New Music Releases: Buddy Greco; Simone Kopmajer; Snorre Kirk with Stephen Riley

Buddy Greco - Let's Love / I Like It Swinging

On this CD release jazz and pop singer Buddy Greco is heard in his early 1960s prime with ''two complete stereo LPs'', Let's Love, and I Like It Swinging. As a bonus, four tracks from singles are included, all on CD for the first time. 28 ''Great Songs'' in all! ///  Review: Anyone that would remember Greco coming up as a swinging jazz singer under Benny Goodman is probably dead. Now, he's remembered by boomers as a jive ass Vegas finger popping daddio that symbolized everything wrong with the establishment. These two albums produced by Al Cohn with the era's top jazzbos in tow (including Zoot Sims) finds Greco shaking off the last of his jazz vocal days looking to fill a nook between Sinatra, Prima and Davis before letting those fingers really pop. These tracks could live on their own without the vocals since the players are so strong but the song choices are faultless. A nice addition to any jazz vocal collection. ~ Chris Spector --Midwest Record review 09/20/19

Simone Kopmajer – My Favorite Songs

My Favorite Songs is Simone Kopmajer´s first Best Of album, a collection of songs from her last 12 recordings. The Double-CD features artists such as George Mraz, Victor Lewis, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Houston Person and many more on a 32-songset that presents songs from The Great American Songbook, originals and exquisite covers of songs made popular by Frank Sinatra, Ray Orbison and Bill Withers. She has soul and a particular charismatic tone in her voice that gives each song that special something. Born in Austria, Simone Kopmajer already achieved at a young age what many musicians, bands and ensembles dream of - the launch of a successful international career. In the United States, Japan and Southeast Asia, the singer is a household name for lovers of demanding and refined jazz music. She fills large concert halls, performs as the headliner of major international festivals and has sold thousands of CDs worldwide.

Snorre Kirk with Stephen Riley - Tangerine Rhapsody

Drummer Snorre Kirk has a great musical partner here – tenorist Stephen Riley, who blows with this warm, raspy tone that takes us back to classic Ben Webster in the postwar years! The pace of most tunes is nicely laidback, but never in a way that's too sloppy or loose – as Kirk's combo provides these rhythms that are more than interesting enough on their own, and which really expand once Riley's magic comes into the mix! Also, all tunes are originals by Kirk, which makes for an even fresher set than the usual outing with a classic-styled tenorist – and the group features Magnus Hjorth on piano and Anders Fjelsted on bass – plus guest tenor from Jan Harbeck on two tracks too. Tiles include "Tangerine Rhapsody", "Blues Jump", "West Indian Fever", "Festival Grease", and "Uptown Swing Theme".~ Dusty Groove