Note :

http://www.rigmorgustafsson.com

http://www.myspace.com/rigmorgustafsson

Sortie : 2007

Style : Jazz

Tracklist :

01.Rigmor Gustafsson - In My World
02.Voodo Skills
03.Still
04.Special Effects
05.Joy To Me
06.You Don't Have To Worry
07.Will Our Love Be There
08.Nothing's Better Than Love
09.Medan Du Vantar
10.Don't Do It In Here
11.It's All There
12.On Higher Ground
13.Alone With You

Not every singer who is relevant to vocal jazz is a rigid purist who completely rejects the influence of R&B, pop, and folk. There are some jazz-friendly singers who stray outside of jazz, which is what Swedish singer/songwriter Rigmor Gustafsson often does on Alone with You. Parts of this CD offer straight-ahead post-bop, while other parts are more pop-minded and/or R&B-ish and draw on influences ranging from Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro to Stevie Wonder. And the good news is that whether Alone with You veers in a post-bop direction or more of a pop/R&B direction, this is one of Gustafsson's more consistent albums. Some of Gustafsson's releases have a reputation for being uneven, but this 2007 recording does a better job of staying on track creatively -- and that may have to do with the fact that it is a very hands-on project for her. Every melody on Alone with You was composed by Gustafsson herself, ranging from the straight-ahead post-bop of "On Higher Ground" to the jazzy pop/R&B of "Special Effects" and "Voodoo Skills" to the folkish moves of "Medan du Väntar" (which is the only Swedish-language offering on an album that is performed primary in English). Gustafsson didn't write all of the lyrics; five of the 13 tracks use the talents of other lyricists, including Swedish jazz singer Lina Nyberg on "Special Effects." But Gustafsson wrote most of the lyrics, and she definitely wrote all of the melodies on a solid effort that isn't recommended to jazz purists but is among the more memorable discs in her catalog. ~ Alex Henderson

Composer: Rigmor Gustafsson.

Personnel: Rigmor Gustafsson (vocals, background vocals); Max Schultz (guitar); Jonas Ostholm (piano, organ); Lars Danielsson (acoustic bass); Eric Harland (drums, percussion).JazzTimes (pp.72-73) - "[I]t is the closing title track, a dreamy dissection of an ideal romantic evening that turns out to be pure fantasy, that best exemplifies the strength of Gustafsson's writing, and performing, skills."

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Note :

 

http://www.laika.net

http://www.myspace.com/laikajazz

 

Sortie : 2008

Style : Jazz

 

Tracklist :

1 Strange Fruit 5:12
2 Lady's Back In Town 4:15
3 Don't Explain 3:07
4 You Can't Lose A Broken Heart 3:18
5 What's New 2:07
6 All Of You 3:39
7 How Deep Is The Ocean 4:39
8 Lover Come Back To Me 4:39
9 Misery 4:38
10 You Turned The Tables On Me 4:55
11 Gloomy Sunday 5:12
12 Left Alone 5:21

 

tribute to Billie Holiday - in memory of Thomas Shipp and Abraham Smith.

La chanteuse et comédienne Laïka Fatiendébute sa carrière de leader en 2004 avec la sortie de son premier album Look at Me Now… Encensé par les médias et plébiscité par le public dès sa parution, Look at Me Now annonce une carrière très prometteuse… C´était sans compter sur la discrétion de cette chanteuse qui aime mûrir les choses et prendre son temps… Résultat, il nous aura fallu attendre quatre ans et cette année 2008 afin de pouvoir redécouvrir cette magnifique voix, et ce grâce à la sortie de son nouvel album intitulé Misery, hommage à la légendaire Billie Holiday.
Enregistré en février 2008 à Paris, Miserybénéficie d´un lineup de musiciens exceptionnels liant tradition et modernité afin de porter ce très beau projet. Outre une sélection très personnelle de chansons et des arrangements très originaux,la voix de Laïka nous envoûte par sa sensualité, son ampleur,son sens du texte et de la musique.
Avec Misery, C´est une artiste confirmée qui nous revient, une artiste dont le succès ne fait plus aucun doute. Confirmation !

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Note :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennie_Green

Sortie :1958
Style : Jazz

Tracklist :
1. I Love You - 6:08
2. Melba's Mood - 5:35
3. Just Friends - 7:03
4. You're Mine, You - 5:18
5. Bennie Plays The Blues - 8:25
6. Green Street - 5:09

LINEUP: Bennie Green (trombone), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Joe Knight (piano), George Tucker (bass), Louis Hayes (drums)





It's evident from the opening pair of Latin-flavored performances that Back on the Scene is one of Bennie Green's most diverse efforts. Green's warm, supple tone and fondness for swinging, bop-influenced mainstream jazz and jump blues hasn't disappeared; he's just found new facets in his style. The infectious Latin rhythms on Cole Porter's "I Love You" and "Melba's Mood" are welcome, as is "You're Mine You," which showcases Green's sensitive ballad style. Reviving the standard "Just Friends" emphasizes the trombonist's ties to big band and bop, particularly through tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse's strong solos. The jumping "Bennie Plays the Blues" and "Green Street" are also terrific, finding Green, Rouse and pianist Joe Knight trading full-bodied solos. Even with this vast array of styles, Back on the Scene retains all the good-natured spirit and humor of his earlier Prestige albums.
~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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from Wikipedia :
John Josephus Hicks, Jr. (December 21, 1941, Atlanta, Georgia – May 10, 2006) was an American jazz pianist and composer, active in the New York and the international jazz scene from the mid-1960s.

