VERONICA SWIFT — Confessions (2019) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    You're Gonna Hear From Me 3:47
Written-By – André Previn, Dory Previn
2    A Little Taste 3:41
Written-By – Dave Frishberg, Johnny Hodges
3    Interlude 5:12
Written-By – Pete Rugolo
4    Forget About The Boy 4:59
Written By – Dick Scanlan
Written-By – Jeanine Tesori
5    A Stranger In Town 6:22
Written-By – Mel Tormé
6    I Don't Want To Cry Anymore 3:09
Written-By – Victor Schertzinger
7    I Hope She Makes You Happy 4:25
Written-By – Veronica Swift
Confession / The Other Woman    (6:43)
8.1    Confession
Written-By – Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz
8.2    The Other Woman
Written-By – Jessie Mae Robinson
9    Gypsy In My Soul 3:44
Written-By – Clay Boland, Moe Jaffe
10    No Not Much 3:34
Written-By – Al Stillman, Robert Allen
11    I'm Hip 2:24
Written-By – Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg
12    No Regrets 3:29
Written-By – Harry Tobias, Roy Ingraham
Credits :
Veronica Swift - Vocals
with
Emmet Cohen Trio (#1,2,4-6,9-12):
Emmet Cohen - Piano
Russell Hall - Bass
Kyle Poole - Drums
and
Benny Green Trio (#3,7-8):
Benny Green - Piano
David Wong - Bass
Carl Allen - Drums

TÉREZ MONTCALM — Voodoo (2006) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Released in 2007, Voodoo is the fourth studio album from Canadian vocalist Térez Montcalm, but the first to be recorded in English. Produced by Michel Cusson, the follow-up to her self-titled previous release includes original compositions ("Parce Que y a Toi...," "Growing Stronger"), covers of classic jazz standards ("Be Anything," "I Want to Be Around"), and interpretations of pop hits (Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams"). Jon O'Brien
Tracklist 
1. Love - 3.45
Written-By – Bert Kaempfert, Milt Gabler
2. Growing Stronger -4.36
Written-By – Jo-Ann Demers, Térez Montcalm
3. Sweet Dreams - 4.06
Written-By – Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart
4. Shattered - 4.33
Written-By – Jo-Ann Demers, Térez Montcalm
5. Close Your Eyes - 4.04
Written-By – Bernice Petkere
6. Parce Que Y A Toi - 4.29
Written-By – Térez Montcalm
7. Voodoo Child - 4.55
Written-By – Jimi Hendrix
8. I Want To Be Around - 4.11
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstedt
9. For Heaven’s Sake - 4.52
Written-By – Don Meyer, Elise Bretton, Sherman Edwards
10. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - 5.46
Written-By – Térez Montcalm
11. How Sweet It Is - 4.01
Written-By – Bernie Taupin, Elton John
12. Be Anything - 6.26
Written-By – Irving Gordon
Credits :
Backing Vocals – José Paradis
Bass – François Marion
Drums – Alain Bastien
Guitar – Carl Naud, Louis Côté, Térez Montcalm
Percussion – Luc Boivin
Trumpet – Aron Doyle, Benoît Glazer
Vocals – Térez Montcalm

NORAH JONES – ... Featuring Norah Jones (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the wake of her 2002 blockbuster debut, Norah Jones became an in-demand duet partner, popping up on albums from all manners of musicians. The 2010 compilation, …Featuring, helpfully rounds up 18 of these guest appearances, including a cut by the Jones-fronted country cabaret outfit the Little Willies, and what impresses is the range of collaborators and the consistency of the music. Anybody who called Norah up for a duet was clearly smitten by her way with slow-burning seduction, as they almost without fail cast her in that role for their own recordings, smoothing out rough edges or adding some sultry sophistication. This would seem like a limited specialty, but Featuring proves it’s not. Jones sounds as comfortable trading verses with Willie Nelson and Ray Charles as she does acting as a counterpoint to Q-Tip and Outkast, providing alternating contrasts according to the setting; she freshens the veterans and provides a touch of timeless elegance to her modern rock peers. It may all be variations on a theme, but the sounds and songs change just enough for the music to be quietly absorbing. Better still, when these side shows are grouped together as a main attraction, they manage to sound of a piece. These may be songs that appeared on other artist’s albums, but when presented as a collection, they seem to belong only to Norah Jones.  Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist 
1. The Little Willies - Love Me (3:53)
2. Foo Fighters - Virginia Moon (feat. Norah Jones) (3:52)
3. Sean Bones - Turn Them (feat. Norah Jones) (4:06)
4. Willie Nelson - Baby It's Cold Outside (feat. Norah Jones) (4:01)
5. Norah Jones & Sasha Dobson - Bull Rider (2:58)
6. Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Ruler of My Heart (feat. Norah Jones) (3:00)
7. El Madmo - The Best Part (3:25)
8. Outkast - Take Off Your Cool (feat. Norah Jones) (2:39)
9. Q-Tip - Life Is Better (feat. Norah Jones) (4:27)
10. Talib Kweli - Soon the New Day (feat. Norah Jones) (4:04)
11. Belle & Sebastian - Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John (feat. Norah Jones) (4:25)
12. Ray Charles - Here We Go Again (feat. Norah Jones) (3:58)
13. Norah Jones - Loretta (feat. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings) (3:23)
14. Ryan Adams - Dear John (feat. Norah Jones) (4:37)
15. Norah Jones - Creepin' In (feat. Dolly Parton) (3:04)
16. Herbie Hancock - Court & Spark (feat. Norah Jones) (7:36)
17. Charlie Hunter - More Than This (feat. Norah Jones) (4:12)
18. Norah Jones - Blue Bayou (feat. M. Ward) (3:45)
– BONUS TRACK –
19. Wyclef Jean - Any Other Day (feat. Norah Jones) (4:13)
All Credits :

