Groovin'

Groovin'

Groovin'

ASIN: B000069DIV

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This concept sounds like the set-up for a joke: What do you get when you cross three smooth-jazzers with topnotch straight-ahead players? Turns out Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum, and Rick Braun have the last laugh and a damn good time. While they may be three of the most distinct stylists in smooth jazz, they had to turn up the pots to cook with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Keyboardist Ricky Peterson, maybe the funkiest organist in contemporary jazz outside of Larry Goldings, plays a producing role and is probably the MVP of BWB. The players aren't the only stars. The impeccable choice of 10 well-known cover tunes adds to an unapologetically fun record that allows B, W, and B to stretch out much more than they do on other recordings. Braun quotes Freddie Hubbard on "Povo," while Whalum explores Cannonball Adderley on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," and Brown pays back Wes Montgomery throughout the proceedings. From the sexually charged "Let's Do It Again," featuring a purring Dee Dee Bridgewater and a scatting Brown, to the inspired arrangements of Alicia Keys's "A Woman's Worth" and D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar," there are no holes in any of these grooves. --Mark Ruffin

Product Description
BWB's (Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum & Norman Brown) debut album Groovin' harks back to a great '70s session vibe with a disc of classic covers given a Smooth Jazz groove, including The Radicals 'Groovin,' Booker T & The MGs 'Hip Hug Her,' Curtis Mayfield's 'Let's Do It Again,' The Isley Brothers 'It's Your Thing' and Parliament's 'Up For The Down Stroke.' The disc also includes exclusive behind-the-scenes video. Warner. 2002.

Groovin',B.W.B.,BWB,Warner Bros / Wea,Contemporary Jazz,Instrumental Pop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Quiet Storm,Smooth Jazz,Urban
Easy To Love
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A talent in progress!
  • Vite la suite !
  • Hoo, boy, is this "easy to love"!
  • "Easy to Love" is a gem!
  • I don't know what to say: would you help me?
 Easy To Love
Roberta Gambarini
Manufacturer: Groovin' High/Kindred Rhythm
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
Vocal Jazz GeneralVocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000FBHCP0
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

  1. Easy to Love
  2. Only Trust Your Heart
  3. Lover Man
  4. On the Sunny Side of the Street
  5. Porgy, Is Your Woman Now/I Loves You, Porgy
  6. Lover Come Back to Me
  7. The Two Lonely People
  8. Centerpiece
  9. Guess Ill Hang My Tears Out to Dry
  10. No More Blues
  11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes/All the Things You Are
  12. Too Late Now

Album Description

Although she was born and bred in Italy, Gambarini brings a distinctly American jazz flavor to Easy to Love. On the title track, her multi-octave range can be seen as an indication of the "cool school" but when she starts swinging she's anything but cool! Her scats and melodies breathe beautifully and her melodic lines have a lighter, airier quality that finds her swinging but in a softer, more relaxed manner. Billie Holiday's anthem "Lover Man" has been claimed as part of the cool jazz movement and Gambarini certainly offers an outstanding variation of this sublime ballad. Even Gershwin would have enjoyed her passionate reworking of "Porgy, I's Your Woman Now/I Loves You Porgy." Gambarini is equally successful at presenting this Great American Songbook standard as a medley of sentimentality with a range of penetrating cries and whispers implicated in her voice. From ballads to bop, Roberta proves she's no stranger to the art of swing or the bop idiom. Once into "On The Sunny Side of The Street" she teases with playful scats and daring vocalese that would renew anyone's vocal jazz ambitions. "Lover Come Back To Me" adopts a different tonal palette as she launches into a swinging set complete with searing scats that clearly show her respect for Ella Fitzgerald. Joined by the inimitable James Moody on tenor sax and vocals on "Lover Man" and "Centerpiece," the saxophonist adds his instinct for melodic development and own brand of scatting. Adding further to Gambarini's style is a mellifluous but dynamic ensemble that includes Chuck Berghofer and John Clayton on bass, Tamir Handelman and Gerald Clayton on piano, Willie Jones III and Joe La Barbera on drums.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A talent in progress!.......2007-06-27


Roberta Gambarini,although her youth, demonstrates a profound sense of expression and sense of the meaning in every song she sings. She has generated around her a lot of succesful comments, but mostly what it really amazes me is her profound commitment and multidimensional range.

The arrangements are really superb and I don't hesitate for a second. She is one of the great jazz singers in this early Century.

5 out of 5 stars Vite la suite !.......2007-06-16

ROBERTA GAMBARINI, une voix qui me laisse sans voix, LA DEESSE DU SWING.
J'attends avec impatience, courant juin, la sortie de son CD "You are there" en duo avec HANK JONES.
G.B.

