Amy Winehouse Told You I Was Trouble Live in London - audio only

link in comments

Jamie Lidell Albums

two experimental-electronica ish albums, followed by two soul-funk ones, all are great,
links at comments (rapidshare.com)

Jamie Lidell - Freakin the Frame / Freely Freekin (EP)
Jamie Lidell - Muddlin Gear
Jamie Lidell - Multiply
Jamie Lidell - Multiply Additions
Jamie Lidell - JIM

Super Collider - Raw Digits

Head On and Raw Digits, the two albums Jamie Lidell made with Cristian Vogel as Super_Collider, remain thrilling meeting points between the lacerating, discombobulated electronic disco of Liaisons Dangereuses and the freak-flag-flying funk of early-'80s Cameo
(quoting Andy Kellman from allmusic.com)
here is one of them (rapidshare link in comments)

a random nusrat fateh ali khan album

http://rapidshare.com/files/245285530/Nusrat_20Fateh_20Ali_20Khan.rar

Some random Ilhan Mimaroglu tracks

(tracks are not from this album, the cover chosen for its visuality)

http://rapidshare.com/files/243815368/Mimaroglu_2038_20Prelude_20No_2016.flac
(lyrics by Orhan Veli the poet)
http://rapidshare.com/files/243813978/Mimaroglu_2036_20Prelude_20No_2012.flac

Bill Evans 1974 Symbiosis - highly recommended - rapidshare

this orchestrated Bill Evans' album is highly recommended for those hearing Evans for the first time and Evans lovers alike. (rapidshare.com links at comments) Review below by Jan Stevens so deftly reviews the album that i have nothing to add:

A review by Jan Stevens (retrieved from http://www.billevanswebpages.com/aom_symbiosis.html, on 7 June 2009)

Symbiosis, recorded in 1974 for the German record label MPS (since available on Verve/Polyram, currently out-of-print but available from these sellers) is a superbly performed and beautifully recorded project, despite being one of Bill Evans’ more overlooked and vastly underrated albums. In the fusion-intensive years of the early 1970s, the emphasis in the jazz media -- and especially the record companies, was on musicians who involved themselves with electric music and jazz-rock. These were heady times with new sounds and then-upcoming new talents like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Mahavishnu, Jean-Luc Ponty, Weather Report, et al, garnering the attention of jazz critics. It was the day of new electric keyboards and often exotic instrumentation. These were increasingly difficult times for straight ahead jazz musicians of stature and “name” artists like Bill Evans were no exception. Symbiosis seemed to come in under the radar, and was simply not given much marketing effort or critical attention. But it is a recording that deserves far more scrutiny than it’s received, even among serious Evans fans. Claus Ogerman composed and orchestrated the work with Evans in mind as keyboard soloist. He had worked with Bill on two previous albums. The first in 1963 (the strictly commercial “V.I.P.s Theme…”) and in 1965 (Bill Evans with Symphony Orchestra). Symbiosis is harmonically and rhythmically adventurous, and an often hauntingly gorgeous work in two movements.

The first movement is in three sections, but is a unified whole. It opens with woodwinds as the tight-knit ensemble bounces through the long, knotty eighth-note configurations here, with a nice taste of mid-fifties George Russell in the voicings. In fact we don’t even hear the piano until about two minutes in, when the trio (Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums) enters. They run through some inventive harmonic territory as they roll along, further developing the medium-up paced swing. Bill sounds in good form, his lines clean and melodic. It all draws you in, but the third section of the first movement, after some percussive Latin-feel from the orchestra, the real treats begin. Bill plays long, inventive and often fast- moving lines on electric piano that catch your ear with their shimmering beauty and complexity. He works over a gentle, lilting swing with Ogerman’s sweet but surprisingly muscular strings backing him. Evans’ musical logic is impeccable here, as usual, as the chord structure is strewn with lots of challenging whole -tone and diminished harmonies. It is a lengthy section, and as Bill scampers freely across his Fender-Rhodes, weaving in, around and through the complex yet smooth harmonic movement, one marvels at how he keeps the interest going. But he makes it all sound easy and almost inevitable. Soon after, this rhythm seems to ebb away, and we then hear the playful side of Bill as he alternates staccato jabs on both keyboards as the section closes.