JANIS SIEGEL — Sketches of Broadway (2004) APE (image+.cue), lossless

The acclaimed Manhattan Transfer vocalist has always been the one member of the legendary, multiple-Grammy winning group who has been most willing to explore deeper artistic leanings on her solo projects. Here, she offers a restrained counterpoint to Barbra Streisand's more dramatic approach to classics from our favorite musicals, succeeding mostly by picking lesser-known tunes that haven't worn out their welcomes, and interacting with a stellar jazz cast and the witty arrangements of Gil Goldstein. On the opening track, "Show Me," her vocals glide soulfully over John Patitucci's bass and Stefon Harris' vibes before the pace picks up, Siegel's phrasing ebbs and flows beautifully and wildly, and the story becomes a little more energetic with its telling. Transfer fans don't have to wait long for their diva to harmonize, this time with herself on the subtle vocal textures in spots on the softhearted, mystical arrangement of "Sorry Grateful" (from Sondheim's Company. . .In Jazz). That vibe of mystery continues on Arlen and Mercer's provocative "It's a Woman's Prerogative," which again allows ample space for Siegel to explore the deeper emotional subtleties. Harris' vibes are purely hypnotic here. Siegel clearly loves telling stories even the hardcore Broadway fan is less familiar with, reminding us of musicals like Follies ("The Story of Lucy and Jessie") and The Littlest Revue ("Born Too Late"), all of which allow her to be equally goofy, poignant, and ironic. The showstopper "Sun in the Morning" finds Siegel fully engaged over a heavier Antonio Sanchez drumbeat and the rock-edged guitar of Romero Lubambo. All of this only scratches the surface of the tremendously rich artistry Siegel demonstrates here as she mines classics and obscure songs that touch both her heart and wit. Hopefully, she, like Streisand, will come back to Broadway in the future. Jonathan Widran
Tracklist :
1. Show Me 3:05
2. Sorry-Grateful 5:03
3. It's a Woman's Prerogative 5:31
4. The Story of Lucy and Jessie 3:49
5. Born Too Late 7:58
6. Out of My Dreams / I Have Dreamed 5:28
7. I've Got The Sun in the Morning (And the Moon at Night) 4:08
8. The Surry with the Fringe on Top / Stoned Soul Picnic 4:34
9. It Never Was You 6:15
10. My Best Beau 3:21
11. Make Someone Happy 4:39
Recorded live at Smalls Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, New York on September 26-30, 2010.
Credits :
Janis Siegel - Vocals
Gil Goldenstein - Piano- Rhodes-Accordion
John Patituсci - Bass
Romero Lubambo - Guitars
Antonio Sanchez - Drums
Stefon Harris - Vibes

SIMONE — Moonlight Serenade (2004) Serie Venus Hyper Magnum Sound | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Tea For Two    5:51
2    Fragile    4:50
3    L-O-V-E    3:39
4    For No One    3:43
5    Save Your Love For Me    5:04
6    I've Grown Accustomed To His Face    6:01
7    I'm Through With Love    4:00
8    Autumn Leaves    4:15
9    What Difference A Day Made    4:15
10    The Nearness Of You    5:27
11    Besame Mucho    5:04
12    Like Someone In Love    4:08
13    Peace    4:19
14    Moonlight Serenade    6:03
15    Stompin' At The Savoy    3:26
Credits :
Bass – Hans Glawischnig
Drums – Philipp Kopmajer
Piano – John Di Martino
Vocals – Simone