5 out of 5 stars Hoo, boy, is this "easy to love"!.......2007-06-09

In a landmark CD, more than seventy-seven gorgeous minutes long, Roberta Gambarini makes a breath-taking debut that should propel her to the top of the jazz world at a very young age. With her warm, full, alto voice and a deliberately understated accompaniment, often just a bass and piano, Gambarini does it all, from a capella intros in songs like "Easy to Love" (one of the best on the CD), to blues (in "Multi-Colored Blue," another standout), and lots of scat in "Lover Come Back to Me," which also features a terrific drum solo by Joe La Barbera. In "Centerpiece" she even duets with growly-voiced James Moody, the tenor sax player here, whose bass voice sets off her clear alto as she soars into soprano range.

Through out this terrific CD, Gambarini shows total control, suggesting, on many occasions, the work, of a very young Sarah Vaughan. Her diction, in which you can hear her T's and R's very clearly, and her often interesting phrasing, which enable her to convey a thought beyond the usual line length, sometimes at considerable speed, keep the listener intrigued on a level beyond sound. This is not to underestimate her gorgeous sound, but to point out that her technique enhances it in ways many other singers can only dream of.

I have listened to this CD so often, with so much pleasure, finding new things to like on each hearing, that it is difficult to choose a favorite track, but certainly "On the Sunny Side of the Street," not normally a song I like, would have to rank right up there. Here she plays with high notes and then plunges almost to bass range, using a great deal of scat, accompanied by bass (Chuck Berghofer) and wailing sax (James Moody), until she is vamping at the end of the song. "Multi-Colored Blue" is another great one, her scat set off by the bass and piano (Tamir Hendelman).

Very much in the tradition of the great women of jazz of the '50s through the '70s, Gambarini adds a personal touch and a young energy to many standards, creating her own sound and, undoubtedly, a jazz reputation among young singers. Sometimes so inspired by the instrumental melodies that she creates her own lyrics to accompany them, Gambarini does it all here. I cannot recommend a CD by a young singer more highly! n Mary Whipple

5 out of 5 stars "Easy to Love" is a gem!.......2007-06-09

After so many repeated listenings in my car stereo, let me honestly state that Ms. Gambarini is among the best of the newer female jazz singers to arrive on the scene in perhaps the last 25 years. Her vocal style is purely her own, and should NOT be compared to the great singers that came before her.

This CD showcases Roberta and a fantastic array of musicians jamming it up - though every track is great, I have to cite two of my personal favorites - "Centerpiece" (with James Moody on sax and one heck of a scat duet with Roberta) and "Multi-Colored Blue," a Billy Strayhorn tune I've never heard of before.

Looking forward to the next album!!!

4 out of 5 stars I don't know what to say: would you help me?.......2007-05-24

Ms. Gambarini is a great singer but she is not an original stylist.

She is pianist Hank Jones' protegè and he says she is the best voice in more than 60 years. He said it in an European festival during one of their performances. And it is clearly recorded. It is quite risky of an affirmation, concerning to all the big songbird stars who have counted on Mr. Jones' efforts, from Anita O'Day and Nancy Wilson to Abbey Lincoln.

What upsets me is the undeniable similarity to Carmen McRae's way of doing the thing. It is more than impressive. Her phrase is McRae's. Her attack is McRae's. Her scat approach is McRae's.

Happens that I love McRae. Mcrae was a master.

Repertoire is a well choice, a collection of standards and jazz gems with many creative improvisation approaches. This includes a smart version of Cole Porter's 'Easy To Love'.

From 0 to 5, I chose 4 but I don't know whether under McRae's influence or not. Would you please help me?
Groovin'
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sentimental oldie favorite
  • Memorable Night
  • Brilliant!!!
  • on point Single
  • Still Sounding Good After 30+ Years
 Groovin'
The Young Rascals
Manufacturer: Warner Strat. Mkt.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Anthology (1965-1972)
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ASIN: B000002LVG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. A Girl Like You
  2. Find Somebody
  3. I'm So Happy Now
  4. Sueno
  5. How Can I Be Sure
  6. Groovin'
  7. If You Knew
  8. I Don't Love You Anymore
  9. You Better Run
  10. A Place In The Sun
  11. It's Love

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Sentimental oldie favorite.......2006-06-25

This was my favorite album while in high school in the late 60's. I couldn't resist buying the CD when I saw it on Accuradio.

5 out of 5 stars Memorable Night.......2004-08-07

In the Summer of '67 I bought this album and had sex for the first time in the back seat of a Chevy Malibu. Wow, I love this memory.

