Tags
Language
Tags
March 2024
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
25 26 27 28 29 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 1 2 3 4 5 6

Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford - Live (1976) Reissue 1993

Posted By: Designol
Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford - Live (1976) Reissue 1993

Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford - Live (1976)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 249 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 99 Mb | Scans ~ 32 Mb
Jazz-Blues, Jump Blues | Label: Avenue Jazz | # R2 71262 | Time: 00:43:17

This album is a literal encyclopedia, and apprenticeship for the blues guitarist! There is no date listed as to when this was recorded, but Robben shows who he is this night and one can only guess what an illustrious carrer he has awaiting him. He shows the importance of the minor 6th scale, and his Mike Bloomfield influence shows strongly. Jimmy Witherspoon a man who needs no introduction, and is missed sadly today by many, displays his usual, dazzling charm, and stage presence.

Robben Ford & The Blue Line - The Authorized Bootleg (1998)

Posted By: Designol
Robben Ford & The Blue Line - The Authorized Bootleg (1998)

Robben Ford & The Blue Line - The Authorized Bootleg (1998)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 297 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 135 Mb | Scans included | 00:51:55
Blues, Jazz Blues, Crossover Jazz | Label: Blue Thumb | # BTR 70132, 057 013-2

This is a keeper from the word "go." Recorded live in 1995 (but not released until 1998) at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA, Robben Ford is joined by long-time Blue Line trio members Roscoe Beck on bass and Tom Brechtlein on drums, as well as Bill Boublitz on a baby grand piano. Although nearly all of the songs can be found on other Ford albums (most are from Handful of Blues), one of the things that makes this jazzy recording so special is that Ford is playing only an acoustic guitar. The Ray Charles gem "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (which you WON'T find elsewhere) is simply beautiful, and on Paul Butterfield's "Lovin' Cup," it's just Ford and his guitar. The brilliance of his playing and the reason behind why so many guitar players put him at the top of their list can be found in Ford's performance on this release, alternating between lead and rhythm. The Authorized Bootleg also has great (albeit laid-back) versions of "When I Leave Here" and "Tired of Talkin'." Highly, highly recommended.

Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business (2005)

Posted By: Designol
Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business (2005)

Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business (2005)
XLD | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 245 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 158 Mb | Scans ~ 69 Mb
Blues, Jazz-Blues, Jump Blues, Big Band | Label: Snapper | # SBLUECD034 | 01:08:50

25 classic post-war West Coast Blues tracks from one of the great voices of the era. With informative notes this set is part of the Complete Blues series, described by Uncut magazine as ' a dazzling, comprehensive story of the blues…the most user-friendly compendium on the market'.

Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Mystic Mile (1993)

Posted By: Designol
Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Mystic Mile (1993)

Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Mystic Mile (1993)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 381 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 129 Mb | Scans ~ 58 Mb
Label: Stretch/GRP | # GRS 00082 | Time: 00:55:57
Modern Electric Blues, Jazz-Blues, Blues Rock

Mystic Mile is an electric blues album by Robben Ford and the Blue Line, released in 1993. In this second record for Stretch Records, Ford shows a notorious growth as songwriter besides his outstanding virtuosity as a guitarist.

Van Morrison - What's Wrong With This Picture? (2003)

Posted By: Designol
Van Morrison - What's Wrong With This Picture? (2003)

Van Morrison - What's Wrong With This Picture? (2003)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 419 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 146 Mb | Scans ~ 92 Mb
Label: Blue Note Records | # 7243 5 93651 2 1 | Time: 01:03:43
Jazz-Blues, Vocal Jazz, Blues, Blues-Rock, Celtic, Blue-Eyed Soul

While 2002's Down the Road was the best Van Morrison release in ages – with its autobiographical allusions, cultural critiques, and new band – it could not have prepared listeners for the jolt of this, his Blue Note Records debut What's Wrong With This Picture? While the album is hardly a straight jazz record, it does take the territory he explored on Down the Road another step further into the classic pop music of the 20th century filtered through his own Celtic swing, R&B, vocal jazz, and blue-eyed soul. The title track that opens the album is as close to an anthem as Morrison's ever written; he states with an easy, swinging, jazzy soul groove that he is not the same person he once was and wonders why that was so difficult for others to accept. There is no bitterness or bite in his assertions. If anything, the question is asked with warm humor and amusement as if it is indeed the listener's hangup if he/she can't accept Morrison "living in the present time." He asks, "Why don't we take it down and forget about it/'Cause that ain't me at all," as the song whispers to a close.