CYRILLE AIMÉE + FRIENDS — Live At Smalls (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This acclaimed singer, with just a touch of a French accent, has won fans around the world. This is a mostly appealing live set, though the choice of the monotonous "Stand By Me" doesn't fit the rest of the music, with the use of looping for backing vocals adding to the blandness. askkendryden
Tracklist 
1. September in the Rain (Warren) - 6:56
2. Que Reste-il (I Wish You Love) (Trenet) - 6:16
3. Yesterdays (Kern) - 6:36
4. East Village Inamorata (Wilner) - 5:43
5. Love for Sale (Porter) - 9:38
6. I Was Beginning to See the Light (Ellington) - 6:47
7. When I Was a Child (Tucker) - 6:07
8. Lover Man (Sherman) - 5:29
9. I Mean You (Monk-Hendricks) - 7:41
10. Stand by Me (King) - 5:46
Recorded live at Smalls Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, New York on September 26-30, 2010.
Credits :
Cyrille Aimee - Vocals
Roy Hargrove - Trumpet
Joel Frahm - Tenor Saxophone
Spike Wilner - Piano
Philip Kuehn - Bass
Joseph Saylor - Drums

HALIE LOREN — Butterfly Blue (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Butterfly Blue, the stunning and soulful new album by international singer and songwriter Halie Loren, evokes poetic images of metamorphosis through struggle and transcendence, tinged with bittersweet melancholy.
"A lot of these songs were chosen because they explored different aspects of imprisonment and freedom," Loren explains. "Many of them have to do with ideas of being beholden to thoughts, feelings, and experiences from which you alone can also free yourself."

Through a soundtrack that includes guitars, piano, organ, double-bass, horns cellos, and layered vocals, "Butterfly Blue” weaves together a diverse and rich musical array of original songs, unique reads on standards, and little-known covers that have been long-treasured pieces of Loren's repertoire. Here, she draws inspiration from blues and soul influences while unapologetically planting one foot in the jazz realm and the other in pop without losing any of the warmth, charm, and sensuality that has always characterized her unique vocal approach, ultimately revealing a deeper, more nuanced side of Loren’s artistry featuring strength and vulnerability in equal measures. Justin Time
Tracklist :
1. Yellow Bird (3:37)
2. I Wish You Love (Que reste-t-il de nos amours?) (4:04)
3. Blue (4:44)
4. Stormy Weather (5:11)
5. Butterfly (4:36)
6. After the Fall (4:11)
7. Our Love Is Here to Stay (3:34)
8. I've Got You Under My Skin (4:11)
9. Danger in Loving You (3:27)
10. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (4:24)
11. Carry Us Through (5:13)
12. Peace (3:35)
Credits :
Halie Loren - Vocals
Matt Treder - Piano, Organ
William Seiji Marsh, Daniel Gallo - Guitars
Mark Schneider - Bass
Brian West - Drums
David Larsen - Saxophones, Clarinet
Joe Freuen - Trombone
Dana Heitman - Trumpet
Rob Birdwell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Katherine Dudney - Cello

VIKTORIA TOLSTOY — Letters To Herbie (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A musical love letter to Herbie Hancock: Viktoria Tolstoy interprets classics and 80s funk songs from his pen with heartfelt warmth.
Tracklist :
1. Trust Me (Hancock, Herbie / Rubinson, David / Willis, Allee) 4:02
2. Textures (Hancock, Herbie / Alerstedt, Anna) 5:22
3. I Thought It Was You (Cohen, Jeffrey / Hancock, Herbie / Ragin, Melvin) 5:37
4. Chan’s Song (Hancock, Herbie / Wonder, Stevie) 3:54
5. Butterfly (Hancock, Herbie / Maupin, Bennie) 4:15
6. Come Running To Me (Hancock, Herbie / Willis, Allee) 5:57
7. Give It All Your Heart (Hancock, Herbie / Temperton, Rodney) 3:45
8. Letter To Herbie (Landgren, Nils / Lindgren, Magnus / Tolstoy, Viktoria) 4:08
9. Paradise (Champlin, Bill / Foster, David / Graydon, Jay / Hancock, Herbie) 3:42
10. Chemical Residue (Hancock, Herbie / Alerstedt, Anna) 4:42
11. Tell Me A Bedtime Story (Hancock, Herbie / Alerstedt, Anna) 3:52
12. Naima (Coltrane, John / Hendricks, John) 3:47
– BONUS TRACK –
13. Come On, Come Over (Pastorius, John / Herzog, Bob) 4:05
Credits :
Viktoria Tolstoy - Vocals
Jacob Karlzon - Piano, Keyboards
Krister Jonsson - Guitars
Mattias Svensson - Bass
Rasmus Kihlberg - Drums
Special Guests:
Nils Landgren - Trombone & Vocals
Magnus Lindgren - Woodwinds