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant!!!.......2003-11-01

This is one of the great albums of the 1960's. The Rascals are often slagged for being a singles band. This assumption is far from the truth, many of their albums are excellent. This recording is where psychelia, soul, folk-rock, garage punk, and ethinic elements mesh successfully into one cohesive offering. The hits (Groovin, How Can I Be Sure, and A Girl Like You)do not a need further explanation. You Better Run is an incredible early punk rock tune that has proved to be very influential. Find Somebody has menacing circular guitar riffs that grab the listener immediately. I'm So Happy Now could have easily found a home on the Beach Boy's masterful Pet Sounds album. Sueno burns with 60's experimention including backward cymbals and a fiery spanish guitar style riff. Every song is a winner and very individual. This is the Rascals version of the Beatle's great Revolver album (still their best!) In addition, the Rascals voices sound excellent and they have not abodoned their soul roots. This is an essential listen for any 60's rock fan!

5 out of 5 stars on point Single.......2002-08-11

"Groovin" is the kind of song you can be driving,riding a Bike,Boat,etc..&just feel the laid-back flow of it&enjoy it.it's one of those Jams that doesn't sound like the time Period It came from.it still Grooves to this day.

4 out of 5 stars Still Sounding Good After 30+ Years.......2001-06-05

My interest in top-40 music had a very short lifespan; by the time I was 13 I had left most of it behind to listen to all the great progressive music that came out of the late 60s. One of the few exceptions is that I always liked the Young Rascals and I still do today. There was just something about their music which set them apart from their top-40 contemporaries. Groovin' was one of the top songs of 1967, but this album offers much more. First, there are the distinctive voices of Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, then there is the robust R&B feel to much of their work with occasional flashes of Latin influences. Groovin' contains lots of great songs:A Girl Like You, the romantic How Can I Be Sure, the title cut, If You Knew, the jazz-inflected It's Love, and my favorite A Place in the Sun which at almost 5 minutes long, was unusually long for a song of that period. There are only a couple of songs that didn't come through the remastering well, notably Find Somebody. If you grew up in the 60s, this album will really carry you back. If not, the Rascal's joyful, uplifting, R&B tinged romanticism will make you a convert. I heartily recommend this CD which still sounds good after 30+ years.
Groovin' with Jug
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Groovin' on the West Coast
  • Jug and Groove are IN the latter...
  • Two soulmates groovin....
 Groovin' with Jug
Richard "Groove" Holmes with Gene Ammons
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005HFF
Release Date: 1989-08-04

Tracks:

  1. Happy Blues (Good Vibrations)
  2. Willow Weep For Me
  3. Juggin' Around
  4. Hittin' The Jug
  5. Exactly Like You
  6. Groovin' With Jug
  7. Morris The Minor
  8. Hey You, What's That?

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Groovin' on the West Coast.......2006-10-26

Of the scores and scores of recording dates Gene Ammons had notched on his belt, I believe only three of them were done on the West Coast; this was the first (the other two were made for Prestige in 1972-73). Half of this CD was made before a live audience at the Black Orchid in LA, the other half in a studio on the same day (August 15, 1961). It's actually a case of Gene guesting with the Black Orchid house band, which was Groove Holmes on organ, Gene Edwards on guitar, and Leroy Henderson on drums. The results are typical for Ammons: a bunch of blues, a slow ballad, a couple of real burners. The CD begins and ends with the blues taken up tempo: Holmes's GOOD VIBRATIONS is fiery while Gene's HEY YOU, WHAT'S THAT has an unusual staccato theme before smoothing out nicely. WILLOW WEEP FOR ME is the slow ballad - Gene is lush and sexy while Holmes produces a solo on organ that sounds almost like a marimba. The title track is a very catchy theme and swings mightily. Edwards is a fine guitarist out of the Wes Montgomery school and Henderson is a solid drummer. The album is a real gas and everyone performs well.

4 out of 5 stars Jug and Groove are IN the latter..........2003-09-18

More than half of this CD is Live; the other 2 tracks being done the same day in the studio. The studio sound is better, no question, but Live is Live...and I like drummer Leroy Henderson a lot on the Live part. Much like Anders, who reviewed this below, I find the guitar to be a problem on both Live - where his 'gain' is up too much, and hence distorts his sound; and in the studio - where he is obviously out of tune. Playing ' Wes-style octave' leads when your guitar is out of tune (listen to "Morris The Minor") is bad enough; to allow that on to a recording is not good...Otherwise, Jug sounds great with Groove, especially in a Live setting. This is a straight-on groove CD.

