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"Because of You" (04/14/1998) Jazz Instrument Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sony ClassicalPreservation Hall Jazz Band: Wendell Brunious (vocals, trumpet); Narvin Kimball (vocals, banjo); Frank Demond (trombone); David Grillier (clarinet); Rickie Monie (piano); Benjamin Jaffe (acoustic bass); Joseph Lastie (drums). Engineers: Steve Reynolds, Delfeayo Marsalis. Recorded in December 1995 at Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana. Includes liner notes by Christine Flug. An ensemble that's grown up out of (and exists in tribute to) the city where jazz was born, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band does it the old fashioned way. The line-up-- trumpet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, bass, drums and piano--is traditional, as are the tunes and the arrangements, but the spirit is as fresh and real as this timeless music demands. Famous in New Orleans for their ritual Wednesday night gigs at the Preservation Hall, the band consists mostly of players who've been in and around the New Orleans jazz scene for decades. The polished, agile trumpet playing of band leader Wendall Brunious, the sweet clarinet of David Grilleir, and the banjo and charming vocals of Narvin Kimball are key elements of the group's arrangements. Lovely ballads like "Petite Fleur" alternate with up-tempo takes like the Kid Ory standard "Muskrat Ramble," while instrumentals are interspersed with vocal tunes to give the record a varied and continually refreshing sound.

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"Tourist in Paradise" (05/08/1989) Jazz Instrument Rippingtons (The), GRP Records (USA)The Rippingtons include: Russ Freeman (nylon-string acoustic guitar, programming).

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"Smooth Jazz: Sax at Midnight" (07/08/2003) Jazz Instrument Various Artists, Shanachie Records

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"Jazz Moods: Hot" (04/19/2005) Jazz Instrument Shaw, Artie, BMG HeritageRecording information: 1938 - 1945. Although Artie Shaw is perhaps best known for his eerie, moody compositions ("Nightmare," his signature tune, is a case in point), he could also swing as hard as Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. The Shaw installment of JAZZ MOODS: HOT focuses on the clarinetist/bandleader's up-tempo dance tracks, bringing together 14 cuts from Shaw's RCA/Bluebird years. The opener, "Everything Is Jumpin'," establishes the tone for this set, with the blow-your-top frenetic pace of "Traffic Jam" turning up the heat even further. Shaw was one of the first to add strings to his big-band ensembles, and a few tracks here showcase his innovation (the finger-popping groove of "Just Kiddin' Around," for example). Shaw's skills as an arranger are also on display, and can be admired on his versions of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" and "Begin the Beguine" (one of his biggest hits), among others. But it is Shaw's clarinet playing that really astonishes, and keeps the heat of this excellent collection at blistering levels throughout.

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"Coral" (08/03/2004) Jazz Instrument Sanchez, David (Jazz), Columbia (USA)This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players. Personnel: David Sanchez (tenor saxophone); Miguel Zenon (alto saxophone); Edsel Gomez (piano); John Benitez, Ben Street (bass instrument); Adam Cruz (drums); Pernell Saturnino (percussion); Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Recording information: Prague, Chech Republic (04/2003). On CORAL, tenor saxophonist David Sanchez interprets songs by such well-known South American composers as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Alberto Ginastera, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. Working with his usual sextet and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Sanchez creates a memorable body of work, perfectly suited for the romantic in all of us. CORAL focuses on the music of Brazil and Argentina, and this repertoire is tender and dreamy. Surrounded by rich and vivid orchestral colors, Sanchez solos unabashedly on all eight tracks. On each cut, his playing recalls the work of Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane, with a great deal of personal emotion invested in these performances. One highlight is the title track, which finds Sanchez bobbing in and out of the orchestral fabric. The most energetic and dissonant track on this release is Sanchez's own composition "The Elements II," which features layered saxophones and highly angular rhythms. This piece helps to offset what is otherwise a collection of wistful ballads and breezy sambas.

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"E Music" (07/26/2004) Jazz Instrument Escovedo, Pete, Concord JazzPersonnel: Pete Escovedo (vocals, timbales, percussion); Ramon Flores (trumpet); Francisco Torres, Arturo Velasco (trombone); Justo Almario (flute); Joe Rotundi (piano); Renato Neto (keyboards); Peter Michael Escovedo (drums, percussion); Sheila E. (percussion); George Duke, Ray Obiedo, Ray Vega. Recorded at Track Record Recording Studio, North Hollywood, California in February 2000. Includes liner notes by Mark Holston.