SILJE NERGAARD — Darkness Out of Blue (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Paper Boats 4:01
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Vince Mendoza
Harp – Sidsel Walstad
Strings – Stockholm Session Strings
2    Darkness Out Of Blue 5:23
Guitar [Guitar Loop] – Björn Charles Dreyer
3    The Diner 4:46
Guitar [Electric] – Nils-Einar Vinjor
4    Wastelands 5:26
Backing Vocals – André De Lang, Silje
Organ [Hammond], Backing Vocals [Additional] – Pål Svenre
5    When Judy Falls 6:00
Drums – Torstein Lofthus
Flute – Magnus Lindgren
Percussion – André Ferrari
Piano, Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Pål Svenre
Strings – Stockholm Session Strings
6    The Beachcomber    6:35
7    What Might Have Been    4:26
8    Aren't You Cured Yet 4:41
Flute, Clarinet, Arranged By [Woodwind Arrangement] – Magnus Lindgren
9    Who Goes There 4:07
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Magnus Lindgren
Backing Vocals – Fredrik Otterstad, Heine Totland, Pål Svenre, Silje
Strings – Stockholm Session Strings
Vocals, Lyrics By – Marcio Faraco
10    Before You Called Me Yours 4:29
Backing Vocals – Jan Ingvar Toft
Guitar [Dobro] – Finn Guttormsen
11    How Are You Gonna' Deal With It 5:34
Arranged By [Woodwind Arrangement] – Pål Svenre
Backing Vocals – André De Lang*, Nana Hedin
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone [Baritone] – Magnus Lindgren
Guitar [Electric] – Björn Charles Dreyer
Organ [Hammond] – David Wallumrød
Tambourine – André Ferrari
12    Let Me Be Troubled 6:56
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Vince Mendoza
Backing Vocals – Björn, Finn, Helge, Jarle
Strings – Stockholm Session Strings
Credits :
Bass [Acoustic] – Finn Guttormsen (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 9, 11, 12)
Bass [Electric] – Finn Guttormsen (tracks: 4, 5, 8)
Drums – Jarle Vespestad (tracks: 2 to 4, 6, 8, 11, 12)
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Helge Lien (tracks: 4, 5, 8)
Guitar [Acoustic] – Björn Charles Dreyer* (tracks: 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12), Hallgrim Bratberg (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 9, 10)
Guitar [Pedal Steel] – Björn Charles Dreyer* (tracks: 2, 6, 11)
Lyrics By – Mike McGurk
Piano – Helge Lien (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12)
Shaker – André Ferrari (tracks: 2, 3, 9)
Vocals, Producer, Music By – Silje Nergaard

JESSICA MOLASKEY — A Kiss to Build a Dream On (2008) APE (image+.cue), lossless

When Broadway actress Jessica Molaskey met jazz guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli, an engaging partnership (both musical and marital) was formed. Molaskey enjoyed the musical family she married into, including father and guitarist Bucky and brother-in-law/bassist Martin, all of whom join her on her first CD for a purely jazz label. Rounding out the band is the talented young violinist Aaron Weinstein, a swinging, sensitive player in the Stéphane Grappelli tradition whose maturity on his instrument belies his youth. One of Molaskey's greatest strengths is her effortless ability to convey the emotion of each song without overdoing it, while her vocals are always right on the money. She also chose quite a few pieces that have long fallen into obscurity, including the upbeat "Happy Habit," the brightly swinging "Hello Sunshine Hello" (which interpolates "You Are My Sunshine" and utilizes multi-tracked vocals), and "Breezin' Along with the Breeze." John joins her for an intimate vocal duet of "Tea for Two" that includes the oft-omitted verse, along with their warm original "Hiding in Plain Sight," the latter adding guest Larry Fuller on piano. She also chose a pair of Stephen Sondheim songs, offering a playful rendition of "Everybody Loves Louis" (from Sunday in the Park with George and the sentimental ballad "Isn't He Something" (from Bounce. Jessica Molaskey will warm an audience of any size with this superb release. Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1 Happy Habit 3:46
Dorothy Fields / Arthur Schwartz 
2 Medley: You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby/Baby Face 4:20
Harry Akst / Benny Davis / Johnny Mercer / Harry Warren 
3 Hello Sunshine Hello 3:28
Jack Murray / Charles Tobias 
4 A Kiss to Build a Dream On 4:11
Oscar Hammerstein II / Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby 
5 Everybody Loves Louis 3:17
Stephen Sondheim 
6 Tea for Two 4:09
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans 
7 Take Me To You 3:41
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli 
8 Breezin' Along With the Breeze 4:12
Haven Gillespie / Seymour Simons / Richard A. Whiting 
9 Isn't He Something 3:47
Stephen Sondheim 
10 Hiding In Plain Sight 3:46
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli 
11 I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover 3:07
Mort Dixon / Harry Woods 
12 You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You 5:51
Larry Stock 
13 Ain't Misbehavin' 5:53
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller 
14 Bye Bye Blues 4:49
Dave Bennett / Chauncey Gray / Fred Hamm / Bert Lown 
15 Heart's Desire 2:48
Alan Broadbent / Dave Frishberg
Credits :
Jessica Molaskey, Composer, Cover Design, Vocals
Bucky Pizzarelli, Guitar
John Pizzarelli, Vocals
Martin Pizzarelli, Bass, Bass Instrument
Aaron Weinstein, Violin