5 out of 5 stars Two soulmates groovin...........2002-06-07

It is two musicians with almost identical rhytm conception that plays together here..no wonder that is swings . It is not often that you hear a sax player of Gene Ammons calibre playing with an organ trio.I would describe the music as GROOVE & SWING not bebop and blues which is more common for organ quartets.
Groove Holmes does not use any overpowered leslie speaker here,,it is quite refreshing to hear.
From what I heard .. Groove mostly played his basslines with his left hand,and those lines are strong..The Blues "Hittin the Jug" is taken at breath taking speed and Grooves basslines pushed Ammons to some remarkable playing. The guitarplayer is Gene Edwards that occurs on many of Holmes recordings.. he plays very nice,,his comping is at the mark,, BUT his tone is ...well quite ugly..which is the only negative I can say about this recording.
In Germany this would be called GROOVENDER SWING
Still Groovin
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Paul is altogether SOULFUL!
  • the best voice in the biz...now why won't he get a PRODUCER?
  • Always Groovin!!!!
 Still Groovin
Paul Carrack
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000066SNG
Release Date: 2002-11-04

Tracks:

  1. Harvest For The World
  2. Sunny
  3. Too Busy Thinkin' Bout My Baby
  4. Crazy
  5. Baby I Need Your Lovin'
  6. Walk On By
  7. What Does It Take
  8. Anyday Now
  9. Cover Me
  10. With You In Mind
  11. Ain't No Sunshine
  12. Groovin
  13. You've Got A Friend
  14. Into The Mystic
  15. People Get Ready
  16. Warm And Tender Love
  17. It's Growing
  18. I Wish It Would Rain

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Paul is altogether SOULFUL!.......2007-02-03

I am a Paul Carrack fan, love his music and soulful voice! This CD is great and worth having with bonus cuts AND a DVD. My favorites: Harvest for the World, Sunny, Into the Mystic, It's Growing, Wish it would Rain. He adds nice touches and vocal interpretations to these classic songs. Some background vocals are a little "faint" but still good. Great song choices!

3 out of 5 stars the best voice in the biz...now why won't he get a PRODUCER?.......2007-01-23

I am a huge Paul Carrack fan, and think his best records were Blue Views and Beautiful World. On those records you really got a flavour for his talent, and a talented producer was at the helm. I get it that Paul can play all the instruments, and is a passable engineer most of the time, but listen to 'Into the Mystic'---there's freakin digital distortion on the vocal track!! If that ain't a cry for help, I dunno what is! Here we have the best voice in the biz DISTORTING HIS OWN VOICE because he's through with using producers. Something about a bad experience working with the majors, so now he's gotta do it all himself. This kind of voice deserves a great producer. Any out there available to do an intervention??

Soulful, safe and sibilant. Could be so much better...

Jacob Moon

5 out of 5 stars Always Groovin!!!!.......2003-03-05

This is an excellent CD. I am a long time fan of Mr. Carrack, and the fact that he is singing a group of all time greats makes me love his music that much more! A MUST listen and MUST purchase if you are a fan of 60's and 70's music. His version of "What Does it Take" is just perfect! Enjoy music lovers!
Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Emperor in all its glory!!
  • Lavish music
  • The Emporer has no clothes?
  • First CD is slow going; second one cooks
  • Historic Jazz Organ Session
 Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise
Jimmy Smith
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000K4GL
Release Date: 1999-09-17

Tracks:

  1. Imagination
  2. Walkin'
  3. My Funny Valentine
  4. It's Only A Paper Moon
  5. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
  6. Laura

Tracks:

  1. Indiana
  2. Body And Soul
  3. The Champ
  4. Lover Man
  5. Slightly Monkish
  6. After Hours
  7. Just Friends

Amazon.com

These recordings from 1957 are among the most momentous to appear in the Rudy Van Gelder series, marking the first American appearance on CD of these early live recordings and adding four previously unreleased tracks. Accompanied by his regular band of guitarist Eddie McFadden and drummer Donald Bailey, Smith is an extraordinary musical presence, combining the energy of a big band and a sanctified congregation as he serves up kinetic versions of pop songs, jazz standards, and blues. Among the new additions are a scintillating version of Smith's own up-tempo blues feature "The Champ," a marvel of keyboard technique, and a treatment of "Walkin'" that could define the idea of swing. Smith wasn't just using the organ as a jazz instrument, he was creating a new idiom that fused elements of modern jazz and R&B. The extended tunes also highlight a neglected jazz-blues talent in McFadden. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Emperor in all its glory!!.......2004-07-21

This is Jimmy's best album, my all time favourite. This is the real deal: just organ, guitar & drums. And most tracks are 6 min and more, so you get a lot of LOUD organ by the man. To me the best track in this session is Laura, breathtaking. This album will make reevaluate the stature of jimmy as a soloist; he is right there with the best of his time: trane, ornette, sonny. A masterpiece! One of my all time favourite Blue Notes.