In the next part, Ogerman writes lush but not maudlin strings (and a few flutes) in dense often poly-chordal combinations underneath -- creating a perfect cushion for the pianist’s swirling right-hand lines. The sleek Latin rhythms return (this time with saxes alternating various two and four- bar phrases), until a recapitulation of the chordal theme returns, this time against a C pedal tone. But there’s more, as the trio returns on its own, smoother than silk, with the earlier thematic material now in recapitulation. The Rhodes fits in particularly well in the Symbiosis’ framework. It is often used as punctuation at the end of a written ensemble phrase, or as a smooth and dreamy ensemble texture. Evans’ choices as to when to use the Rhodes or the Steinway are wise indeed, throughout, and with great sensitivity towards integrating the parts seamlessly within the composition. It takes a wise pianist to distinguish between serving the composition as an effective ensemble player, and yet putting one’s personal stamp on it, as Bill does so skillfully here. If you’re listening carefully, you’re drawn into the work itself, always aware of Ogerman’s substantial compositional skill on its own terms --yet never losing the sense that out front, it’s Bill Evans being Bill Evans. I mention this merely since this is almost exactly opposite of the sense one gets listening to the ambitious, yet ultimately abysmal “Living Time” suite he recorded with George Russell’s Orchestra two years prior.

Ahh, but the best has yet to begin! The second movement alone is worth the price of the CD itself. Evans begins alone on piano in B minor, beginning with a lovely, simple three note theme (D down to F#, then G), and as it ever-so-slowly develops a note at a time in a scale motion, its naked simplicity - and how the melancholy harmonies open up --is breathtaking. ( If you’ve ever seen the popular 2005 Paul Giamatti film “Sideways” – a tiny part of this very opening section was used at a critical plot juncture in the film, and the placement of it at that moment -- at the end of a touching conversation in the film--was revealing and dramatic. And yes, it is this recording that was featured, and Bill’s piano that captures that bittersweet movie moment so well.

After a few tender expositional phrases, Ogerman’s signature strings return, in a profoundly mature restatement, until Bill’s chords mingle with the ensemble, followed again by just the trio, gently moving the section along. Eddie Gomez plays intelligently and with elegant restraint, once again anticipating the pianist’s phrases and spaces so well. This whole little sub-section by itself would have been considered a stellar performance on any Evans trio album of the period. When the strings do return, its just glorious, but there is a bit of an obvious tape edit that is quite audible over quality headphones. Yet the seamlessness of Ogerman’s writing here, with its shifting colors --with Evans doing octaves --makes up for it.

The valedictory-sounding Andante of this second movement (track 4) has more orchestral prominence than keyboard, and builds in an almost Mahler-esque grandiosity, as the pianist cleanly plays the scored single-line part. The march-like quality of the music may be somewhat off-setting here for a little bit, until you start to pay close attention to all the richness of Ogerman’s underscoring. The piece concludes triumphantly, and one thinks it’s all over, but then the sweet serentity of that exquisite solo three-note piano figure returns, and over Bill’s heartfelt playing, a sweet-cream orchestral passage lilts us to the real close of the work -- as Evans’ gently cascading and sparkling fifths coming down from the upper register to remind us of what we heard before in the piece, and what we came for in the first place.

As biographer Keith Shadwick (In the book "Bill Evans - Everything Happens to Me") noted:

“Evans brings to the work the consummate artistry and sensitivity that occurs when he is stretched and stimulated. His rubato playing in the opening and second movement sometimes alone, sometimes in unison with the strings, is both moving and immensely accomplished in a way that few jazz or classical pianists could have countenanced."

The still-active Claus Ogerman succeeds marvelously here as composer-arranger with a work of great harmonic and rhythmic interest that showcases Evans’ lyrical jazz expressiveness, and his inherent classical strengths – and all without compromise. Along with the attention to detail and textures on both piano and Rhodes that Evans brings to this endeavor, this is where the real “symbiosis” occurs. Yet with all its modern European classical flavor, it shows what jazz should sometimes be more about -- at least in large scale works like this -- when it presents a mix of elegance and function; improvisational freedom within a clearly defined structure. It’s music that was made to last, which, in retrospect, cannot be said for much of the fusion music that was at the forefront of jazz when this album was recorded.

