THE MAGIC OF JOBIM: THE ENCHANTING MELODIES OF ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM
The
haunting songs of Brazil's greatest composer are the focus of this impressive
gathering of performers. Featured here are Jobim classics such as Desafinado,
Dindi, The Girl from Ipanema, Insensatez, So Danca Samba, Dreamer and many
others. All the melodies adapt well to the contemporary jazzy idiom of today.
The lilting qualities of the music facilitate interpretations of the music
which are each different in their own way, with the whole creating a homogenous
palate of colors and tonal shadings. The interpretations range from the
sensitive vocals of Stacey Kent and Monica Vasconcelos to guitarist Nate Najar,
the mellow sax of Jim Tomlinson and pianists Shirley Scott, Hector Martignon
and the Brazilian Gilson. Inlcudes: Insensatez by Monica Vasonelos; Desafinado by Nate Najar; If You Never Come To
Me by Stacey Kent; Chega de Saudade by Gilson;.Cancao em Modo Menor by Monica Vasconcelos; Portrait in White & Black by Hector
Martignon; Dreamer:by Stacey Kent with Jim
Tomlinson; Chovendo No Reseira by Nate Najar; Dindi by Monica Vasconcelos;So Danco Samba by Buddy Greco; Triste by Shirley Scott; and Boy From Ipanema by Buddy Childers. ~ Amazon.com
AZAR LAWRENCE - THE SEEKER
Life is
a journey. Some would say that our ultimate objective is to find our truth, our
function in the grand scheme of things. Many philosophers and prophets have
toiled in efforts to discover life s meaning and the truths of the universe.
Though the means and results vary, the seeker will inevitably go on his own
path, simply through living, to discover his own truth. Saxophonist
Azar Lawrence has been forging his path through music for the past four
decades. He has become one of the principal voices of the post-Coltrane age of
jazz, a spiritual and musical descendent yet one still forging his own distinct
voice and style. Lawrence s new recording The Seeker is an album dedicated to
those, like himself, who are on their path and the trailblazers who continue to
light their way. Lawrence
s journey began in his birthplace of Los Angeles, playing with Horace Tapscott
s community-centric Arkestra and onto R&B projects with Ike & Tina
Turner, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and War. His
jazz stars aligned after meeting drummer Elvin Jones at the age of twenty. The
former Coltrane collaborator brought the young saxophonist to New York in 1973,
where Lawrence lived and played with Jones as a member of the Jazz Machine. The
opportunity to record The Seeker presented itself when Lawrence was booked to
perform at Jazz Standard in New York City in December 2011. For the
performance, the saxophonist wrote new material for an ensemble of stalwart,
exemplary musicians. ~ Amazon.com
RAY CHARLES - RAY CHARLES IN THE 1950s
Although
universally acknowledged as a true musical genius, Ray Charles was equally a
pioneer of a musical genre that flourished during the 1950s, almost exclusively
due to his sonic experimentation and development of previous styles. Initially
a jazz performer and musician, by the late 1940s Ray had seen enough as a
sideman and ventured out under his own name. But it was his signing to Atlantic
Records in 1952 which proved the catalyst for Ray Charles to pioneer a new
style, soon to be labelled soul music. It was his fusion of R'N'B, blues, jazz,
gospel, with a hint pop and country, that he would develop throughout the
decade to create arguably the most dynamic, home grown American music genre in
history. This 3 CD set contains every track Ray released during the 1950s - and
thus provides the definitive collection of Ray Charles material, and therefore
by definition, the ultimate early soul music compilation. ~Amazon.com