4 out of 5 stars Lavish music.......2004-06-07

The Cook/Morton Penguin Guide names this as Jimmy Smith's best album, on the strength of the long reading of "After Hours" in particular. They're right about that track--it's a tremendous performance--but they're wrong about the album. This early disc comes from a period where Smith was still playing essentially an amalgam of bebop & Erroll Garner, pushed to almost surreal extremes by his extraordinary cup-runneth-over style of improvising & the weird array of sounds he coaxed from the organ, from throbbing bel canto wails to machine-gun flak to glittering icicle brilliance. Most of the material here is popular standards of the day--"Body & Soul", "I Can't Give You Anything but Love", "Imagination", "My Funny Valentine", "Lover Man", "Indiana", "Laura", "Just Friends", "It's Only a Paper Moon"--& he takes them to the cleaners: "Laura" in particular is so wildly over the top that when I last spun this album, my wife thought that it was a put-on. (Nope.) I kind of perversely like the ballad tracks for their sheer excess--it's a good vulgar antidote to tasteful piano-trio versions--but the really good stuff here tends to be the bop-into-blues of "The Champ", "Walkin" & "Slightly Monkish", & of course the excellent "After Hours".

Eddie McFadden on guitar is no whiz but plays just fine, though he has a distressing tendency to sail along smoothly for several choruses & then at precisely the wrong moment (the climax of a tune, the final turnaround) hit some sour notes (e.g. the bum notes circa 5:30 on "Body & Soul"). Donald Bailey is on the other hand as consistently excellent as he is on so many Smith albums of this period. If you're attuned to this kind of lavish organ jazz then _Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise_ is very enjoyable; but if you tend to think of organs as noisy, overbearing monsters then it's definitely one to avoid.

3 out of 5 stars The Emporer has no clothes?.......2002-11-07

Look, I'll be blunt. I'm far from a jazz authority--though I've been listening to it for roughly 10 years now--but in my humble opinion (as evidenced by this record, anyway), Jimmy Smith just does not know how to play a slow ballad. The super-frenetic, scattershot method makes your jaw drop on numbers like "Indiana" and of course, "The Champ," but his over-aggresive flourishes on "Lover Man" and "Body and Soul," to name just two, fly *completely* against the mood of their respective songs! Maybe because it's an early record, but I hear very little subtlety or grace in the playing here...both of which can be just as important as fire and velocity.

3 out of 5 stars First CD is slow going; second one cooks.......2002-02-12

The first CD in this 2-cd set is quite rough to get through. Smith's tone is extra-gooey and lacks some of the muscularity and grit he would adopt on later releases, and the fact that the first CD mostly consists of slow ballads and sappy standards (really, isn't it time to retire "My Funny Valentine" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," from the jazz songbook?) doesn't help at all, at all. Except for "Walkin'," there's really not much to recommend the first CD unless you really like hearing Jimmy Smith as an excessively plummy, occasionally semi-Monkish balladeer.

The second CD, on the other hand, is a different story. Jimmy hits the ground running with "Indiana," and never lets up. Guitarist Eddie McFadden has a lot to do with the pace and the verve of the second CD. He pushes Smith and spars with him, and as a result drummer Donald Bailey begins to get inspired. They start interacting, and it becomes jazz, as opposed to the first CD which is just Jimmy Smith noodling through some ballads, with the other two men sounding frankly bored or absent.

I see by the liner notes that this two-fer CD was originally much different on its original LP release, with a different track listing. Perhaps it would have been best if they stuck to the tracks on the original release, rather than giving us the entire recording as they do here. As it is, there is one CD of absolutely terrific stuff, well worth buying...and another CD of what is basically hyperactive lounge music. Fortunately all the good material is concentrated on disc 2. Disc One would probably make a good coaster for your martini.

5 out of 5 stars Historic Jazz Organ Session.......2000-06-16

Jimmy Smith and company made jazz history the night of November 15, 1957. This freewheeling live set from the legendary Small's Paradise nightclub anticipates just about every twist and turn Hammond B-3 and indeed almost all other electronic keyboard playing would take up to the present day.

This classic recording represents Smith at his early best, his unique artistry arguably in its purest and most unfettered form. Suffice it to say that this is all beef and no tofu, with fierce and furious renditions of standards like "Indiana," flavorful blues workouts in "Walkin'" and "After Hours," and rich gospel-tinged treatments of "Laura" and "My Funny Valentine." Highlights also include Jimmy's quirky extended introductory vamps to many tunes. His bandmates are certainly no slouches either, with guitarist McFadden in particular contributing quicksilver licks steeped in bebop.