Biography
 Hicks studied music at Lincoln University in Missouri and Berklee School of Music in Boston before moving to New York in 1963.He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1964-1965) and occasionally in the 1970s, worked with Betty Carter (1966-1968, 1975-1980), and was in one of Woody Herman's groups (1968-1970). From the early 1980s until his death he performed solo and led his own groups including The Keystone Trio. Hicks played and recorded with jazz artists such as David Murray, Joe Lovano, David "Fathead" Newman, George Mraz, Arthur Blythe, Kenny Barron and many others. The pianist recorded the seventh instalment of the "Live at Maybeck Recital Hall" series of solo concerts, which were recorded for Concord Records.

DISCOGRAPHY :

• Hell's Bells (1978) - Strata-East Records, with Clint Houston, Cliff Barbaro
• After the Morning (1979) with [[Walter Booker]Bass], [Clifford Barbaro - Drums] West 54 Records
• Some Other Time (1981)
• John Hicks (1984)
• Luminous (1988)
• Two of a Kind (1989)
• Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 7 (1991)
• In Concert (1993)
• Beyond Expectations (1994)
• Piece for My Peace (1996)
• After the Morning (1997)
• Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook (1998)
• Hicks Time: Solo Piano (1999)
• Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook (1999)
• Impressions of Mary Lou (2000)
• Music in the Key of Clark: Remembering Sonny Clark (2002)
• Fatha's Day: An Earl Hines Songbook (2003)
• Sweet Love of Mine (2006)
• On the Wings of an Eagle (2007)
• I Remember You"' (2009)
• Passion Flower (2009)

Note :
Tracklist :

http://www.myspace.com/dmitrikolesnik

Russian bassist/composer Dmitri Kolesnik was born in Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg.  Graduating with a music degree in 1985 from the Mussorgsky College of Music he moved first to Germany and then, in 1991, to New York where he studied with Ron Carter and earned a Masters Degree in Music from the City College of New York.  His note for note transcription of 19 Ron Carter solos is published by Hal Leonard.  Among the artists Kolesnik has worked with include Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, Jon Faddis and Pat Methany.

Five Corners is the current state of a musical union started six years ago.  It began when Kolesnik invited tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, pianist Andrei Kondakov and drummer Lenny White to record his music.  The recording of that work, Blues For Dad, was released on the Russian Boheme record label.  Since then the group has worked regularly in New York as well internationally, such as their 2005 appearance at the Peter-and-Paul International Jazz Festival in Russia.  On this recording they’ve added trumpeter Jim Rotondi in place of Sipiagin on eight of the ten tunes.

This wonderful recording of ten straight-ahead original compositions, eight by Kolesnik and two by Kondakov, is a delight.  Each of the tunes has a different vibe and, as a collection, strongly demonstrates how much these musicians enjoy playing with each other.  The glue that makes the disc work is the exceptional percussion/drum set work of Lenny White.  While perhaps more known for his more commercial work at the end of the 20th century, this strong musician drives the group when they need propelling and fills the quiet holes as well as any drummer working today.  His tight cymbal work and fleet hands on “Monk’s Mood” is without peer.  His notes don’t just impel the ensemble forward, he has the ability to make his fellow co-patriots glide on a cushion of rhythmic air.  Similarly, on the ballad “Long Nights Without You,” his crystalline strokes of beauty help to make this tune a shimmering stylish affair full of empathetic sadness and exquisite emotion.

Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, long known for his beauty and meticulous attention to traditional jazz skillfulness and ability, plays with conviction and a gorgeous tone throughout.  Whether the trumpeter/flugelhornist is Jim Rotondi or talent deserving wider recognition Alex Sipiagin, they both handle the brass chair with panache and wit.  Pianist Andrei Kondakov has a knack for finding just the right voicings at just the right time.  His effortless waltz through the 5/4 time of “Aniuta” is a delight.  His touch is so smooth you don’t realize the tune is in five until you dissect the composition.

Kolesnik distinguishes himself with a full and round tone.  His inventive walking lines work to embellish the soloist’s ideas; as seen with his adroit upper tessitura ostinato work behind Rotondi’s sweet solo on “Goodbye.”  As a composer he is capable of writing music of great emotional content; from full out swingers to light and clever mid-tempo masterpieces and lush ballads, Kolesnik is obviously a musician who has spent great time in study of music of the masters.  His ability to then filter that knowledge through his own prism to create wonderful masterpieces of form and harmony results in a truly enjoyable CD.  You will find yourself listening to this disc again and again.

Reviewed by: Thomas R. Erdmann

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Note :
LINEUP:
Dmitri Kolesnik - bass
Eric Alexander - tenor sax
Jim Rotondi - trumpet and flugelhorn
Alex Sipiagin - trumpet and flugelhorn
Andrei Kondakov - piano
Lenny White - drums

TRACKLIST:
1. Five Corners
 2. In Monk's Mood
 3. Bitter Chocolate
 4. Blues For Dad
 5. Masha's Lullaby
 6. Long Nights Without You
 7. Song For Kenny
 8. Aniuta
 9. Goodbye
 10. Russian Caravan