Inspiration 10

The latest installment in the popular NOW series. Country music fans can hear the most moving hits from some of their favorite artists, including Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Lady Antebellum, Alison Krauss, Tim McGraw and more.

Jimmy Smith brought the Hammond organ into hard bop and jazz in the 1950s, and his piano-fast solo runs on the instrument have never been equaled. This warm set from Blue Note Records, the label where Smith built most of his impressive legacy, selects eight of his performances for the label, including a 20-minute (and ten second) version of "The Sermon," the bouncing "Back at the Chicken Shack," and a fun romp through "See See Rider," among other delights, making this a quick introduction to the peak creative era of this one-of-a-kind jazz artist's long career.

Herbie Mann - Windows Opened / The Inspiration I Feel (1968) {Atlantic–Collectables COL-CD-6882 rel 2001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 450 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 169 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 1968, 2001 Atlantic / Collectables Records | COL-CD-6882
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Funk / Crossover Jazz / Jazz Pop / Flute

This two-fer from Collectables features a pair of out of print Herbie Mann LPs: Windows Opened and The Inspiration I Feel, both originally issued on Atlantic Records in 1968. These 12 tracks feature jazz versions of popular songs of the period written by Donovan, Tim Hardin, and Jimmy Webb plus six associated with Ray Charles. Herbie Mann is accompanied by frequent collaborators Roy Ayers, Sonny Sharrock and Miroslav Vitous (and Bruno Carr), whose names should attract, justifiably, "serious" Jazz lovers.

Duke Ellington is a monolith in the history of jazz. No other musician has created more standarts, was as adventurous and deeply influential. Jazz Inspiration concentrates on brilliant classics such as "Caravan", "Satin Doll", and the gorgeous "Black and Tan Fantasy", and reminds us of the encounter with Louis Armstrong ("Mood Indigo") as well as of the legendary trio-album "Money Jungle", which he recorded in the year 1962 with Max Roach and Crarles Mingus.

George Benson's place as one of the greatest and most successful guitarists in the history of jazz is secure, but what's easy to forget sometimes is that he began his career as a vocalist, and if this release, a tribute to Nat King Cole, comes as any kind of surprise, it shouldn't. Benson's and Cole's careers are remarkably similar, both becoming known first as instrumentalists, Cole as a pianist, and Benson, of course, as a guitarist, with both eventually easing into the pop mainstream because of their voices. Cole was a one of a kind vocalist, of course, and even Benson wouldn't claim to equal him as a singer, but Benson has a similarly soothing and lush tenor voice that more than holds its own on these familiar songs.

For the past few years, Cherry Red imprint Morello Records has been reissuing the Epic Records catalog of county legend Tammy Wynette on a series of twofers (or more). With its latest release, out now, Morello is taking a look at the late 1960s and early 1970s with a 2-CD set featuring the four albums The Ways To Love a Man, Tammy's Touch, My Elusive Dreams and Inspiration.