Groovin' at Small's Paradise is a non-stop rocket blast of a recording, guaranteed to energize you better than quaffing a dozen bottles of Jolt Cola. It's well worth the extra cash, too--you get the equivalent of 3 LPs worth of music, and the clarity of the remastering of these Van Gelder special editions is superb.
The Soul Mixtape
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Beautiful
  • How Did I Sleep on This?
  • Smooth
  • Discovered Outstanding New Talent!
  • A GREAT SOUL MIX!
 The Soul Mixtape
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Manufacturer: Groovin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AV2GGU
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

  1. Eijay- Beautiful Lady Deep soul from Phoenix, AZ.
  2. Josephine Sincere- I Like It A new star is born.
  3. Michael Bohannon- Make Love Last Forever Classic soul.
  4. Michael Bohannon- Build A Fire A masterpiece!
  5. Kelli Sae- Daydreamin One of Jeff's favorite cuts.
  6. LaSonya Gunter- Endlessly Beautiful sweet soul music.
  7. Ladybug Mecca feat. Martin Luther- Last Train *****
  8. Demien- Amanda Blue Sexy Philly soul.
  9. A.K.A. Soulo- What Say You Reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield!
  10. Demien- Erotic Dreams More sexy soul..
  11. DJ Mitsu feat. Dwele- Right Here Very rare track.
  12. Pete Rock feat. Leela James- No Tears 2 masters,1 classic, beautiful..
  13. DJ Jazzy Jeff feat. V- Broken Dreams WOW!
  14. Valencia Robinson- BlackSolSista Memphis soul is alive.
  15. Omar feat. Angie Stone- Be Thankful A classic re-done with perfection, what a duet!!!
  16. DJ Jazzy Jeff feat. V- She Wants 2 Be Reminiscent of a Stevie Wonder classic.

Album Description

Just when you had DJ Jazzy Jeff pegged solely as a hip-hop maven, Groovin' Records jettisons The Soul Mixtape chocked full of nu soul and R&B gems that will rattle your preconceived notions of his skills. But if you've been watching his career, you'd realize that this is no sudden move for the Philadelphia native.

From 1987 to 1993, Jeff along with childhood friend and superstar Will Smith were the groundbreaking hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. They successfully made the transition to television with six seasons of the top-rated syndicated show The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. But in 1990, Jeff launched A Touch Of Jazz Productions (ATOJ) as a creative hub largely to foster his love of R&B and soul. After a decade of producing for outside artists, ATOJ introduced what would be its first breakthrough artist in Grammy-winning singer Jill Scott while further tilling the soil of the burgeoning neo-soul movement by introducing such artists as Musiq and Floetry. With 10 million albums sold worldwide and an enviable collection of awards, DJ Jazzy Jeff is definitely a man of many accomplishments. But his accomplishments wouldn't be complete without feeding his love of R&B and soul via ATOJ. And that love is further translated in The Soul Mixtape.

Featuring 16 lustrous tracks hand picked by DJ Jazzy Jeff and soul music fanatics Teddy and Natalie Esposito, the disc mixes familiar faces (Dwele, Martin Luther, Pete Rock) with the freshman class of soul (Valencia Robinson, Michael Bohannon, Leela James), making for a best of both worlds listening experience. U.K. acid jazz renaissance man Omar duets with U.S. soul matriarch Angie Stone on a remake of the classic 1974 William DeVaughn hit "Be Thankful" while former Incognito vocalist Kellie Sae revamps Aretha Franklin's 70s gem "Daydreamin'". The disc also contains two exclusive tracks from ATOJ artist V ("She Wants 2 Be", "Broken Dreams") not available anywhere else. DJ Jazzy Jeff blends these tracks with extreme care, exemplifying his passion and love for the genre. That same love also lead him to cross paths with soul aficionados Groovin' Records, curators of the soul compilation series Neo Soul United (vol. 1-3) and Soul In The City.

The Soul Mixtape marks DJ Jazzy Jeff's first release with an American independent label.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2006-11-16

I'm not super familiar with soul but this mix is unbelievable. Just pick it up, you absolutely will not regret it. Valencia Robinson is the highlight for me, overall the mix is really something else. Well mixed, beautiful programming, it's almost too easy!

5 out of 5 stars How Did I Sleep on This?.......2006-04-28

Although DJ Jazzy Jeff has been on the music scene forever, I never really got into him. He has truly earned my respect with this compilation of soul music. There were vocalists on here that I'm familiar with and love, such as Micheal Bohannon, Martin Luther, Angie Stone and Omar, but then he came with some new folks who blew my mind and had me online trying to find out who they were and why I hadn't heard of them. The first song by Ejiay, "Beautiful Lady" is a joint that i play over and over. Josephine Sincere on track 2 keeps it flowing with her "I Like It" (no, this isn't the DeBarge song!) and it jut continues on and on. It even has a shout out to old school Prince with Demien putting a new spin on it with his original song, "Erotic Dreams". There isn't one weak track on this CD and deserves the support of anyone claiming to love real soul music.

