Satin Doll

That Satin Doll pairs Carol Stevens with arranger Phil Moore to create one of the more unique and evocative major-label LPs of its era. Stevens' breathy, often haunting voice largely eschews conventional vocal approaches in favor of ethereal, wordless humming that perfectly complements Moore's exotic settings - there's something profoundly otherworldly yet curiously sexy about the record, and you just know Captain Kirk kept a copy handy to set the mood while banging green-skinned alien chicks aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Flautist Herbie Mann, guitarist Barry Galbraith and trumpeter Don Elliott further underscore That Satin Doll's moonlit beauty, contributing wonderfully nuanced performances that lend the music its distinctly jazzy appeal.

Wes Montgomery - The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound (1959) {Riverside Japan Mini LP VICJ-41532 rel 2006}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 295 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 101 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1959, 2006 Riverside / Victor Japan | VICJ-41532 | Mini LP | 20bit K2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Jazz Pop / Guitar

Wes Montgomery's first album as a leader – a relatively obscure set that has him playing in a trio with Indianapolis bandmates Mel Rhyne on organ and Paul Parker on drums – a mode that strongly recalls Montgomery's roots in the Indy scene at the time! If you only know the later, famous Wes Montgomery with bigger charts, you'll be surprised to hear him here in a cooking little combo – the kind of group that made Mel Rhyne a local Hammond hero in Indy, although it seemed to take decades for him to get any sort of larger recognition. The groove is straight and simple, but the real charm is Wes' chromatic lines on guitar – already quite distinctive among his contemporaries, and allowed ample room to express their voice in this setting.

Bruce Springsteen - Acoustic Radio 1973 (2015) {Good Ship Funke GSF006}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 333 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 148 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 60 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1973, 2015 Good Ship Funke | GSF006
Rock / Contemporary Rock / Heartland Rock

ruce Springsteen signed a recording deal with Columbia Records in the summer of 1972 and immediately began recording his debut album. The songs were new and old; some had been in his set for many years, others were completed only after inking this deal. Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ was released in January of 1973, and within the week Springsteen, with a little help from three of the later-to-be-named E Street Band, were performing their first ever radio broadcast, aired on Boston s WBCN FM.

Coleman Hawkins - Hawkins! Eldridge! Hodges! Alive! At The Village Gate! (1962) {Verve 513 755-2 rel 1992}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 450 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 171 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1962, 1992 Verve / PolyGram | 513 755-2
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Hard Bop / Swing / Saxophone / Trumpet

From the mid-'50s until Coleman Hawkins's death in 1969, the tenor-saxophonist frequently teamed up with trumpeter Roy Eldridge to form a potent team. However, Hawkins rarely met altoist Johnny Hodges on the bandstand, making this encounter a special event. Long versions of "Satin Doll," "Perdido" and "The Rabbit in Jazz" give these three classic jazzmen (who are ably assisted by the Tommy Flanagan Trio) chances to stretch out and inspire each other. The remainder of this CD has Eldridge and Hodges absent while Coleman Hawkins (on "new" versions of "Mack the Knife," "It's the Talk of the Town," "Bean and the Boys" and "Caravan") heads the quartet for some excellent playing. Timeless music played by some of the top veteran stylists of the swing era.

Monty Alexander - Live! at the Montreux Festival (1976) {MPS–Ediciones Folio EFVEi - 004 rel 2011}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 261 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 17 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1976, 2011 MPS / Ediciones Folio | EFVEi - 004
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Piano

Pianist Monty Alexander did some of his finest recordings for the MPS label. This live trio set with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton (reissued on CD) features Alexander playing his usual repertoire of the period with blues, standards ("Satin Doll," "Work Song" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic") and a version of "Feelings" that uplifts the song a bit (although not enough). His soulful approach to the generally familiar melodies makes them sound fresh and swinging.