If you can locate a copy, don’t delay. If we compare “Symbiosis” to the various other albums Bill Evans did within an orchestral contextt –whether his own dates or others -- it may well be his most successful achievement of its kind.

Esperanza Spalding - Esperanza (2008) Junjo (2006) Group - Stockholm Jazz Festival (2008) (rapidshare)

born in 1984, an alumnus of (and the youngest instructor of, since she was 20) Berklee, Esperanza Spalding is a simultaneous vocalist - bass player. And excels at each.
Her albums, latest of which is Esperanza, feature music fusing latin, mainstream vocal jazz and contemporary fusion.

http://rapidshare.com/files/237791027/Esperanza_20_2008_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/237794752/Esperanza_20Spalding_20Junjo_20_2006_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/237794642/Esperanza_20Spalding_20Group_20Stockholm_20Jazz_20Festival_202008.rar

Bill Evans 1970 Helsinki, 30 min. rare footage (avi)

You can download a rare B&W footage of the supreme jazz pianist Bill Evans through the link (rapidshare)
It features performances of 3 songs, and interviews in between.

Bill Evans 1970 Helsinki

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Impulse CD

One of the many notable albums by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, a school to many great jazz artists.

Download through rapidshare (mp3)

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Impulse CD

Bill Evans Trio - With Symphony Orchestra

Yet another beauty by Bill Evans, giving you the chance to hear the one-and-only jazz pianist accompanied by orhestra (conducted by Ogerman, remember the album Symbiosis? ), playing both his compositions and those by classical/contemporary music composers.

Download here: (files are in .flac format) (rapidshare)
Bill Evans Trio - With Symphony Orchestra

In the Year of the Dragon- Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian

amazon link:

In the Year of the Dragon- Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian

a 1989 album by three jazz greats involved in composition.
download here (rapidshare):
In The Year of The Dragon

Living Colour- Seven Nation Army cover (live) video

For those unfamiliar with Living Colour, they are a Grammy winning hard rock band that is composed solely of virtuoso African-American musicians

Vernon Reid is an amazing guitar player who has played in a multitude of jazz/funk/blues projects besides being a member of L. Colour.
Great Corey Glover's side-projects (including serious acting in films and plays) would take pages to list. Though he's not singing in this vid (Vernon has taken over vocals), i urge you to check his singing out on youtube or myspace)
Will Calhoun graduated from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he received a Bachelors degree in Music Production and engineering. He featured in recordings of many first rate jazz and pop artists (including Wynton Marsalis, mind you)
Doug Wimbish, an excellent studio musician, has played for a vast range of artists, like Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Depeche Mode, Joe Satriani etc etc. He is reknowned for creatively introducing digital effects to bass playing, you can see an instance of that in the vid I'm posting.

So how about a hand for Living Colour:
http://rapidshare.com/files/233329469/living_20colour_207nation_20army_.mp4

Chaka Khan - My Night (Live) video

this was downloaded from youtube, yet somehow the video got removed and someone put a less impressive live version,
you can download here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/233329722/chakamynight.mp4

Ramones - Brain Drain (rapidshare)

This has been an all-time favourite album of mine, surviving immense changes in my musical taste since I bought the cd when i was around 15.
Just felt like sharing it so enjoy. Link in comments

Bob Dylan Together Through Life 2009 (rapidshare)

something less jazz-oriented for a change.
link in comments

Impending Bloom- King & Moore

an impressive, unique mixture of vocal, bass and intricate harmonizations.
decided to share the links before i can manage to write anything on it, some amazon.com reviews in the link are informative enough.
Album's:
First Part
Second Part

mp3 added to the dreams post, and a note on continuous updates

this blog is likely to reek of palimpsest due to my attitude, so keep an eye on "old" posts even if no new ones show up

notice the mp3 sample concluding the post on Dreams

contemporary jazz/funk/rnb vocalists to keep an eye on

if several of well-established vocalists have already been in your playlist for a long time (be it Chaka Khan, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cassandra Wilson, or older ones ranging from Ella to Aretha)
you might want to take a look at slightly less popular ones that I am going to mention, and perhaps explore someone new:
(more or less chronological)