5 out of 5 stars Smooth.......2006-04-01

The title sums it up.... Definite must have for music lovers of all taste. Jeff made the best mixtape for chillin on a sunday, just relaxin'. Listen to it you'll know what I mean. A++ all around!!!

4 out of 5 stars Discovered Outstanding New Talent!.......2006-01-25

Having always been a fan of DJJ's work, I bought this CD and was pleasantly surprised that it was more on the R&B vibe than the usual club material. It turned me on to some great new talents I have never heard of. It also includes such acts the splendid teenager Josephine Sincere, and Aka Soula who sounds like Curtis Mayfield. As a result, I bought Josephine's new CD and I love it! I also bought Dwele's based on this album. If you're into finding new discoveries who are better than the standard fare you hear on the radio daily, then this CD is for you. If you're looking for a "house" or "club" record, then it's not.

5 out of 5 stars A GREAT SOUL MIX!.......2005-12-28

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MIXES I'VE HEARD. I LOVE THE MICHAEL BOHANNAN SONGS, AND THE DWELE SONG.
Groovin' High
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • essential big band bebop
  • Addicting
  • Dizzy's rendition on this album is innovative,fresh.
 Groovin' High
Dizzy Gillespie
Manufacturer: Savoy Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000001CRB
Release Date: 1993-06-29

Tracks:

  1. Blue 'N' Boogie
  2. Groovin' High
  3. Dizzy Atmosphere
  4. All The Things You Are
  5. Salt Peanuts
  6. Hot House
  7. Oop Bop Sh' Bam
  8. That's Earl Brother
  9. Our Delight
  10. One Bass Hit - Part Two
  11. Things To Come
  12. Rays Idea
  13. Emanon

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars essential big band bebop.......2007-02-14

In the mid-late 40's Dizzy put together a big band to play the new music which he, Charlie Parker, and others had pioneered a few years earlier. This album is less than 40 minutes long, and the sound quality is typical of recordings from that period, but each tune is a winner and the band puts in really tight performances, sometimes at breakneck tempos. Classics like "Salt Peanuts" mix Dizzy's goofy humor with virtuosic performances.

This CD may be short on quantity, but not on quality! Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Addicting.......2006-02-09

This disc is essentially a bunch of fast, concise jazz tunes (all around 3 minutes long) full of catchy riffs and great improvisation on the part of Dizzy and, on some tracks, Charlie Parker. It's a relatively old record so the quality of the sound will not blow you away, but it's really not bad at all. As somebody who is often picky about that aspect of a recording, I can tell you that it doesn't bother me a bit here. The music is just that great. In a way, as with old blues records, it even adds to its "character."

The tracks fly by quickly, but I am always happy to give the disc another spin or two when it's over. If you're unfamiliar with Diz, but really want to know what the hell came out of those unreasonably large puffed up cheeks, this CD is not a bad place to start.

4 out of 5 stars Dizzy's rendition on this album is innovative,fresh........1999-04-30

Fresh, alive. Especially Jealousie. Dizzy puts this mesmerizing latin number into a bit of a tailspin.You feel like you are in eye of this storm of a fiery Latin piece that you get caught up in the swirl of passion that is Jealousie. Only one other rendition of Jealousie has ever been recorded that can be said to be as innovative and daring. And that which employed a full orchestra of trumpeteers, cellists, violinist and latin percussions. The artists escapes my memory but I would dearly love for someone to tell me who they were. There were many recordings of Jealousie over time and this yet to be identified version stands on as high a pedestal as good ol' Dizzy's.
Groovin' High: The Ultimate Trumpet Collection
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Trumpet 101
 Groovin' High: The Ultimate Trumpet Collection
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Savoy Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0001AP0HC
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

  1. Birk's Works - Dizzy Gillespie
  2. Nostalgia - Fats Navarro
  3. Bass C Jam - Howard McGhee
  4. Milestones - Miles Davis
  5. Groovin' High - Kenny Dorham
  6. Grab Your Axe Max (Alt) - Shorty Rogers
  7. Star Eyes - Donald Byrd
  8. Alone Together - Thad Jones
  9. Porky - Nat Adderley
  10. Blue Bossa - Art Farmer
  11. Doug's Minor Bouk - Lee Morgan
  12. Shall We Dance? - Wilbur Harden
  13. Gypsy Jingle-Jangle - Freddie Hubbard
  14. No Scratch - Randy Brecker