MADELEINE PEYROUX — Standing On The Rooftop (2011) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In 2009, Madeleine Peyroux issued Bare Bones, her first recording of all-original material with producer Larry Klein and a small group of jazz musicians and co-composers. Standing on the Rooftop is her debut recording for Decca with producer Craig Street. The group of players here is a diverse lot: drummer Charlie Drayton, guitarists Christopher Bruce and Marc Ribot, bassist Me'Shell Ndegeocello; John Kirby, Glenn Patscha, and Patrick Warren alternate on keyboards, percussionist Mauro Refosco, violinist Jenny Scheinman, and Allen Toussaint guests on piano. The program is richly and elegantly painted with modern production touches even as its songs are rooted in the historical past of classic Americana: pop songs, blues, jazz, and sitting room tunes. It includes eight originals and four covers, among them a poem by W.H. Auden set to music by Ribot entitled "Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love." The music is summery and laid-back. The languid parlor-room reading of "Martha My Dear" by Lennon & McCartney has a deliberate old-timey feel and twins well with "Fickle Dove" (one of two Peyroux tunes written with Scheinman). Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," with its strange pump organ backdrop and studio echo, indulges the kinds of production tricks Tom Waits might employ in disguising a blues. That said, this song too has a twin of sorts in the sonically similar title track; a clattering rag blues with ambient electronics held in check by Peyroux's elegantly earthy vocal. Ribot's acoustic guitar and Toussaint's upright on the Auden poem give the singer a perfectly loose frame to create a song inside. The thin, lean, funky blues on "The Kind You Can't Afford" (co-written with former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman) and Bob Dylan's "I Threw It All Away" are both slow shuffles and high points. In the latter, Peyroux's voice shifts the lyric's meaning to where the implied bitterness gives way to bewilderment. The album's final three cuts, "Meet Me in Rio," "Ophelia," and "The Way of All Things" make fine use of Peyroux's jazz chops; and because of Street's production, make an exact time-space continuum wonderfully imprecise. As an album, Standing on the Rooftop may not be as striking as its predecessor, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be. It is a seemingly effort that pushes the familiar toward an uncertain future where pop genres cease to need to exist at all. Thom Jurek
Tracklist  :
1    Martha My Dear 2:32
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
2    The Kind You Can't Afford 3:59

Written-By – Bill Wyman
3    Leaving Home Again 3:35
Written-By – Bill Wyman
4    The Things I've Seen Today 3:44
Written-By – Jenny Scheinman
5    Fickle Dove 3:28
Written-By – Jenny Scheinman
6    Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love 3:23
Composed By – Marc Ribot
7    Standing On The Rooftop 5:46
Written-By – David Batteau
8    I Threw It All Away 3:15
Written-By – Bob Dylan
9    The Party Oughta Be Comin' Soon    5:00
10    Superhero 3:21
Written-By – Jonatha Brooke
11    Love In Vain 3:40
Written-By – Robert Johnson
12    Don't Pick A Fight With A Poet 4:28
Written-By – Andy Scott Rosen
13    Meet Me In Rio    3:51
14    Ophelia 5:12
Written-By – David Batteau
15    The Way Of All Things    4:02
16    The Things I've Seen Today
Credits :
Bass – Meshell Ndegeocello
Drums – Charley Drayton
Guitar – Christopher Bruce, Marc Ribot
Keyboards – Glenn Patscha, John Kirby, Patrick Warren
Percussion – Mauro Refosco
Piano – Allen Toussaint
Violin – Jenny Scheinman
Vocals – Madeleine Peyroux

