NORAH JONES — Visions (2024) Two Version (Blue Note – 00602458671445) + (Blue Note – UCCQ-9666 Japan Bonus Track) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless & FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Norah Jones named her eighth proper studio set Visions because many of the musical ideas occurred to her in the middle of the night, right when her consciousness was hazy: they weren't fully realized so much as an apparition. That sense of dreaminess carries through to the finished product but not in ways that are commonly associated with such a description. Far from being an album constructed for twilight hours -- a dimly lit excursion into mood music -- Visions is clear and light, its textures vividly articulated and its rhythms mellow and fluid. It's music that feels alive, inhaling and exhaling with a gentle insistence; it's never rushed, never clipped. Despite the record's inherent relaxation, Visions never quite proceeds in a linear path. Chalk this up to Jones' choice of collaborator. Working again with Leon Michels, a veteran of the seminal retro-soul outfit Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings who previously produced Norah's 2021 seasonal set I Dream of Christmas, Jones embraces the possibilities of psychedelic-tinged soul without succumbing to its trappings. Visions pulsates softly and sweetly, like a lava lamp slowly shifting colors in the background. The hues aren't hyper-saturated; they're pleasing pastels radiating warmth. The emphasis on atmosphere isn't unusual for a Norah Jones album -- after all, she has worked with hip-hop collage artist Danger Mouse -- but Visions feels bright and open. It glides between modulated soul jams, languid ballads, and hopeful pop tunes, each enlivened by flair that's felt more than heard: horns start to sigh in the background, Jones' voice gets an off-kilter filter, guitars take an elliptical journey to a resolving chord. The results aren't startling so much as they're fresh, avoiding musical and lyrical clichés. Witness "That's Life," a closing number that offers its inspirational advice not only with a knowing shrug but a song that rushes into a chorus and backs away on its bridge; the sentiment is familiar, but the execution isn't. It's a fitting farewell on a record that offers boundless imagination underneath its cool surface. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist  :
1    All This Time 3:15
Written By, Drums, Bass, Guitar, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
2    Staring At The Wall 4:31
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
3    Paradise 3:25
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar – Norah Jones
4    Queen Of The Sea 4:46
Drums, Bass, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
5    Visions 2:42
Engineer – Leon Michels
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Vocals, Guitar – Norah Jones
6    Running 3:28
Written By, Drums, Tambourine, Baritone Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
7    I Just Wanna Dance 3:07
Written By, Bass, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Drums – Homer Steinweiss
Written By, Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Electric Piano], Electric Guitar – Norah Jones
8    I'm Awake 4:18
Bass – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
9    Swept Up In The Night 3:34
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass – Jesse Murphy
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Omnichord – Norah Jones
10    On My Way 3:52
Drum Programming, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By – Pete Remm
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Organ, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
11    Alone With My Thoughts 4:14
Bass [Upright Bass] – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Organ, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
12    That's Life 4:22
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
— JAPAN BONUS TRACK —
13    Can You Believe 3:56
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones

REBECCA PIDGEON — Blue Dress On (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist  :
1. I Know Just What I'd Do
2. You Take My Breath Away
3. I Can't Forgive You
4. Feathers
5. Blue Dress On
6. You Do Not
7. She Moved Through the Fair
8. Sailor's Marriage
9. You Have Got My Number
10. The Lake
11. Come Up to My Room
12. Tonight
13. My Fantasy
Credits :
Bass – Danny Frankel
Guitar – David Batteau
Guitar, Erhu, Producer – Tim Young
Piano, Organ – Peter Adams
Synth – David Palmer
Trombone, Tenor Saxophone, Flugelhorn – David Ralicke
Vocals, Producer – Rebecca Pidgeon

LAILA BIALI — Laila Biali (2018) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Laila Biali, singer and pianist, has not only won numerous awards in her home country, but the renowned Downbeat also counted her music among its albums of the year. Her sixth album LAILA BIALI, which is also her ACT debut, is the culmination of her work to date. ACT
Tracklist  :
1    Got To Love 3:14
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
2    We Go 5:17
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
3    Satellite 5:06
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
4    Yellow 4:46
Written-By – Andre Benz, Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion
5    Refugee 5:26
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
6    Dolores Angel 4:36
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
7    Queen Of Hearts 4:54
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
8    Serenbe 4:22
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
9    Code Breaking 4:46
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
10    I Think It's Going To Rain Today 3:38
Written-By – Randy Newman
11    Wind (Rumi Poem) 5:22
Written-By, Arranged By – Laila Biali
12    Let's Dance 4:46
Written-By – David Bowie
Credits :
Laila Biali - Vocals, Piano, Keys
George Koller - Bass
Larnell Lewis - Drums (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12)
Ben Wittman - Drums (3, 5, 6, 7), Percussion
Ambrose Akinmusire - Trumpet (3, 5)
Mike “Maz” Maher - Trumpet (2, 8, 9, 11)
Sam Yahel - Organ (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12)
Glenn Patscha - Organ (solo on 2), Keys (12)
Lisa Fischer - Vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Jo Lawry - Vocals (all tracks except 9)
Carlos Ricketts - Vocals (1, 2, 6, 7)