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"The Journey Within [Limited]" (07/15/2003) Jazz Instrument Williams, Bernie, GRP Records (USA)This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel: Bernie Williams (guitar, percussion); Mark Rivera (saxophone); Jerry Hey (flugelhorn); Bela Fleck (banjo); Hiram Williams (cello); John Thomas (piano, keyboards, string synthesizer); David Benoit (piano); Larry Williams (Fender Rhodes piano); David Sancious (keyboards); Tim Pierce, David Spinozza, Mike Alvarez (guitar); Leland Sklar, T-Bone Wolk (bass); Kenny Aronoff, Shawn Pelton (drums); Luis Conte, Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Ruben Blades, Gilberto Santa, B.J. Lequerica. Recorded at Globe Studios, New York, New York. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. A perennial all-star and paragon of consistency, Bernie Williams patrolled centerfield for the New York Yankees starting in 1990 with grace and a certain coolness. A classically trained guitarist, he also gained renown within baseball circles as the sport's preeminent musician. Throughout the history of baseball there have been many major leaguers who have fancied themselves musicians. However, outside of Arthur Lee Maye, an outfielder who led a moderately successful doo-wop combo, the Crowes, in the '50s, and Scott Radinsky, a relief pitcher who fronted two highly regarded '90s punk bands, Ten Foot Pole and Pulley, most of these athletes' ambitions have generally been reserved, and rightfully so, for hobbies. However, Williams's 2003 debut, THE JOURNEY WITHIN, a deft jazz record with an infusion of Latin themes, proves him an able guitarist in the tradition of Grant Green, as well as an impressive songwriter whose day job just happened to be baseball star. Williams-penned compositions such as "La Salsa En Mi," "Just Because," and "Enter the Bond" reveal him at home with all styles and paces, while his take on the classic-rock standard "Dust In The Wind" displays a keen ear for improvisation. Overall, a promising debut from a young lion who just coincidentally happened to be....

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"Milestone Profiles" (06/06/2006) Jazz Instrument Smith, Jimmy (Jazz), Fantasy Records (USA)Includes bonus sampler. Tracks: 1. The Kicker - Joe Henderson 2. Song For My Lady - McCoy Tyner 3. Dindi - Flora Purim 4. St. Thomas - Ron Carter Duo/Jim Hall 5. I'm Old Fashioned - Sonny Rollins 6. One Mint Julep - Jimmy McGriff & Hank Crawford Quartet 7. No Doubt About It - Jimmy Smith 8. I Thought About You - Jimmy Scott Personnel include: Jimmy Smith (organ); Kenny Burrell, Phil Upchurch (guitar); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Grady Tate (drums).

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"Chat Room" (10/21/2003) Jazz Instrument Nabatov, Simon, Leo Records (Jazz) - (Import)

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"Time Out" (04/11/2006) Jazz Instrument Brubeck, Dave, Legacy RecordingsDave Brubeck Quartet: Dave Brubeck (piano); Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Eugene Wright (bass); Joe Morello (drums). Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studios, New York, New York on June 25, July 1 & August 18, 1959. Includes liner notes by Dave Brubeck and Steve Race. Dave Brubeck's TIME OUT ranks alongside Miles Davis' KIND OF BLUE as one of the few advanced jazz masterpieces to achieve great commercial success. In fact, the widespread popularity of TIME OUT, with its cool-toned ambience, smooth style, and elements borrowed from classical music, helped make modern jazz a mainstream phenomenon. The ubiquitous "Take Five" may be overplayed, but that doesn't diminish the joy of its complex melodic hooks, its perfectly executed solos, or the swinging slink of its 5/4 signature. "Blue Rondo a la Turk" collages Mozart, cool swing, and Brubeck's own classically oriented piano style, and the airy, delicate "Everybody's Jumpin'" showcases the lyrical splendor of saxophonist Paul Desmond. With bassist Gene Wright and drummer Joe Morello keeping the tricky rhythms agile and swift, the Dave Brubeck Quartet blended complexity and accessibility for pure jazz pleasure on TIME OUT, an album everyone should own.

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"Burning Whispers" (09/27/1994) Jazz Instrument Torres, Nestor, Sony Discos Inc.

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"When I Fall in Love" (09/28/2004) Jazz Instrument Botti, Chris, Columbia (USA)Personnel include: Chris Botti (vocals, trumpet); Paula Cole, Sting (vocals); Dean Parks, Dominic Miller, Shane Fontayne (guitar); Gil Goldstein (accordion); Greg Phillinganes (piano, keyboards); Billy Childs (piano); Jeff Lorber (keyboard); Brian Bromberg (bass instrument); Billy Kilson, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion). Recording information: Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California; Avatar Studios, New York, New York; JHL, Los Angeles, CA. Although the most popular contemporary jazz tends to fall into the "lite" category, trumpeter Chris Botti avoids painting himself into this corner by sticking with an approach more reminiscent of Chet Baker. For his 2004 album, WHEN I FALL IN LOVE, Botti takes it a step further by employing the London Session Orchestra to provide him with lush accompaniment on a program predominantly made up of standards. The Oregon native adds further layers to the album's sound by calling on singer Paula Cole, whose burnished vocals provide a fine foil on a brush-stroked version of Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do?" and "How Love Should Be," with its subtle mix of piano and strings. Along with exquisite takes on Rodgers & Hart ("My Romance") and the Gershwins ("Someone to Watch Over Me"), Botti also shows a knack for the cinematic nuance of Ennio Morricone ("Cinema Paradiso") and the pop-jazz of Sade ("No Ordinary Love"). The handsome horn player even ropes old employer Sting and bandmates Dominic Miller and Vinnie Colaiuta into lending their talents on the samba-flavored "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" (composed by Sting and Miller). With its dusky mood, WHEN I FALL IN LOVE serves as the perfect soundtrack for a late-night cocktail party or a romantic evening by the fireplace.

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