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Trumpet 101.......2004-05-20

This is a fine collection of trumpet-featured jazz pieces,with many of the best players of the instrument present here, but it is no ultimate collection. The better title is the "Ultimate Savoy Sampler", and the obvious intention(valid enough) is to whet your appetite for a further exploration of this jazz icon.
Since legendary empresario Orrin Keepnews is behind this, the musical selections are naturally standout, but the material has a
huge time gap from 1958 to 1983, and consequently misses a great amount of material. That is the major problem with label-restricted compilations. You are limited in the sources of the music you can choose from because of legal contracts.
Recognizing this, and knowing that there is no Louis Armstrong, no Chet Baker, no Columbia-recorded Miles Davis, and no Wynton Marsalis, this is still a very interesting and informative CD. The trumpet players of the 1940's and 1950' are well represented, as are some of the really outstanding sidemen of the time. Way too many players to mention are represented here, and their contributions are as excellent as the featured trumpet/cornet/flugelhorn vituosos that are the main attraction.
The liner notes by Bob Blumenthal are track-by-track and very
informative, just exactly what you'd expect from a class act like Savoy.
All said and done, a fine sampler of great trumpet playing. After listening to this you'll definitely be seeking a deeper
appreciation of the vast jazz catalog.
Steady Groovin'
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Steady Groovin
 Steady Groovin'
Soulive
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Acid JazzAcid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0007TKH8O
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Tracks:

  1. One In Seven
  2. Flurries
  3. El Ron
  4. Solid
  5. Clap! - Soulive Featuring Black Thought
  6. Dig It
  7. Doin' Something
  8. Alkime
  9. First Street
  10. All Up In It - Soulive/DJ Spinna
  11. Golden Lady

Amazon.com

Although not clearly stated in the title, this is a compilation of the soul-jazz-funk-jam band's songs aimed primarily at those new their sound. The album highlights Soulive's more upbeat improv tendencies and their genre-stretching abilities. Comprised only of drums, guitar and keyboards (bass is handled by pedals from Hammond B-3 man Neil Evans), the threesome gets a lot of sound out of it's relatively stripped down format. Crisp and tight, the approach finds common ground between Booker T. & the MGs' crackling R&B instrumentals, Medeski, Martin and Wood's more experimental acid jazz and even Brian Auger's Jimmy Smith based vibe. The programming features the band's buoyant nature, especially on the Fred Wesley dominated "Doin' Something," and the live tracks. Expanding into hip-hop with The Roots' (Black Thought rapping on "Clap"), the group stumbles slightly from an all-instrumental M.O. but shows an impressive willingness to broaden their horizons. A cover of Stevie Wonder's "Golden Lady" from a Japanese release is the disc's one rarity and probably isn't enough to entice established fans. As Soulive's final release on Blue Note, Steady Groovin' works best as an overview as opposed to a straight hits collection/contract fulfiller, and is an excellent place for those unfamiliar with the group to hop on board. --Hal Horowitz

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Steady Groovin.......2005-12-23

Roughly 10 years after founding the seminal jam band Moonboot Lover in the early 1990s, Buffalo-born brothers Alan & Neal Evans teamed up with the naturally gifted upstart guitarist Eric Krasno to form the funky organ trio Soulive. This modern incarnation of the classic B-3 organ trio (ala Jimmy Smith) took the music scene by storm at the turn of the millenium and has since toured and/or recorded with everyone from Dave Matthews to the Neville Brothers to Talib Kweli. This range of collaborators mirrors the broadness of Soulive's sound, and their mix of jazz, funk, soul and hip hop is arguably the freshest sound to have hit the jam band circuit. With Soulive, every track they've ever recorded seriously grooves, thus Steady Groovin is a retrospective of select funky moments.

Of note are tracks featuring special guests Fred Wesley (of James Brown fame) and Black Thought of The Roots. Also, the two final selections are being released on a Soulive record for the first time in the US- one of which features DJ Spinna and the other is the bands take on Stevie Wonder's classic "Golden Lady".
Groovin'
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Groovin'
    The Young Rascals
    Manufacturer: Collector's Choice
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B000OYC1OK
    Release Date: 2007-08-28

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    1. A Girl Like You
    2. Find Somebody
    3. I'm So Happy Now
    4. Sueno
    5. How Can I Be Sure
    6. Groovin'
    7. If You Knew
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    10. A Place In the Sun
    11. It's Love
    12. A Girl Like You
    13. Find Somebody
    14. I'm So Happy Now
    15. Sueno
    16. How Can I Be Sure
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    18. If You Knew
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    21. A Place In the Sun
    22. It's Love

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