ANNA MARIA JOPEK — Barefoot (2002) FLAC (tracks + .cue), lossless

Tracklist  :
1.    Bukowina 9:26
Piano – Leszek Możdżer
2.    Nim Słońce Wstanie 3:42
Flugelhorn – Robert Majewski
3.    Kołysanka Rosemary / Kiedy Będziesz Duży    6:47
4.    Tęskno Mi Tęskno 2:44
Flute – Jacek Urbaniak
5.    Dwa Serduszka Cztery Oczy 3:46
Featuring – Tomasz Szukalski
6.    Cyraneczka 4:37
Piano – Leszek Możdżer
7.    Kiedy Mnie Już Nie Będzie 5:39
Clarinet [Bass] – Henryk Miśkiewicz
8.    Z Powietrza 3:42
Guitar – Marek Napiorkowski
9.    Bandoska 6:19
Trumpet – Tomasz Stanko
10.    Barefoot    0:50
11.    Bosa 4:40
Piano, Accordion – Andrzej Jagodzinski
12.    Mizerna Cicha 3:40
Trumpet – Tomasz Stanko
13.    Nielojalność 3:58
Conductor – Krzesimir Dębski
14.    Szepty I Łzy 4:33
Trumpet – Tomasz Stanko
15.    Kiedy Będziesz Duży 2:05
Featuring – Robert Amirian
Credits :
Bass, Keyboards, Sampler, Loops – Marcin Pospieszalski (tracks: 12, 13)
Bassoon – Wiesław Wołoszynek
Cello – Jerzy Muranty, Kamil Mysiński
Clarinet – Aleksander Romański
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Henryk Miśkiewicz
Classical Guitar – Marcin Majerczyk (tracks: 12, 13)
Double Bass – Darek Oleszkiewicz, Radosław Nur, Zbigniew Wegehaupt (tracks: 2, 7)
Drums – Kuba Majerczyk (tracks: 12, 13)
Drums, Percussion – Cezary Konrad
Flute – Hanna Turonek, Joszko Broda (tracks: 12, 13)
Guitar – Marek Napiórkowski
Harmonica – William Galison (tracks: 12, 13)
Harp – Anna Sikorzak
Lead Vocals, Voice – Anna Maria Jopek
Orchestrated By, Conductor – Krzesimir Dębski
Piano [Prepared] – Leszek Możdżer
Piano, Accordion – Andrzej Jagodziński
Soprano Flute, Flute, Horn – Jacek Urbaniak
Trumpet – Tomasz Stańko (tracks: 12, 13)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Robert Majewski
Viola – Dariusz Kisielewski, Włodzimierz Żurawski
Violin [First] – Artur Gadzała, Józef Kolinek, Katarzyna Gilewska-Zagrodzińska
Violin [First], Concertmaster – Krzysztof Bzówka
Violin [Second] – Patrycja Jopek-Mierzejewska, Robert Dąbrowski

IRENE KRAL - Second Chance (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Irene Kral was only in her mid-forties when she lost her battle with cancer. Decades after her death in 1978, Jazzed Media has uncovered additional unissued live recordings to follow their previous collection Just for Now (issued in 2004). These performances also were taped in 1975, but at a different venue (the Times restaurant) with another rhythm section. Pianist Alan Broadbent is the perfect accompanist for the rich-voiced, clear-toned alto, while her choice of material is a fascinating mix of standards, obscurities, and modern pop. She opens with an invigorating, spirited interpretation of "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes." Kral savors the longing of the lyrics to the bittersweet ballad "Never Let Me Go," which is buoyed by Broadbent's sensitive backing. The South American song "Sometime Ago" was a favorite of Art Farmer and a number of other jazz instrumentalists (though they usually chose a bright tempo), but Kral's very deliberate interpretation brings out the essence of its message in a new light. The pop songs include Leon Russell's "This Masquerade" (a hit for George Benson) and folksinger Tim Hardin's lesser-known "Misty Roses," both rendered in soft bossa nova settings. Peter Marshall (who was subbing for Kral's regular bassist) and drummer Frank Severino round out the superb rhythm section. One can only hope that additional recordings by Irene Kral will be located to join this outstanding CD in her discography. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    The Night Has A Thousand Eyes 2:22
Written-By – Buddy Bernier, Jerry Brainin
2    Second Chance 3:52
Written-By – Andre Previn, Dory Langdon Previn
3    Something To Remember You By 2:42
Written-By – Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz
4    Misty Roses 3:34
Written-By – Tim Hardin
5    Time For Love/Small World, Isn't It?    (6:12)
5.1        A Time For Love
Written-By – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster
5.2        Small World, Isn't It?
Written-By – Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim
6        Oh You Crazy Moon 2:37
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen And Johnny Burke
7    Never Let Me Go 5:19
Written-By – Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
8    It Isn't So Good It Couldn't Get Better 2:11
Written-By – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf
9    Sometime Ago 5:11
Written-By – Sergio Mihanovich
10    Unlit Room 2:28
Written-By – Bob Dorough, Fran Landesman
11    Star Eyes 5:18
Written-By – Don Raye, Gene DePaul
12    This Masquerade 4:52
Written-By – Leon Russell
13    Something In Your Smile/When I Look Into Your Eyes (6:13)
13.1        Something In Your Smile
Written-By – Leslie Bricusse
13.2        When I Look Into Your Eyes
Written-By – Leslie Bricusse
14        Nobody Else But Me 1:44
Written-By – Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II
Credits :
Bass – Peter Marshall
Drums – Frank Severino
Piano – Alan Broadbent
Vocals – Irene Kral