Etta James - Life, Love & The Blues (1998)

Posted By: Designol
Etta James - Life, Love & The Blues (1998)

Etta James - Life, Love & The Blues (1998)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 382 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 137 Mb | Scans ~ 69 Mb
Soul-Funk-Jazz-Blues | Label: Private | # 01005 82162 2 | Time: 00:59:38

Etta James followed her two deeply jazzy mid-'90s albums of torch songs with Love's Been Rough on Me, a flirtation with Nashville writers. On Life, Love & the Blues, she returns to her blues and soul repertoire, enlivening even the hoariest of tunes ("Spoonful," a gender-flopped "Hoochie Coochie Gal") with her growl. The tinges of funk underpinning "Born Under a Bad Sign" are given full room to stretch on a cover of Sly Stone's "If You Want Me to Stay," and James nearly swipes "The Love You Save May Be Your Own," one of Joe Tex's great preaching ballads, from the master.

The Chris Cain Band - Cuttin' Loose (1990)

Posted By: Designol
The Chris Cain Band - Cuttin' Loose (1990)

The Chris Cain Band - Cuttin' Loose (1990)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 278 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 115 Mb | Scans included
Modern Electric Blues, Jazz-Blues | Label: Blind Pig | # BP-74090 | Time: 00:45:40

This is a wonderful, big-voiced, contemporary West Coast bluesman and superb guitar player. There are several horns in the band, giving it a great, huge sound. Even better things will be coming.

Jimmy Witherspoon - Rockin' L.A. (1989)

Posted By: gribovar
Jimmy Witherspoon - Rockin' L.A. (1989)

Jimmy Witherspoon - Rockin' L.A. (1989)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 290 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 128 MB | Covers - 17 MB
Genre: Blues, Jazz Blues | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Fantasy Records (FCD-9660-2)

This CD finds Jimmy Witherspoon at age 65 on one of his last fairly strong records before his voice began to really shrink and fade. Spoon, assisted on this live set by tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, pianist Gerald Wiggins, bassist John Clayton, and drummer Paul Humphrey, revives some of his hits, performs a pair of medleys, and emphasizes swinging blues and ballads. Highlights include "Sweet Lotus Blossom" (a standard whose authorship should not have been credited to Witherspoon), "Stormy Monday," and "I Want a Little Girl." Easily recommended to Jimmy Witherspoon fans.

Jimmy Witherspoon - The Concerts [Recorded 1959] (2002)

Posted By: gribovar
Jimmy Witherspoon - The Concerts [Recorded 1959] (2002)

Jimmy Witherspoon - The Concerts [Recorded 1959] (2002)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 391 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 145 MB | Covers - 28 MB
Genre: Blues, Jazz Blues | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Fantasy Records (FCD 24701-2)

This CD includes the high point of singer Jimmy Witherspoon's career. On October 2, 1959, he appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival and created such a sensation that it caused his career to go through a renaissance. Heard at the peak of his powers, Witherspoon holds his own with a mighty group of veterans (trumpeter Roy Eldridge, both Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins on tenors, clarinetist Woody Herman, pianist Earl Hines, bassist Vernon Alley, and drummer Mel Lewis). Although the five-song set only lasted 25 minutes, Witherspoon's performance was the hit of the festival. The other half of this CD features Witherspoon romping through ten mostly traditional blues songs two months later with Ben Webster, baritonist Gerry Mulligan, pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis; the performance is equally exciting. This CD is the one truly essential Jimmy Witherspoon release.

Jimmy Witherspoon - Blues For Easy Livers (1966) Remastered 1996

Posted By: Designol
Jimmy Witherspoon - Blues For Easy Livers (1966) Remastered 1996

Jimmy Witherspoon - Blues For Easy Livers (1966) Remastered 1996
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 227 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 105 Mb | Scans included
Jazz-Blues, Jump Blues | Label: Prestige/Bluesville | # 00025218058520 | Time: 00:38:37

Despite the title, this actually leans considerably further to the jazz side of Witherspoon's muse than the blues one, with backing by Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Roger Kellaway on piano, Bill Watrous on trombone, Richard Davis on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. The songs, too, are much more in the jazz/pop vein than the blues/jazz one, heavy on standards by the likes of Johnny Mercer, the Gershwins, and Ellington. Witherspoon's one of the masters of closing-time bluesy jazz, and he doesn't let anyone down on that account on this relaxed (but not sleepy) session.

Jimmy Witherspoon - Evenin' Blues (1964) [Reissue 2006]

Posted By: gribovar
Jimmy Witherspoon - Evenin' Blues (1964) [Reissue 2006]

Jimmy Witherspoon - Evenin' Blues (1964) [Reissue 2006]
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 245 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 94 MB | Covers - 23 MB
Genre: Blues, Jazz Blues | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: OBC/Prestige (00025218051125)

A good, relaxed (but not laid-back) session, and one of his bluesier ones, with organ, Clifford Scott (who played on Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk") on sax, and T-Bone Walker on guitar. Nothing too adventurous about the song selection, including well-traveled items like "Good Rockin' Tonight" and "Kansas City," but Witherspoon sings them with ingratiating soul, reaching his peaks on his cover of "Don't Let Go" (perhaps better than the hit version by Roy Hamilton) and the late-night ambience of the title track. The CD reissue adds previously unissued alternate takes of four of the songs.

Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Standing My Ground (1989)

Posted By: Designol
Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Standing My Ground (1989)

Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Standing My Ground (1989)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 239 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 110 Mb | Scans included | 00:36:58
Modern Electric Texas Blues, Jazz-Blues, Rhythm & Blues | Label: Alligator | # ALCD 4779

A delightfully eclectic program spotlighting nearly all of Gate's musical leanings – blues, jazz, country, even a hearty taste of "Louisiana Zydeco" – and a revealing glimpse of his multi-instrumental abilities: he plays guitar, violin, drums, and piano! There's a tender remake of the Chuck Willis R&B ballad and a funk-tinged update of "Got My Mojo Working," but everything else is from Brown's own pen.

Robben Ford - Tiger Walk (1997)

Posted By: Designol
Robben Ford - Tiger Walk (1997)

Robben Ford - Tiger Walk (1997)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 471 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 189 Mb | Scans included | 01:04:08
Modern Electric Blues, Blues Rock, Jazz Rock, Jazz-Blues | Label: Blue Thumb/GRP | # BTR 70122

The first thing that comes to mind when listening to Tiger Walk is the pair of instrumental albums recorded by Jeff Beck in the mid-'70s, Blow by Blow and Wired. Like those two recordings, this outing showcases a fiery, inventive electric guitarist in a rock and jazz-rock setting. Robben Ford, known in recent years for his blues work with his band, the Blue Line, eschews vocals here, teaming up with keyboard funk master Bernie Worrell for some chunky, funky, wah-wah-laden grooves. This music, led by Ford's blazing guitar lines, is more appropriately categorized as instrumental rock than jazz, but the rhythms recall James Brown and Worrell's alma mater, the P-Funk gang, as often as they do those of a hard rock band. Tenor saxophonist Bob Malach turns in a couple of solid solos, and the rhythm section of drummer Steve Jordan and bassist Charlie Drayton cooks throughout.

T-Bone Walker - Very Rare (1973) [Reissue 2000]

Posted By: gribovar
T-Bone Walker - Very Rare (1973) [Reissue 2000]

T-Bone Walker - Very Rare (1973) [Reissue 2000]
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 400 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 156 MB | Covers - 28 MB
Genre: Blues, Jazz Blues | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Wounded Bird Records (WOU 6483)

Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the album is a who's who of great players from rock, jazz and blues… with luminaries such James Booker, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Mann, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Gerry Mulligan, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Jim Gordon, Dean Parks, Larry Carlton and many more.

Madeleine Peyroux - The Blue Room (2013) CD + DVD Limited Edition

Posted By: Designol
Madeleine Peyroux - The Blue Room (2013) CD + DVD Limited Edition

Madeleine Peyroux - The Blue Room (2013) CD + DVD Limited Edition
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 295 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 109 Mb | Time: 00:47:37
DVD5 | NTSC | 16:9 (720x480) VBR | LPCM, 2ch, 1536 kbps | 00:37:58 | ~ 2.6 Gb
Vocal Jazz, Jazz-Blues | Label: Decca / Emarcy | # 0602537242702 | Scans ~ 183 Mb

On The Blue Room, her second Decca recording, Madeleine Peyroux and producer Larry Klein re-examine the influence of Ray Charles' revolutionary 1962 date, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. They don't try to re-create the album, but remake some of its songs and include others by composers whose work would benefit from the genre-blurring treatment Charles pioneered. Bassist David Pilch, drummer Jay Bellerose, guitarist Dean Parks, and pianist/organist Larry Goldings are the perfect collaborators. Most these ten tracks feature string arrangements by Vince Mendoza. Five tunes here are reinterpretations of Charles' from MSICAWM. "Take These Chains" commences as a sultry jazz tune, and in Peyroux's vocal, there is no supplication – only a demand. Parks' pedal steel moves between sounding like itself and a clarinet. Goldings' alternating B-3 and Rhodes piano offer wonderful color contrast and make it swing. Her take on "Bye Bye Love" feels as if it's being narrated to a confidante, and juxtaposes early Western swing with a bluesy stroll. A rock guitar introduces "I Can't Stop Loving You," but Peyroux's phrasing has more country-blues in it than we've heard from her before. The use of a trumpet in "Born to Lose" and "You Don't Know Me," with Mendoza's dreamy strings, allow for Peyroux to deliver her most stylized jazz performances on the set.