SARA GAZAREK — Return To You (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Nothing shines brighter than a rising star and vocalist Sara Gazarek delivers a sensational follow-up to her widely hailed 2005 debut that focused on Great American Songbook standards. On Return to You, her expanded repertoire features an array of new textures and sounds via woodwind, brass, and string accompaniment that reshapes Seamus Blake's "Northern Lights," Josh Nelson's "Just Let Me Be," and Paul McCartney's pop standard "Junk." Gazarek does a fine job on Joni Mitchell's "Carey," giving it a playful mood. By contrast she gives Billy Joel's lovelorn lyrics on "And So It Goes" a complete emotional makeover. The recording also features several new songs written by her pianist Josh Nelson, including the opening track "Let's Try This Again," which he co-wrote with Gazarek. However, she shines brightest as a singer, and on "Northern Lights," her voice is delicate, sensitive, and has a strong resemblance to Norah Jones' folk-jazz style. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" commands your attention because of the rarely recorded final chorus that is included here. Overall, Return to You is a complete gift that should endear Gazarek's fans even closer to her easygoing, youthful sound and charisma. [A bonus track version was also released.] Paula Edelstein
Tracklist :
1    Let's Try This Again     3:42
2    Northern Lights     4:16
3    Carey    4:53
4    Junk    3:26
5    Just Let Me Be     3:54
6    Give Me Back That Old Familiar Feeling     4:29
7    And So It Goes    5:12
8    I've Got A Great Idea     3:03
9    Dear Someone    3:29
10    Hallelujah     5:35
11    Makes Me Feel This Way    3:52
12    Without You    4:49
13    Original 4     1:48
Credits :
Acoustic Bass, Guitar – Erik Kertes
Drums – Matt Slocum
Piano, Organ, Glockenspiel – Josh Nelson
Strings – Supernova String Quartet (tracks: 4)
Tenor Saxophone, Guitar, Vocals – Seamus Blake (tracks: 2)
Trumpet – Ambrose Akinmusire (tracks: 5)
Vocals – John Proulx (tracks: 9), Sara Gazarek

EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW — Like a Lover (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 

When one is analyzing jazz or jazz-influenced pop, it is important to know the difference between sweet and saccharine. Lester Young, Jo Stafford, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, the Ink Spots, and Glenn Miller were quite capable of sweetness; Kenny G, Najee, and Dave Koz, on the other hand, have often epitomized saccharine -- they are masters of artificial sweetness. So where does Emilie-Claire Barlow fit in? The Canadian jazz vocalist is definitely sweet -- very sweet -- but there isn't a trace of saccharine on Like a Lover. Barlow brings an enjoyably girlish charm to this self-produced bop CD, although she isn't a girl. Born in 1976, she was in her late twenties when Like a Lover came out in 2005 -- and for Barlow, girlish doesn't mean wimpy, thin-voiced, or unswinging. Barlow has an impressive vocal range, and she definitely swings -- she swings whether she is favoring high-speed exuberance on Bob Dorough's "(I've Got) Just About Everything I Need" or getting into ballad mode on "Blame It on My Youth" and George Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me." She swings whether she is singing in English (her primary language) or detouring into Portuguese on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "So Danço Samba." If Like a Lover has any real weakness, it is the fact that Barlow is much too standards-minded; she picks too many warhorses that have been beaten to death over the years. That isn't to say that Barlow should avoid standards altogether -- only that she needs to find more great songs that haven't been recorded so often. The more Barlow broadens her repertoire, the more she will stand out in the crowded field of jazz singing. But while Like a Lover could have been more adventurous in its choice of material, it's still a likable and pleasing effort from the Toronto-born improviser. Alex Henderson 

Tracklist:

1 Like A Lover 5:28

Music By, Lyrics By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Dorival T. Caymmi, Nelson Motta

2 On The Sunny Side Of The Street 6:45

Music By, Lyrics By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields

3 Someone To Watch Over Me 4:52

Music By, Lyrics By – George & Ira Gershwin

4 A Time For Love 5:13

Music By, Lyrics By – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster

5 So Danço Samba 4:44

Music By, Lyrics By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes

Tenor Saxophone – John Johnson 

6 The Things We Did Last Summer 5:01

Music By, Lyrics By – Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn

Vocalese – Emilie-Claire Barlow

7 (I've Got) Just About Everything I Need 4:18

Music By, Lyrics By – Bob Dorough

8 Retrato Em Branco E Preto 5:11

Music By, Lyrics By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Francisco Buarque De Hollanda

9 Our Love Is Here To Stay 4:57

Music By, Lyrics By – George & Ira Gershwin

10 Blame It On My Youth 

Music By, Lyrics By – Edward Heyman, Oscar Levant

11 As Long As I Live 2:57

Guitar – Justin Abedin

Music By, Lyrics By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler

Producer, Keyboards, Programmed By – Daniel Leblanc

12 Like A Lover (Remix) 4:01

Music By, Lyrics By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Dorival T. Caymmi, Nelson Motta