MELANIE De BIASIO — Blackened Cities (2016) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

When Melanie De Biasio released No Deal in 2014, it was embraced by jazz critics, DJs, and club audiences simultaneously. Gilles Peterson was so taken with its monochromatic ambient textures, stark arrangements, and clever improvisational intimations that he commissioned an album of remixes. Blackened Cities is not a conventional follow-up, but an adventurous endeavor rife with risk. The release consists of a single 24-minute track that unfolds like a suite. The conservatory-trained Belgian vocalist and flutist and her longtime musical associates -- Pascal Mohy on piano, Pascal Paulus on analog synths and clavinet, and Dré Pallemaerts on drums (with guest double bassist/cellist Sam Gerstmans) -- deliver a full-scale sonic drama that crosses a wide musical expanse and evokes an encyclopedia of stylistic references, yet comes across as a totally original whole. Its title comes from impressions of postindustrial cities De Biasio visited on her international tour: Detroit, Manchester, her native Charleroi; each has a storied past and a devastated façade, yet reflects its own unique beauty and tenacity.

Recorded live in the studio, Blackened Cities began as an unfinished three-minute idea brought in by the singer and left open for group interpretation. It starts with a whisper, a single organ-esque chord followed by a cello, before its lone guidepost enters: Pallemaerts' nearly constant, always inventive drumming -- shuffling, syncopating, circling -- is the pulse that signals each wave-like segment. (The spirit of Tony Williams on Miles Davis' In a Silent Way is redolent.) The musical reference points are wildly diverse: Nina Simone (the cover of "I'm Gonna Leave You" on No Deal was a watermark), the piano vamp from the Doors' "Riders on the Storm," Julie Tippetts with Brian Auger, Talk Talk's Laughing Stock, Simin Tander, Annette Peacock, Portishead, The The's "Uncertain Smile," Judy Nylon, and more come and go unhurriedly. The work gradually builds and then builds some more, without ever ratcheting up in intensity. Even at its most improvisational, Blackened Cities retains its moody, spatial, and spectral sense of groove. De Biasio delivers her lyrics in flowing extensions and deconstructions; the instrumental themes emerge from and vanish into them. Her unique phrasing employs the same maxims of silence and space that her musicians do. Even her own flute break uses an economic palette, elastically balancing harmony with breath. But in its creative leap, Blackened Cities retains all of the appealing elements heard on No Deal. As the track eventually washes into silence, it becomes evident that it had to stand as its own release. This aural travelogue's sensual cool, brooding tension, and elegiac tenderness are inseparable from one another. It is complete, but even at this length Blackened Cities ends all too soon. Thom Jurek
Tracklist :
1.    Blackened Cities 24:16
Backing Vocals [Backings] – Bart Vincent
Double Bass – Sam Gerstmans
Drums – Dre Pallemaerts
Piano – Pascal Mohy
Synth [Vintage Synths], Backing Vocals [Backings] – Pascal Paulus
Voice [Chant], Flute – Melanie De Biasio

