Artist:Johnny Varro's Swing 7
     Album:Ring dem Bells
     Label: Arbors ARCD 19362
     Year: 2007, release:2008
     Format, bitrate: MP3 320
     Time:73 Min
     Size: 167.1Mb
     AMG Rating:



This is the tenth Arbors label effort for pianist Johnny Varro as a leader, and the fourth with his Swing 7. An unsung hero to many in the modern mainstream or swing-to-bop world, Varro just keeps rolling along with his repertoire of consistently swinging vintage-based jazz that always holds attention due to the fact that he continually selects tunes either less recognized, forgotten, or off the beaten path. The musicianship on the front line is first-rate, with tenor saxophonist Scott Robinson, clarinetist and alto saxophonist Ken Peplowski, trumpeter Randy Sandke, and trombonist Dan Barrett portraying individual marks of excellence -- all familiar roster members from the Arbors stable. Bassist Frank Tate and drummer Joe Ascione join Varro in a supportive role more than as the main attraction. Going back to the Jelly Roll Morton songbook, the septet does the blues "Sweet Substitute" with Barrett's singing trombone leading the way and Sandke following, while "Buddy Bolden's Blues" is easy for these masterful musicians to the point of being standard fare, when in fact it is not. Duke Ellington is well represented on the upbeat title track where Varro sets the tone; Peplowski's Johnny Hodges-influenced alto sax bubbles and bristles during "Stompy Jones"; and there's a beautifully reverent, chamber-styled, quite different take of "Come Sunday." Varro's freshness comes out on an extrapolated and modified version of "You Stepped Out of a Dream"; Peplowski's clarinet is rendered in pronounced tones, fronting the remaining hushed horns for "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise"; the fun sound of the cartoonish Raymond Scott or John Kirby sextet is perfectly assimilated during a mutated take of Fryderyk Chopin's Minute Waltz; and the finale, "Sonny Speaks," is an out-and-out bopper. Varro's Swing 7 is one of the real sleeper mainstream bands, a complete ensemble in style, substance, and pure musicality, and one that more jazz listeners should pick up on. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

     Artists: VA
     Album: G.I.Jukenbox Vol.5 Original Hits From The Swing Era
     Label: Hindsight
     Years: 1937-1946, release: 1993
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 122 mb
     Total time: 56:29



To understand a nation you must first listen to its songs. The music on this CD provided the soundtrack to the proudest decade in American history - the years of the Swing Era - from the booming late 30s, through the Second World War and on into the confident early days of victory. There used to be a radio show called "Make Believe Ballroom" that featured the great bands of the day. But in fact the airwaves were all one enormous make-believe-ballroom - or dance pavilion or nightclub - in the 1930s and 1940s. And when war came that ballroom grew to global proportions. Here are some more radio sounds from that fabulous era. ~ from liner notes.

    Artist: Big Joe Turner
    Album: The Boss Of The Blues
    Label: Collectables Records
    Year: 1956; release: 1990
    Genre: Jump Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 44:16
    Size: 101 Mb
    AMG Rating:

During an era when Big Joe Turner recordings were often surprise hits with rock & roll fans (particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll"), he occasionally recorded no-nonsense blues-oriented jazz dates too. This reissue album matched Turner for one of the last times with the veteran boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson and also includes a variety of top swing players: trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Lawrence Brown, altoist Pete Brown, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Walter Page, and drummer Cliff Leeman. It is not surprising, considering the number of Basie-ites on the date, that the band often sounds like a Count Basie combo. Turner is in top form on remakes of some of his early tunes (including "Cherry Red," "Roll 'Em Pete," and "Wee Baby Blues"), a few traditional blues, and a couple of swing standards. This music should appeal to many listeners. - Scott Yanow at All Music Guide

     Artists: VA
     Album: Gotham Beat - Big Bands Swing New York!
     Label: Hindsight
     Years: 1940-1957, release: 1995
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 100 mb (sharebee)
     Total time: 46:55





This is a collection of songs saluting facets of life in New York City. The tracks are all recast from previous Hindsight vinyl releases (with many of them finding their way to CD for the first time in improved sound). They are a neat compendium of the diverse big band sounds and styles which tacled these New York-themed compositions. This is music which is timeless in its mirroring of life in "the city that never asleeps". ~ Eliot Tiegel

Думаю, что стоит нам снова вернуться к темам Swing и Big Bands. К сожалению, многие посетители нашего Клуба с предубеждением относятся к классическим направлениям в джазе, не читают информацию об альбомах, исполнителях и практически не слушают многие альбомы из тех, что представлены в Клубе. Думается, что эти люди себя обделяют, не дают себе возможность не только получить удовольствие от очень приятной и ритмичной музыки , но и узнать о ней побольше. Напомню, что в нашем Клубе есть множество очень редких и раритетных альбомов, которых в Сети вы просто не найдёте! Я не стану останавливаться на биографиях отдельных фигур в джазе, они в Клубе представлены достаточно полно, но напомню, что перед прослушиванием альбомов имеет смысл перечитать биографию музыканта или историю коллектива.