Credits :

Bass – Mark Rogers

Drums – Mark Kelso

Flugelhorn – Guido Basso

Guitar – Rob Piltch

Producer, Arranged By, Voice, Piano, Percussion, Mixed By – Emilie-Claire Barlow

Tenor Saxophone – Kelly Jefferson (tracks: 2, 7)

 

SALLY NIGHT — Night Time (2014) SACD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist:
1 - I Wanna Be Loved 05:51
2 - So in Love 05:54
3 - Born to Be Blue 05:55
4 - Drown in My Own Tears 05:22
5 - Just One of Those Things 05:58
6 - I Got It Bad 09:41
7 - Blues in the Night 06:33
8 - Supa Doopa 04:27
9 - I'm Just Foolin' Myself 02:32
10 - No Soap No Hope Blues 02:52
11 - 24hr Lovin' 06:45
12 - Too Close for Comfort 03:16
13 - Baby Don't You Go Away Mad 02:35
14 - Star Eyes 04:53
Credits :
Sally Night - Vocals
Kirk Lightsey - Piano
Buster Williams - Bass
Billy Hart - Drums
Antoine Drye - Trumpet

ANNA MARIA JOPEK — Polanna (2011) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist:
1 - Kiedy Ranne Wstaja Zorze 04:31
2 - Uciekaj, Uciekaj 06:11
3 - Laura i Filon 04:22
4 - Rdzawe Liscie 06:22
5 - Przychodz Mily Dzien Juz Bialy 04:30
6 - Dzis Do Ciebie Przyjsc Nie Moge / Czerwone Maki Na Monte Cassino (Medley) 07:22
7 - Uwoz Mamo 04:04
8 - Z Tesknoty. Kujawiak 02:41
9 - Poznalem Dziewczyna 05:10
10 - Suwany 01:56
11 - Modlitwa Gdy Dziatki Spac Ida (Juz Sie Zmierzcha) 01:25
12 - Oj Lulaj, Lulaj 06:36
13 - Plonie Ognisko i Szumia Knieje 02:26
Credits :
Paweł Dobrowolski : Drums
Gil Goldstein : Accordion
Krzysztof Herdzin : Duduk, Voice
Anna Maria Jopek : Voice,
Robert Kubiszyn : Double Bass, Bass
Rafał Kwiatkowski : Cello
Robert Murakowski: Fluegelhorn, Trumpet
Marek Napiórkowski : Guitars, National Resophonic
Pedro Nazaruk : Voice, Cytra, Fluet, Dulcimer
Maria Pomianowska : Suka Biłgorajska, Fidel Płocka, Sarangi
Gonzalo Rubalcaba : Piano
Wiesław Wysocki : Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Sopran Sax

Special quest : Staszek Soyka - Voice in "Laura i Filon"

NIKI KING — New Day (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 

Tracklist :
1    Take Me Away 4:34
Bass – Simon Paget-Tomlinson
Drums – Crispin Taylor, Willie Molleson
Harmonica – Tom Walbank
2    New Day    5:01
3    Willing To Be    5:03
4    Iberia 5:06
Acoustic Guitar – Gallo Ceron-Carrasco
Drums – Toby Shippey
5    Hopes Of Change    4:23
6    Out Of My Mind 4:38
Bass – Simon Paget-Tomlinson
Drums – Willie Mollison
Guitar – Barney Strachan
7    Soul Saviour 5:01
Backing Vocals – Christina Robertson
8    Using Time    4:16
9    Promised Land 5:38
Acoustic Guitar – Gallo Ceron-Carrasco
Soprano Saxophone – Martin Kershaw

CATHERINE RUSSELL — Strictly Romancin' (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Vocalist Catherine Russell's fourth studio album, 2013's Strictly Romancin', is a swinging and bluesy collection of standards perfect for laid-back evening of romance or relaxation. Here, Russell frames her sultry, resonant voice with both small and large ensembles that dig into a variety of vintage-sounding arrangements. This is jazz and blues steeped in the kind of classic swing of artists like Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington, and others. Included are such songs as "I'm in the Mood for Love," "Ev'ntide," "Everbody Loves My Baby."  Matt Collar
Tracklist:
1. Under The Spell of The Blues (3:08)
2. I'm In The Mood For Love (3:44)
3. Wake Up and Live (2:27)
4. Ev'ntide (3:45)
5. Romance In The Dark (4:12)
6. I'm Checkin' Out, Goom'bye (2:25)
7. No More (3:12)
8. Satchel Mouth Baby (3:20)
9. Everything's Been Done Before (3:14)
10. Don't Leave Me (4:38)
11. I Haven't Changed A Thing (4:43)
12. Everybody Loves My Baby (3:23)
13. He's All I Need (3:34)
14. Watcha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Swing? (3:27)
Credits :
Catherine Russell - Vocals
Matt Munisteri - Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
Mark Shane - Piano
Andy Farber - Tenor Saxophone, arranger
Jon-Erik Kellso - Trumpet, Horn Arrangement
Dan Block - Alto Saxophone, Clarinet
John Allred - Trombone
Joe Barbato - Accordion
Aaron Weinstein - Violin
Carline Ray - Vocals
Lee Hudson - Bass
Mark McLean - Drums