MARILYN SCOTT — Without Warning! (1983-2012) SHM-CD | Serie My Generation, My Music - Back To The Rock Years | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Only You (3:45)
2. First Time (3:17)
3. Where Is the Key (4:12)
4. You Can Do It (4:38)
5. Say Goodbye (4:31)
6. 10 X 10 (3:48)
7. If You Let Me Love You (4:19)
8. This Side of the Rainbow (4:40)
9. Hold On (3:31)
10. I'll Be Lovin' You (4:39)
Credits :
Arranged By [Horns] – Greg Adams
Backing Vocals – Cruz Sembello, Marilyn Scott, Michael Sembello, Pepper Watkins (tracks: 7), Sheree Brown (tracks: 7)
Bass – Dean Cortez, Don Barrett (tracks: 7), Michael Sembello, Nathan East
Bass [Yamaha Four & Eight String] – Jimmy Haslip
Drums – Art Rodriguez, John Robinson, Ricky Lawson
Electronic Drums [Linn Drums] – James Stroud (tracks: 7)
Guitar – Michael Sembello, Tom Fowle (tracks: 7)
Horns – Tower Of Power Horns
Horns [Tower Of Power Horns] – Emilio Castillo, Greg Adams, Marc Russo, Mic Gillette, Steve "Doc" Kupka
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Jimmy Haslip, Russell Ferrante
Keyboards, Synthesizer [Emulator, Programmer] – Chris Page
Keyboards, Synthesizer [Micro Composer, Programmer] – Ian Underwood
Keyboards, Synthesizer [Vocodor, Programmer] – Craig Harris
Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
Piano, Synthesizer [Moog Bass] – Dan Sembello (tracks: 1)
Soloist, Guitar – Robben Ford (tracks: 3, 8)

LISA BASSENGE — Mothers (2020) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Joanne (Parker-Germanotta-Ronson-Tucker) - 3:45
2. Freight Train (Cotten) - 3:14
3. Some Other Spring (Kitchings-Herzog) - 5:49
4. Thin Man (Vega) - 4:21
5. Why (Lennox) - 4:57
6. Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (Lynn-Wells) - 4:14
7. Woodstock (Mitchell) - 5:58
8. All the Good Girls Go to Hell (O'Connell-O'Connell) - 4:53
9. Home Again (King) - 4:30
10. At Seventeen (Ian) - 6:04
11. Dancing on My Own (Carlsson-Berger) - 4:31
12. Song to a Seagull (live) (Mitchell) - 7:12
Credits :
Lisa Bassenge - Vocals
Jacob Karlzon - Piano
Andreas Lang - Bass

VALERIE JOYCE — The Look of Love : Music of Burt Bacharach (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Walk on By 4:54
 Hal David
2. What the World Needs Now 5:44
 Hal David
3. Alfie 4:08
 Hal David
4. (They Long to Be) Close to You 4:28
 Hal David
5. House Is Not a Home 5:31
 Hal David
6. Look of Love 6:47
 Hal David
7. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head 5:12
 Hal David
8. That's What Friends Are For 4:50
 Carole Bayer Sager
9. I Say a Little Prayer for You 3:49
 Hal David
10. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) 4:19
 Carole Bayer Sager
Credits :
Valerie Joyce - Vocals
David Hazeltine - Piano
Tony Reedus - Drums
Paul Gill - Bass

CARMEN CUESTA-LOEB — One Kiss (2003) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Tell Me Something 4:00
2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 4:34
3. All There Is 3:32
4. What's Next 4:11
5. Summer Dream 4:41
6. Si... 3:23
7. Don't look Back 5:30
8. One Kiss 2:50
9. Child 6:06
10. How Insensitive 3:56
11. A la Luz 4:38
Credits :
Bass – Tim Lefebvre
Drums – Wolfgang Haffner, Zach Danziger
Flute, Backing Vocals – Christina Loeb
Harmonica – Howard Levy
Percussion – Manolo Badrena
Percussion, Mastered By – David Charles
Piano – Andy Laverne
Piano, Keyboards – Jon Werking
Producer, Bass, Backing Vocals – Will Lee
Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Written-By – Chuck Loeb
Producer, Lead Vocals, Written-By – Carmen Cuesta
Saxophone – Andy Snitzer, Bill Evans, Nelson Rangell

EDEN ATWOOD — Waves : The Bossa Nova Session (2002) SACD Hybrid | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