Свинг — это общее название музыкальной культуры целой эпохи прошлого столетия, включающей в себя музыку, танцы, стиль одежды, жизни и поведения, возникшей на волне развития и становления ранней джазовой музыки.

Свинг (англ. swing — покачивание) — джазовый ритмический рисунок, при котором первая из каждой пары играемых нот продлевается, а вторая сокращается, при этом, музыкальное исполнение получает интенсивную битовую пульсацию — волнообразное движение, которое создаётся на контрасте бита и офф-бита, производя впечатление раскачки, или свинга.Почти все формы свинга характеризуются синкопированным (укороченным) ритмом.

Для профессиональных джазменов свинг — это то чувство, в отсутствие которого невозможно сыграть джаз, по их убеждению джаза без свинга просто не существует.И лучше других это выразил Дюк Эллингтон, сыграв в 1932 году композицию «It Don't Mean A Thing, If It Ain't Got That Swing» ( «Все, что не имеет свинга — не имеет смысла»).

     Artist: Tutti Camarata
     Album: Tutti's Trombones
     Label: Buena Vista BVS2003
     Year: ; release: 1970
     Genre: jazz bop
     Format, bitrate: mp3 256 VBR kbps + @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 36:35
     Size: 34.0 Mb + 78 Mb

Very rare album. Please enjoy.

A 10 trombone group including Frank Rosolino with rhythm section.

     Artist: Ahmad Jamal
     Album: A Quiet Time
     Label: Dreyfus Records
     Year: rec. Jul 9 - Jul. 11, 2009 /rel. 2009
     Format: MP3@ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 66:28
     Size: 154, 6 Mb
     AMG rating:

    Artist: Jimmy Reed
    Album: Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall / The Best Of Jimmy Reed
    Label: Mobile Fidelity
    Year: ; release: 1961
    Genre: Harmonica Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 256 kb/s vbr
    Time: 1:03:57
    Size: 82,7 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

This was originally issued as a vinyl double album by Vee-Jay in the early '60s. The first 12 tracks are not "live" at all (the disclaimer is in the liners) but instead are some nice middle-period studio tracks while the following dozen constitutes a "reissue" of the label's Best of Jimmy Reed album. Stereophiles will love this as the sound is Mobile Fidelity impeccable, even on the mono masters, while stereo masters of such classics as "Baby What You Want Me to Do" and "Big Boss Man" sound almost revelatory. Not the place to start (even with most of the hits aboard), but if you have to have some classic Jimmy Reed in clean stereo, this is the place to go. - Cub Koda at All Music Guide

     
     Artist: Art Pepper
     Album: Living Legend     Label: OJC
     Year: 1975, release: 1992
     Format: FLAC (cue+log)
     Size: 251 MB (full scans)
     Time: 48:48
     AMG rating




     Art Pepper, one of the major bop altoists to emerge during the '50s, started his comeback with this excellent set, Living Legend. After 15 years filled with prison time and fighting drug addiction, Pepper was finally ready to return to jazz. Accompanied by three of his old friends (pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Shelly Manne), Pepper displays a more explorative and darker style than he had previously. He also shows a greater emotional depth in his improvisations and was open to some of the innovations of the avant-garde in his search for greater self-expression. Although this recording would be topped by the ones to come, the music (five Pepper originals and an intense version of "Here's That Rainy Day") is quite rewarding. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG
   

    Artist: Lonnie Johnson with Elmer Snowden
    Album: Blues & Ballads
    Label: Bluesville/Original Blues Classics
    Year: 1960; release: 1990
    Genre: Country Blues
    Format mp3, bitrate: 224 kb/s
    Time: 43:52
    Size: 75,3 Mb (covers)
    AMG Rating:

This combination works quite well. Guitarist-singer Lonnie Johnson was just starting a successful comeback, and here he is teamed up with acoustic rhythm guitarist Elmer Snowden (who had not recorded since 1934) and bassist Wendell Marshall. Johnson sings smooth blues and sentimental ballads with equal skill, and both guitarists have opportunities to display their complementary but distinctive styles. This CD reissue is easily recommended. - Scott Yanow at All Music Guide