STEPHANIE HAYNES with THE CEDAR WALTON TRIO — Here's That Rainy Day (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. It Could Happen to You (Van Heusen-Burke) - 3:06
2. Darn That Dream (Van Heusen-DeLange) - 4:15
3. Here's That Rainy Day (Van Heusen-Burke) - 5:56
4. Deep in a Dream (Van Heusen-DeLange) - 4:30
5. Like Someone in Love (Van Heusen-Burke) - 4:52
6. Imagination (Van Heusen-Burke) - 3:10
7. Call Me Irresponsible (Van Heusen-Cahn) - 5:51
8. I'll Only Miss Him When I Think of Him (Van Heusen-Cahn) - 4:34
9. Suddenly It's Spring (Van Heusen-Burke) - 3:20
10. For a Moment of Your Love (Van Heusen-Burke) - 4:47
11. I Could Have Told You (Van Heusen-Cigman) - 3:25
12. Moonlight Becomes You (Van Heusen-Burke) - 4:39
13. All My Tomorrows (Van Heusen-Cahn) - 4:59
14. I Thought About You (Van Heusen-Mercer) - 6:58
Сredits :
Stephanie Haynes - Vocals
Cedar Walton - Piano
Al McKibbon - Bass
Billy Higgins - Drums

KARIN KROG — We Could Be Flying (1974-2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded for Polydor, six years after her landmark Joy album, this set features Norwegian jazz iconoclast Karin Krog in the electric company of keyboardist Steve Kuhn, drummer percussionist Jon Christensen, and Steve Swallow on one of his early electric bass dates. More song-oriented than her other vanguard dates, We Could Be Flying still showcases the singer in a restless, searching frame of creativity. Obviously influenced by the work Flora Purim had done with Return to Forever and the heyday of jazz-rock fusion, Krog nonetheless puts her indelible stylistic stamp on all the material here. The best tunes here were written by Kuhn, who seems to understand the subtlest nuances in Krog's performing style, as evidenced by "Meaning of Love," with its driven, wispy Latin rhythms and melodic lines that seem to bleed into one another, capturing the softness of Krog's enunciation. The seemingly rocked-up cover of Joni Mitchell's "All I Want" feels out of place here, the band feels stilted into trying to rein themselves into the conventional cut-time signature and fixed spaces where fills are almost unwelcome. While Mitchell's own version is far looser and spacier than this, the band seems to have misunderstood her original intent in this song. The co-write between Carla Bley and Krog on "Sing Me Softly of the Blues," finds the band back on its square, swinging the blues in cool nocturnal fashion with Christensen's swinging cymbal work carries the band underneath the singer's husky contralto. The finest moment here is the funky "Raindrops, Raindrops" written by Kuhn, where his electric piano and double-time bass and drums fall in just behind Krog's shimmering, airy performance. This recording is a fine document of its time, capturing its naivete, sense of adventure, and its willingness to step outside the jazz and vanguard box while never giving in to pop convention. Recommended. Thom Jurek   
Tracklist :
1    We Could Be Flying 6:00
    Written-By – M. Colombier, P. Williams
2    The Meaning Of Love 5:02
    Written-By – Kuhn
3    Sometime To Go 3:00
    Written-By – Sergio Mihanovich
4    All I Want 3:28
    Written-By – Joni Mitchell
5    Sing Me Softly Of The Blues 5:36
    Written-By – Bley, Krog
6    Raindrops, Raindrops 3:41
    Written-By – Kuhn
7    Lament 2:47
    Written-By – J.J. Johnson, J. Hendricks
8    Hold Out Your Hand 2:21
    Written-By – Kuhn
9    Time To Go 3:05
    Written-By – Kuhn
Credits
Drums, Percussion – Jon Christensen
Electric Bass – Steve Swallow
Keyboards – Steve Kuhn
Vocals – Karin Krog

INGER MARIE GUNDENSEN – My Heart Would Have A Reason (2009) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 Tracklist & Credits :