After a six-year span since making her final recording for Concord, singer Eden Atwood's triumphant return to the studio exudes a confidence that some writers think was lacking in her earlier work. With first-rate arrangements by pianist Bill Cunliffe and a supporting cast including alto saxophonist and flutist Pete Christlieb, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Darek Oles, drummer Joe LaBarbera, and percussionist Scott Breadman, Atwood delves into memorable tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim ("Meditation," "The Girl From Ipanema," and "He's a Carioca") as well as bossa nova treatments of Duke Ellington's overlooked gem "Don't You Know I Care?," Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean?," and the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill" with equal success. Her playful side comes through in the delightful "O Pato," while she doesn't overdo her emotions when interpreting a bittersweet ballad such as Michel Legrand's "Once Upon a Summertime." She also wrote lyrics for Jobim's mellow ballad "Carminos Cruzados." This long overdue comeback release by one of the promising young jazz singers to emerge during the 1990s is warmly recommended. Ken Dryden
Tracklist
1.  He's A Carioca (A.C.Jobim, Gilbert) 6:59
2. O Pato (Hendricks, Silva, Teixerica) 4:59
3. Meditation (A.C.Jobim, Gimbel, Mendonca) 5:42
4. Girl From Ipanema (A.C.Jobim, Gimbel, De Moraes) 6:40
5. Once Upon A Summertime (Bacri, LeGrand, Mercer, Ruautt) 6:06
6. Don't You Know I Care (Ellington, Mack) 3:50
7. Waves [Caminos Cruzados] (music by A.C.Jobim, lyrics by Eden Atwood) 6:19
8. Fool On The Hill (Lennon-McCartney) 4:10
9. How Deep Is The Ocean (I.Berlin) 5:29
10. Brazil (Barroso, Russell) 6:08
11. It's A Quiet Thing (Ebb, Kander) 4:31
Credits :
Eden Atwood - Vocals
Bill Cunliffe - Piano
Darek Oles - Bass
Joe Labarbera - Drums
Anthony Wilson - Guitar
Pete Christlieb - Tenor Sax, Flute
Scott Breadman - Percussion

REBECKA TÖRNQVIST — A Night Like This (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With its sophisticated, jazzy sound, A Night Like This meant a big breakthrough for Rebecka Törnqvist upon its release in 1993. The 29-year-old debutante sounded extraordinarily confident and secure, and the backing consisted of a big part of the Swedish jazz elite, including names like Per "Texas" Johansson, Anders Widmark, Esbjörn Svensson, and Pål Svenre. The latter also produced the album together with Törnqvist. Many of these musicians, like Johansson, would in a few years become known outside jazz circles, but it was Törnqvist and this album in particular that were crucial in starting the '90s wave of female jazz vocalists in Sweden, including names like Viktoria Tolstoy, and were important in vitalizing the interest for the whole genre. Despite what it meant for the general popularity of jazz in Sweden, in itself this album is hard to place as either jazz or pop, and it crosses the borders in each and every song. Overall, the instrumentation and sound are jazzy, while the approach is rather more pop. This is the jazziest of Törnqvist's solo albums. When Swedish jazz-pop had proved itself marketable, much of the scene in the late '90s became quite watered down, but Törnqvist stood out as a skilled songwriter and A Night Like This is, perhaps, the album where her talent for songwriting is most obvious. Lars Lovén
Tracklist :
1    Mary, Mary    4:49
2    Madrid    4:11
3    Easy Come, Easy Go    4:29
Backing Vocals – André De Lange, Jean-Paul Wall, Max Schultz
Grand Piano – Esbjörn Svensson
4    Everywhere    4:09
Backing Vocals – André De Lange, Gertrud Stenung
5    Nothing Ever    4:50
Backing Vocals – Gertrud Stenung, Titiyo Jah
6    Here's That Rainy Day    5:50
7    Molly Says    3:43
8    Wander Where You Wander    4:42
Backing Vocals – André De Lange, Gertrud Stenung, Jean-Paul Wall, Titiyo Jah
9    Angel Eyes    5:55
Grand Piano – Esbjörn Svensson
10    Do You Mind    4:26
Vocals [Duet] – Claes Jansson
11    One Hour Drive    2:31
Drums – Egil Johansen
12    I'll Wait    6:28
Guitar – Rune Gustafsson
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Hans Backenroth (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 10, 12)
Conductor, Arranged By [Consutant] – Hans Ek
Guitar – Max Schultz (tracks: 1, 3 to 8, 10)
Tenor Saxophone – Per 'Texas' Johansson (tracks: 5, 8 to 10)
Written-By – Alec Wilder (tracks: 12), E Brent (tracks: 9), Burke / Van Heusen (tracks: 6), M Dennis (tracks: 9), Svenre (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), Törnqvist (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)