1 Chet Baker: His cool-jazz pioneer trumpet is famous enough, tragic accounts of his life are also well known. Yet the tragedy is always lacking because you cannot hear Orpheus sing. Well this recording might be the closest you can get.
That Old Feeling
When I think of the obscure line we draw when listening to music btw. sensitivity and sentimentality (yes, drawn by a normative hand), I increasingly think of this album and wonder how Chet managed to hang on to the former without an ounce of mawkishness. As if he is singing against the wind of prospective officious biographers attempting to reduce his life experience to a hackneyed melodrama.
Anyway, i was content to keep this music blog strictly business , and free from trite personal observations characterizing blogs. Go hear him when you have time.



2) KJ Denhert: Strangely less-traveled composer/singer/guitarist.
An ingenious mixture of funk, jazz, folk and soul. Sung by a distinctive and authentic brass-like contralto voice. No wonder she mentions Joni Mitchell, Prince, Stevie and Billie Holiday among influences. You can hear those names in her music (and Sting at his funkiest!) yet the whole is overgestaltly more than the components.
I also like the fact that side musicians are given excessive freedom to contribute.
Her bona fide covers of well-known songs are also impressive. Here is a taste: Hit the Road Jack
You might want to hear more through her myspace page or download recent gemalbums Lucky 7 and Another Year Gone By quite affordably through her page.

3) Rachelle Ferrell : An ingenious singer, excelling at R&B and jazz. Her last album Live at Montreux 91-97 [Live] published in 2002, is an ideal route to explore her unmistakable vocals.
See the video below for a tinge of Rachelle.

4)Jill Scott: Another must if you are interested in singers experimenting in R&B and jazz with equal earnestness.
She collaborated with legendary The Roots for You Got Me.
Another collaboration was with great George Benson for the Benson & Jarreau album, for a rendition of the standard "God Bless the Child" this time.
In an interview I remember Benson mentioning her as "amazingly couregous, ready to try anything with her voice".
Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 is the gem that secured her well-earned popularity and might be a good entry point.
Summertime duet with Benson (on Youtube)

HEAR THIS!!: MY favourite Jill Scott piece, an amazing mixture of R&B n jazz.
(Notice the lyrics, managing to be both romantic and quite witty, a Jill Scott specialty)

5)Patti Austin:
Mentioned last but far from the least, grammy-winning R&B and jazz guru never ceases to impress.
Last two albums of her, compilations to two founding figures of jazz, For Ella (2002) and Avant-Gershwin (2007) are mighty candidates for doing justice to her abilities in an hour.Yet I would prefer Avant-Gershwin for its subtly more innovative approach.


Hear Rachelle Ferrell and Patti Austin improvising and having fun together (with great George Duke on piano) ,dig for more if you (don't) like it:

Probably coming Soon

Bill Evans- Symbiosis
Pat Metheny &Ornette Coleman - Song x
Jack DeJohnette feat. Bill Frisell - The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
McCoy Tyner- Guitars

Feel free to encourage one to have it reviewed sooner

Dreams (album) - Dreams(band) recommended

amazon link
Dreams: Dreams
(Wiki:While Dreams did not achieve the commercial success of either Chicago or Blood Sweat & Tears, they did serve as a launchpad for eventually prominent jazz fusion artists Billy Cobham, Don Grolnick, and Randy & Michael Brecker (Later known as the Brecker Brothers). Other prominent band members included guitarist John Abercrombie, trombonist Barry Rogers, and bassist Will Lee.)

Ive just started listening to the album yet loved
*the 70s progressive rock sound, that is
*frequently articulating with Earth Wind& Fire like horn/rhythm arrangements
*interceded by free improvisation intervals (resembling garage-rock in structure yet improvised in a noncompromising jazz grammar at times verging on contemporenaous free jazz.)
(and yes! cover work incorporating Magritte is also a turn on)

willing to provide a more comprehensive review soon.

sample mp3 (songs show extensive diversity as you can guess, so dont count on this one:
HOLLY BE HOME (MP3)