Smooth Sailin' is the debut release by multi-instrumentalist Marty Grebb. Back in the mid-'60s, Grebb was a founding member of the pop band the Buckinghams, and was also a backup musician who played with the Dells, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, and Willie Nelson, to name a few. On his Telarc debut, Grebb plays piano, B-3, a bevy of saxophones, and guitar, and also handles lead vocals. He surrounds himself with high-profile guests, including Raitt, Taj Mahal, Steve Cropper, Amos Garrett, and Rick Braun. The 13 tunes are all originals by Grebb or are co-written by him, and range from horn-saturated soul-blues, lazy New Orleans grooves, and gospel-funk to smooth radio-ready contemporary blues.

Featuring prime Latin jazz cuts from the heyday of the mambo, Afro Cuban Jazz: 1947-1960 is really a better than average showcase for one of the music's best: Machito. In fact, this disc contains 13 sides by Machito & His Orchestra, including two bebop gems featuring Charlie Parker ("Mango Mangue," "No Noise, Pts. 1-2"). That's not to overlook the presence of one of the supreme champions of Latin jazz, Dizzy Gillespie ("Manteca"), Stan Kenton and his mathematically frenetic bongo jams, and J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding teaming up for a couple of classics. Truthfully, however, the real meat here is heard on such Machito dancefloor fillers as "Oyeme" and "Minor Rama." So, when you've got a jones for jazz in a mambo mood, this disc will provide the needed salve.

The Perfect Map is a third full-length studio album by Elephants Of Scotland, released June 17, 2016. Elephants of Scotland was formed in 2010 in Burlington, Vermont, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and composer Adam Rabin, who took upon the challenge to start a progressive rock band in a place better known for jam bands and cows. After a year of writing and the usual growing pains, the core band settled in together with Ornan McLean on drums and percussion, Dan MacDonald on bass and vocals and John "Lefty" Whyte on guitars and vocals, with Adam on synthesizers and vocals.

This was a beautiful bossa nova record of Astrud Gilberto's vocal stylings…All the material (32:13) here, with the exception of "Learn to Live Alone" and "Pretty Place," which were arranged by Al Cohn, were arranged by Gil Evans. With the exception of a Johnny Coles trumpet solo, the personnel was uncredited on this 1966 recording. Discographies have credited Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone), Kenny Burrell (guitar), and Grady Tate (drums), but except for a few bars of sax, there was no solo indivdualism in this large Creed Taylor-produced orchestra.

A key fusion set from Sadao Watanabe a record that has him moving away from some of the bolder tones of the early 70s, into warmly soulful territory that would him him find a much bigger international audience! The album's still got a nice sharp edge, though as it's recorded in that key Japanese fusion stretch of the late 70s a time when the overseas scene was digging some of the best elements from American electric jazz, and putting them together with a style that was clean, lean, and still plenty soulful. Watanabe's reeds get some great help here from American players who include Dave Grusin on Fender Rhodes, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, and Ernie Watts on tenor and rhythms feature tight drums from Harvey Mason, plus extra percussion from Paulinho Da Costa.

Combining Latin and African rhythms with the light textures of MOR jazz, Special EFX emerged as one of the most prominent world fusion groups of their era. Formed in New York in 1982, Special EFX was essentially a duo comprised of guitarist Chieli Minucci and Hungarian-born drummer/percussionist George Jinda; debuting in 1985 with the album Modern Manners, they often recruited other musicians to help flesh out their state-of-the-art sound, among them Dave Grusin, Omar Hakim, and McCoy Tyner.

Cordial reissue Afrodisia's sought-after 'Elephant Sunrise' album from 1980. A combination of US soldiers with local musicians from Worms, Germany, Afrodisia. 'Elephant Sunrise' has become a collectors item because every song's a winner! The music spans soul to funk to disco and jazz with great ease.

On Sunset features ten classic yet modern Paul Weller songs. On Sunset is a soul album. At the same time it’s also an electronic album, an orchestral album, an album packed with masterly pop songs and heart-tugging ballads, and an album filled with touches of experimentalism. It’s also an album that sees Weller taking a rare glance into the rear-view mirror as he speeds into the 2020s.

The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). The official lineup of the band was completed when Mark Stoermer (bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (drums, percussion) joined in 2002. The band's name is derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band portrayed in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal". The band has released five consecutive chart-topping studio albums: Hot Fuss (2004), Sam's Town (2006), Day & Age (2008), Battle Born (2012) and Wonderful Wonderful (2017). They have also released a B-sides and rarities compilation, Sawdust (2007); a live album, Live from the Royal Albert Hall (2009); a greatest-hits album, Direct Hits (2013); and a Christmas compilation, Don't Waste Your Wishes (2016). The Killers are considered one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century, and the most successful act to ever emerge from Nevada, selling more than 28 million albums.

Azar Lawrence - The Seeker (2014) {Sunnyside SSC 1392}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 441 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 151 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Sunnyside Communications, Inc. | SSC 1392
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Spiritual Jazz / Saxophone

Jazz fans of a certain age who remember McCoy Tyner’s great 1973 album Enlightenment may have wondered what became of Azar Lawrence. He dropped off jazz radar for most of three decades, but he is back. The Seeker is his fifth record since 2007. He also plays in drummer-composer Franklin Kiermyer’s quartet on Further. Lawrence has been compared to John Coltrane his whole working life, but he is not a replica. He plays Coltrane’s instruments but not his licks and patterns. Even Lawrence’s sound is a variant. On soprano saxophone he is somewhat more rounded, and has slightly more vibrato on tenor. What he shares with Coltrane is an intensity of passion that overwhelms everything in its path.

Trumpeter Ray Vega, who has mostly played in Afro-Cuban jazz settings (including with Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, and Tito Puente), mostly emphasizes hard bop on his self-titled debut, especially on "Greenhouse" (based on "What Is This Thing Called Love") and a medium-slow "Alone Together." However he also performs some Latin music and Wilson "Chembo" Corniel is prominent on conga. Vega's combo (which includes tenor saxophonist Roger Byam) is skillful at switching between the two overlapping styles. A fine effort.

Petr Eben - Das Orgelwerk, Volume 3 - Gunther Rost (2005) {Motette MOT12934}
SACD rip | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 605 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 151 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 87 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2005 Motette | MOT 12934
Classical / 20th Century / Organ

Petr Eben is one of the leading composers of our time. After the recordings with Faust / Mutationes and Job, this recording forms the third part of a complete recording of his previous organ compositions. The works of Sunday music and Laude are among the most popular organ pieces in Eben. For the organ competition of the "Prague Spring Festival" he composed the two choral fantasies, which are characterized by virtuoso gestures. The work A Festive Voluntary - Variations on Good King Wenceslas was created in 1986 as a commission for the re-inauguration of the organ at Chichester Cathedral. Gunther Rost plays the Schuke organ of the Neubaukirche Würzburg. SACD multi-channel A CD of the highest quality level!