NELLIE McKAY — Sister Orchid (2018) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Given her jazz-influenced sound and knack for thoughtfully chosen cover songs, it's surprising that Nellie McKay had never released a complete jazz standards album until 2018's smoky, intimately rendered Sister Orchid. The closest the idiosyncratic singer/songwriter had gotten previously was her brightly attenuated 2009 Doris Day tribute, Normal as Blueberry Pie, which found her investigating songs heavily associated with the iconic actress and singer. Similarly, on 2015's My Weekly Reader, McKay took on some of her favorite '60s pop tunes by bands like the Kinks, Herman's Hermits, Moby Grape, and others. Here, McKay takes a deftly straightforward approach, performing a set of well-chosen standards that wouldn't be out of place on an album by Blossom Dearie (another McKay touchstone) from the 1950s. McKay, who arranged and played all of the songs on Sister Orchid, recorded the album in New York with engineer Chris Allen. Allen has worked with a bevy of jazz, folk, and pop artists including Kurt Elling, José James, Ingrid Michaelson, Andrew Bird, and others, and brings a soft, natural warmth that never interferes with McKay's performance. Primarily, these are spare arrangements, often just McKay accompanying herself on piano, as on the haunting "Angel Eyes." Elsewhere, as on her dusky reading of "Where or When," she weaves in a mournful cello. There are also jaunty bits of ukulele, as on "Lazybones," which also features her overdubbed backing vocals. The Broadway-tested McKay also displays her love of cabaret as she intersperses crowd chatter and clinking glasses to theatrical effect on "Everything Happens to Me." Despite her penchant for artifice, McKay reveals her strong musical chops on Sister Orchid, launching into a mad-eyed boogie-woogie section on "Where or When" and delivering a spine-tingling, synth-accented take on "In a Sentimental Mood" that conjures the neon-soaked atmosphere of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Matt Collar
Tracklist
1. My Romance (Hart-Rodgers) - 2:21
2. Angel Eyes (Brent-Dennis) - 2:01
3. Small Day Tomorrow (Landesman-Dorough) - 3:33
4. Willow Weep for Me (Ronell) - 5:55
5. The Nearness of You (Washington-Carmichael) - 2:17
6. Georgia on My Mind (Gorrell-Carmichael) - 3:35
7. Lazybones (Mercer-Carmichael) - 3:11
8. Where or When (Hart-Rodgers) - 2:41
9. Everything Happens to Me (Adair-Dennis) - 2:55
10. In a Sentimental Mood (Kurtz-Ellington) - 3:48
11. My Romance (Reprise) (Hart-Rodgers) - 2:42
Credits
Arranged By, Performer – Nellie McKay

TIERNEY SUTTON — I'm with the Band (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Since popping into our collective jazz consciousness as a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal Competition in 1998 and signing with Telarc Jazz a few years later, the versatile stylist Sutton Tierney has carved a unique career around theme-centered recordings -- most notably with Unsung Heroes (featuring sung renditions of songs normally done as instrumentals) and Blue in Green (a tribute record to Bill Evans). Her creativity with tempo, song selection, and witty modulations is at full-throttle on her fifth disc for the label, I'm with the Band, an hour-long set recorded live at Birdland in March 2005. Though she's clearly the star and her ensemble is always in her service, the album title and cover photo beautifully illustrate the mutual love she and her brilliant bandmates have shared for ten years. Each tune has space for Tierney to shine and improvise over simple harmonic and rhythmic support before she lets them break free. On the opening track, "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," she swings via words and scat over pianist Christian Jacob's alternately dark and light chordings, and drummer Ray Brinker's brisk brushes; then Jacob rolls with a feisty solo as Brinker and bassists Kevin Axt and Trey Henry groove behind him. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" features their very gentle support behind her restrained and thoughtful reflections, while Tierney and her rhythm section render "'S Wonderful" with a wistful wink. Tierney has her moments of gentle and poignant romance ("If I Loved You"), but is clearly having the most fun when she's moving at a faster tempo, alternating words and scat so effortlessly and seamlessly that you don't realize she's shifting back and forth. This disc is live jazz at its best and is destined to be a classic. Jonathan Widran
Tracklist :
1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise    4:55
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
2    Let's Face The Music And Dance    4:47
 Irving Berlin
3    'S Wonderful    2:33
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
4    Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea    4:18
 Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
5    Two For The Road    2:55
 Leslie Bricusse / Henry Mancini
6    East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)    2:23
 Brooks Bowman
7    People Will Say We're In Love    2:56
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
8    If I Loved You    4:43
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
9    Surrey With The Fringe On Top    2:14
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
10    Cheek To Cheek    3:06
 Irving Berlin
11    Blue Skies    4:38
 Irving Berlin
12    I Get A Kick Out Of You    3:21
 Cole Porter
13    The Lady Is A Tramp    4:28
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
14    What A Little Moonlight Will Do    3:06
15    On My Way To You    4:06
 Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand
16    Devil May Care    4:27
 Harry Warren
Credits
Bass – Kevin Axt, Trey Henry
Drums – Ray Brinker
Piano – Christian Jacob
Vocals – Tierney Sutton

MINA AGOSSI — Fresh (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Fridge (Agossi) - 3:37
2. Fresh (Agossi) - 3:50
3. La Vallee (Agossi) - 5:13
4. Accident (Agossi) - 4:32
5. Rewind (Agossi) - 4:26
6. Mina Waltz (Agossi) - 3:49
7. Funny (Agossi-Jacot) - 3:13
8. Need Love (Agossi) - 3:47
9. La Lucha (Agossi) - 4:17
10. Alkemi (Agossi-Combelle) - 4:07
Credits :
Mina Agossi - Vocals
Eric Jacot - Bass Guitar
Simon Bernier - Drums
Stephane Guery - Custom 77 guitar
Phil Reptil - Guitar
Philippe Combelle - Drums, Percussion
Alexei Aigui - Violin

