Jazz Rock Verve

A four-CD/digital box set titled The Founder, honouring the unique career of jazz figurehead Norman Granz, will be released by Verve/UMe on 7 December. It features a 44-track, chronological collection of music spanning his unique career, with recordings by most of the distinguished musicians he recorded.

There have been many Verve compilations of Jimmy Smith's material over the last few years. I like this particular one the best because it is a 2 compact disc set and contains more material. Although some of this material has been reissued (thankfully!) on the individual albums, is still contains material from albums which have not yet been reissued to disc. Jimmy Smith is arguably the best and most influential jazz/blues organist. ~ Amazon

Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond - 1975: The Duets (1975) {Verve Originals 0602527068633 rel 2009}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 211 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 90 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 13 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1975, 2009 Verve / UMG | 0602527068633 | Verve Originals Series
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Piano / Saxophone

Although Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond made many rewarding recordings together, this was their only duo album; it was inspired by several duo performances on board a cruise ship. Their magical ESP is evident from start to finish. Brubeck's lyricism throughout these sessions will surprise critics who label him as "bombastic," while Desmond, known for his pure dry-toned alto sax, throws a few curves to his longtime fans. The loping waltz treatment of "Alice in Wonderland" and a delicate interpretation of the Mexican folk song "The Blue Dove" contrast with their abstract approach to "Stardust."

Few rock groups can claim to have broken so much new territory, and maintain such consistent brilliance on record, as the Velvet Underground during their brief lifespan…

Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (2009) {4CD Verve-Hip-O Select B0012920-02 rec 1961-1962}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.43 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 595 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 36 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1961-62, 2009 Verve / Hip-O Select / Universal | B0012920-02
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Standards

An appearance in Hollywood for a first-rate jazz vocalist was not necessarily an opportunity to broadcast your visage and pander to everyone from Tacoma to Tallahassee. It could also include a date at the Crescendo, the Sunset Strip's best chance to find premier jazz. Gene Norman's nightclub hosted dozens of jazz legends (and a comic or two), and produced more than its share of excellent LPs recorded on location. Better even than Mel Tormé's 1954 classic, the Ella Fitzgerald LP that resulted from her May 1961 appearances generated one of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography – and almost 50 years later, it became a four-CD set compiling ten days' worth of performances.