Corea, Russel Ferrante, Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Patitucci, Terry Lyne Carrington, Alex Acuna (plus more). The music is vital probably due to the fact that the album was recorded live in the studio. Very emotional music, interesting adventuros compositions. It surely deserves to be listened carefully by the music enthusiast. One of the best and deepest album from Eric. At that time Eric left the elevator to record this album and entered the real music floor.

     Artist: Oscar Peterson
     Album: Quartet #1 (+1)
     Label: Verve
     Year: 1952
     Quality: MP3@320 kbit/s
     Size: 137 MB
     Time: 60:03


     This 1952 studio session is one of a few recordings made during guitarist Barney Kessel's brief tenure working with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown. Expanded to a quartet for this session by the addition of drummer Alvin Stoller, the group's extended workouts allow for a lot of showmanship, starting with Peterson's rapid-fire "The Astaire Blues," where the pianist's volcanic technique never fails to dazzle. The leader gives Kessel a bit more space in the subdued but swinging renditions of "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Body and Soul." Brown provides his usual strong pulse, while Stoller's rather light touch is welcome. Although reissued as a Book-of-the-Month Club LP during the '70s, this enjoyable session has been strangely overlooked for reissue on CD. ~ Review by Ken Dryden, AMG.

     Artists: Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan
     Album: In Session
     Label: Stax Records
     Year: 1983
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps
     Time: 63:49
     Size: 153 Mb

     Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan In Session is a Blues album by Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded live for TV in 1983 at CHCH-TV studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and released as an album in 1999.
     This album is notable as this is the only known recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and his idol Albert King together. It was recorded for one of a series of live television sessions recording the performances of various artists. The TV show was called In Session. Another interesting aspect of the album is that it includes short audio segments of the banter between the artists between songs (remembering that this was being broadcast as well).

     Artist: Khaled
     Album: N'sii N'ssi
     Label: Polygram Int'l
     Genre: Afro-pop
     Original Year: 1993
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320
     Size: 109 mb

     Algerian superstar Khaled is in New York on his first U.S. tour (in a double bill with Hakim of Eqypt) since 1991. Often called the King of Rai - a style combining north African roots music with the hottest dance beats - Cheb Khaled has become a global phenomenon, with fans around the globe and a strongly political message in favour of liberal ideas and cross-cultural exhange which has provoked the anger of islamic fundamentalist groups.
     Cheb (young) Khaled was a rebel in his day, an Algerian punk whose music blended racy lyrics with cheesy synths and drum machines in a sort of North African '80s techno. By the time he recorded this CD, he had dropped the Cheb and found that there was a whole world of sounds to choose from. Varying tracks were produced by Don Was and Phillipe Eidel. Eidel added a more lush, North African string orientation, while Was's tracks were pure-pop full of funky bass and R&B horns. Khaled's voice had matured as well, giving him assurance without losing that rebel edge. This recording had a lot of detractors when it came out, deriding it for being a betrayal of the rai "tradition." This is patently absurd, given that rai itself was only a generation old, and was created as a revolt against tradition. With N'ssi N'ssi, Khaled had grown, and so had his music. ~ Louis Gibson