CARMEN LUNDY — Fade to Black (2022) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Over 30 years into her career, vocalist Carmen Lundy is enjoying a career renaissance, one that finds her glowing with confidence on 2022's Fade to Black. Her sixteenth album and eighth released on her own Afrasia Productions label, Fade to Black is a sophisticated contemporary jazz record marked by themes of social justice, Black feminist empowerment, and a spiritual hope for the future. Joining her is an equally adept ensemble, including guitarist Andrew Renfroe, pianists Julius Rodriguez and Matthew Whitaker, bassists Kenny Davis and her brother Curtis Lundy, drummer Terreon Gully, and guests including trumpeters Wallace Roney, Jr. and Giveton Gelin and saxophonist Camille Thurman. Showcased throughout is Lundy's lithe, clear-toned vocal style, in which she bends and stretches words and phrases at will like a poet, or a painter putting brush to canvas. It's an apt comparison and one that makes even more sense when you realize she also painted the picture that appears on the album cover. There's a warm, often hypnotic quality to her singing, where she often repeats certain lines while developing her ideas over time as one might in a poem. Stylistically, Lundy touches upon shimmering modal jazz, as on the opening "Shining Light," her voice shimmering star-like over waves of piano and guitar. Elsewhere, she takes a soulful, gospel-influenced approach, as on the anthemic feminist anthem "Daughter of the Universe," in which she proclaims, "I have the power to change the world for the good/I am woman." Yet more pointed messages pop up, as on "Ain't I Human," where she takes on a flurry of intersectional issues, from voting rights and racism to women's reproductive rights -- the latter specifically in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. With Fade to Black, Lundy has crafted an album of nuanced, delicately colored beauty that feels deeply personal yet always universal in scope. Matt Collar
Tracklist :
1. Shine a Light (Lundy) - 8:07
2. So Amazing (Lundy) - 3:31
3. Daughter of the Universe (Lundy) - 5:39
4. Ain't I Human (Lundy) - 3:19
5. Lonesome Blue Butterfly (Lundy) - 5:20
6. Spell of Romance (Lundy) - 4:41
7. Say Her Name (Lundy) - 7:16
8. Transition (To a Promised Land) (Lundy) - 5:22
9. Privacy (Lundy) - 3:50
10. Reverence (Lundy) - 5:52
11. Rest in Peace (Lundy) - 3:48
Credits :
Carmen Lundy - Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Percussion, Horn arrangements, Backing vocals
Julius Rodriguez - Piano
Matthew Whitaker - Organ, Keyboards, String arrangements, Programming
Kenny Davis - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
Curtis Lundy - Acoustic Bass
Terreon Gully - Drums
Andrew Renfroe - Guitar
Wallace Roney Jr., Giveton Gelin - Trumpet
Camille Thurman, Morgan Guerin - Tenor Saxophone

Connie Evingson — Some Cats Know (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Just prior to Some Cats Know, Connie Evingson released Fever, her tribute album to Peggy Lee. A glance at the title of this new release might lead one to conclude that this is another album paying homage to Lee. Not at all. While there is a nod or two to the inestimable Peggy Lee, like the title tune, this album is an exhilarating, entertaining exposition of Evingson's considerable vocal skills accentuated by the presence of great veteran jazz players. Their talents, and those of the several local musicians on this session, are not wasted. A good deal of attention has been given to the arrangement of each of the songs on this varied play list. "More Than You Know" is a tour de force with Sanford Moore's funky, low-down piano providing most of the backstopping on this bluesy rendition of this tune from the 1929 musical Great Day. The tenor saxophones of Dave Karr and the legendary Chicago horn man Von Freeman engage in a musical conversation on a very upbeat "It's Alright With Me," with Sanford Moore moving in as Evingson segues into "I Love Paris." Karr's haunting flute is the musical passport to a plaintive vocal version of "Close Your Eyes." Toots Thielemans gets on board with his harmonica as he and Evingson romp through his jazz standard, "Bluesette." This tune also features Reuben Ristrom's Barry Galbraith-like guitar strumming behind Evingson, with Jimmy Hamilton's straightforward, no-nonsense piano getting a lot of play on this tune Doc Severinsen's muted trumpet joins Evingson on "I've Got the World on a String" and is also prominent on a sultry, lush version of "'Round Midnight." "More Than You Know" conjures a small, smoke-filled New York lounge with a chantuese backed by a rhythm section, with guitar. Rather than the usual swing arrangement for "Accentuate the Positive," Evingson gives it a Ray Charles treatment -- funky with an off-center beat. She is ably assisted by Al Grey's growling trombone, Sanford Moore's saloon piano, and Dave Karr's New Orleans' clarinet. This performance is one of the highlights of an album where picking a highlight is difficult. "All the Things You Are" reveals the supreme confidence these performers have in their individuality coupled with their ease in coalescing with those they share the stage with. Evingson does the lyrics in a midtempo, but Jeanne Arland Peterson's piano is comping faster than Evingson's time while Irv Williams is doing his own thing on tenor, and it works, as does every cut on the album, which is highly recommended. Dave Nathan
Tracklist
1    Some Cats Know    6:06
2    I Love Paris/It's Alright With Me    4:37
3    Close Your Eyes    4:39
4    More Than You Know    4:40
5    Bluesette    5:52
6    I Wanna Be Loved    5:09
7    I've Got The World On A String    4:34
8    Yesterday/Yesterdays    5:05
9    Accentuate The Positive    3:57
10    All The Things You Are    6:04
11    Round Midnight    5:57
12    I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair    6:05
13    Anthropology    3:59
Credits :
Connie Evingson (Vocals); Reuben Ristrom (Guitar); Von Freeman, Dave Karr, Irv Williams (Tenor Saxophone); Doc Severinsen, Gene Adams (Trumpet); Al Grey (Trombone); Toots Thieleman (Harmonica); Sanford Moore, Jimmy Hamilton, Jeanne Arland Peterson (Piano); Jack McDuff (Hammond B-3 organ); Terry Burns, Jay Young, Godry Johnson, Gary Raynor, Ray Brown (Bass); Phil Hey, Joe Pulice (Drums).

Cæcilie Norby — Slow Fruit (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist
1    Cæcilie Norby–    My Man    4:50
2    Cæcilie Norby Duet With Curtis Stigers–    Big Time 3:53
Vocals – Curtis Stigers
3    Cæcilie Norby–    Slow Fruit    4:52
4    Cæcilie Norby–    Afterglow    4:54
5    Cæcilie Norby–    Circus Circus    4:13
6    Cæcilie Norby–    Raised On Blue Moods    5:37
7    Cæcilie Norby–    Fools Of Love    4:28
8    Cæcilie Norby–    Power To The Fools    4:49
9    Cæcilie Norby–    Zoeanne    2:48
10    Cæcilie Norby–    Moonlight    3:36
11    Cæcilie Norby–    A Heart Is Not A Toy    3:20
12    Cæcilie Norby–    Poem And Prayer    4:29
Credits :
Randy Brecker, Staffan Svensson, Lars Nilsson - Trumpet
Hans Ulrik - Sax
Gцran Kroon - Cymbals
Lars Jansson, Carsten Dahl - Piano
Lasse Nilsson - Flugelhorn
Tobias Sjцgren, Aske Jacoby, Ulf Wakenius - Guitar
Anders Kjellberg, Morten Lund - Drums
Xavier Desandre Navarre - Percussion
Lars Danielsson - Bass, Cello, Rhodes, Keyboards, Piano, Accordion, Wьrlitzer
Caecilie Norby - Vocals
Curtis Stigers - Vocals on ”Big Time”
and the Danish Radio Concert Orchestra

KAREN SOUZA — Suddenly Lovers (2023) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 

Tracklist
1        Love Is Never Too Late    3:38
2        One Night In NY    3:46
3        Ay Amor    3:06
4        I Am Naked    2:58
5        Morning Coffee    2:48
6        On A Clear Day    4:16
7        Embrujo    3:20
8        How Did You Get In My Dreams?    3:38
9        Suddenly Lovers    3:39
10      Show Me The Way To Go Home    3:11
    – BONUS TRACK –
11      Laisse Tomber Les Filles    3:07
12      The Way You Look Tonight (Live Version)    3:35

 

AKEXIS COLE — Dazzling Blue : The Music of Paul Simon (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 

 Tracklist :
1    St. Judy's Comet    3:03
Paul Simon
2    Jonah    3:31
Paul Simon
3    Dazzling Blue    4:35
Paul Simon
4    Something So Right    6:20
Paul Simon
5    Another Galaxy    5:14
Paul Simon
6    Nobody    3:43
Paul Simon
7    Song About The Moon    4:12
Paul Simon
8    Everything About It Is A Love Song    4:36
Paul Simon
9    Long, Long Day    4:08
Paul Simon
10    Love    4:05
Paul Simon
11    That's Where I Belong    4:27
Paul Simon
12    Quiet    5:15
Paul Simon
Credits :
Backing Vocals – Evan Sundquist, Maria Quintanilla
Bass – Mark Peterson
Flute – Julie Harris
Guitar – Marvin Sewell
Lead Vocals, Producer – Alexis Cole
Percussion – Gus Courtsunis
Percussion, Producer – Jeff Haynes