Oscar Peterson - In A Romantic Mood - Orchestra conducted by Russell Garcia

1. Ruby
2. Stars Fell On Alabama
3. Black Coffee
4. Laura
5. The Boy Next Door
6. Our Waltz
7. Tenderly
8. I Thought About You
9. I Only Have Eyes For You
10. Stella By Starlight
11. A Sunday Kind Of Love
12. It Could Happen To You

Romantic Mood

Oscar Peterson was one of the greatest piano players of all time. A pianist with phenomenal technique on the level of his idol, Art Tatum, Peterson's speed, dexterity, and ability to swing at any tempo were amazing. Very effective in small groups, jam sessions, and in accompanying singers, O.P. was at his absolute best when performing unaccompanied solos. His original style did not fall into any specific idiom. Like Erroll Garner and George Shearing, Peterson's distinctive playing formed during the mid- to late '40s and fell somewhere between swing and bop. Peterson was criticized through the years because he used so many notes, didn't evolve much since the 1950s, and recorded a remarkable number of albums. Perhaps it is because critics ran out of favorable adjectives to use early in his career; certainly it can be said that Peterson played 100 notes when other pianists might have used ten, but all 100 usually fit, and there is nothing wrong with showing off technique when it serves the music. As with Johnny Hodges and Thelonious Monk, to name two, Peterson spent his career growing within his style rather than making any major changes once his approach was set, certainly an acceptable way to handle one's career. Because he was Norman Granz's favorite pianist (along with Tatum) and the producer tended to record some of his artists excessively, Peterson made an incredible number of albums. Not all are essential, and a few are routine, but the great majority are quite excellent, and there are dozens of classics.

Peterson started classical piano lessons when he was six and developed quickly. After winning a talent show at 14, he began starring on a weekly radio show in Montreal. Peterson picked up early experience as a teenager playing with Johnny Holmes' Orchestra. From 1945-1949, he recorded 32 selections for Victor in Montreal. Those trio performances find Peterson displaying a love for boogie-woogie, which he would soon discard, and the swing style of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole. His technique was quite brilliant even at that early stage, and although he had not yet been touched by the influence of bop, he was already a very impressive player. Granz discovered Peterson in 1949 and soon presented him as a surprise guest at a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. Peterson was recorded in 1950 on a series of duets with either Ray Brown or Major Holley on bass; his version of "Tenderly" became a hit. Peterson's talents were quite obvious, and he became a household name in 1952 when he formed a trio with guitarist Barney Kessel and Brown. Kessel tired of the road and was replaced by Herb Ellis the following year. The Peterson-Ellis-Brown trio, which often toured with JATP, was one of jazz's great combos from 1953-1958. Their complex yet swinging arrangements were competitive -- Ellis and Brown were always trying to outwit and push the pianist -- and consistently exciting. In 1958, when Ellis left the band, it was decided that no other guitarist could fill in so well, and he was replaced (after a brief stint by Gene Gammage) by drummer Ed Thigpen. In contrast to the earlier group, the Peterson-Brown-Thigpen trio (which lasted until 1965) found the pianist easily the dominant soloist. Later versions of the group featured drummers Louis Hayes (1965-1966), Bobby Durham (1967-1970), Ray Price (1970), and bassists Sam Jones (1966-1970) and George Mraz (1970).

In 1960, Peterson established the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto, which lasted for three years. He made his first recorded set of unaccompanied piano solos in 1968 (strange that Granz had not thought of it) during his highly rated series of MPS recordings. With the formation of the Pablo label by Granz in 1972, Peterson was often teamed with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. He appeared on dozens of all-star records, made five duet albums with top trumpeters (Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Clark Terry, and Jon Faddis), and teamed up with Count Basie on several two-piano dates. An underrated composer, Peterson wrote and recorded the impressive "Canadiana Suite" in 1964 and has occasionally performed originals in the years since. Although always thought of as a masterful acoustic pianist, Peterson has also recorded on electric piano (particularly some of his own works), organ on rare occasions, and even clavichord for an odd duet date with Joe Pass. One of his rare vocal sessions in 1965, With Respect to Nat, reveals that Peterson's singing voice was nearly identical to Nat King Cole's. A two-day reunion with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown in 1990 (which also included Bobby Durham) resulted in four CDs. Peterson was felled by a serious stroke in 1993 that knocked him out of action for two years. He gradually returned to the scene, however, although with a weakened left hand. Even when he wasn't 100 percent, Peterson was a classic improviser, one of the finest musicians that jazz has ever produced. The pianist appeared on an enormous number of records through the years. As a leader, he has recorded for Victor, Granz's Clef and Verve labels (1950-1964), MPS, Mercury, Limelight, Pablo, and Telarc. 

(by Scott Yanow from allmusic.com)

Caravelli - Killing Me Softly

1. Comme Si Tu Devais Mourir Demain
2. Do You Love Me
3. Eres Tu
4. Forever And Ever
5. Killing Me Softly With His Song
6. Les Gondoles À Venise
7. Ma Virginie
8. Made In Normandie
9. Nous Irons A Verone
10. Sing
11. Tu Te Reconnaitras
12. Viens, Viens

Killing Me Softly

Percy Faith Plays Music From South Pacific

1. Bali Ha'i
2. Happy Talk
3. Younger Than Springtime
4. I'm Gonna Wash Than Man Right Outa My Hair
5. Dites-Moi
6. There Is Nothin' Like A Dame
7. A Wonderful Guy
8. Some Enchanted Evening
9. Honey Bun
10. Loneliness Of Evening
11. A Cock-Eyed Optimist
12. This Nearly Was Mine

South Pacific

Percy Faith - Music From Hollywood

1. The Song From "Moulin Rouge" (Where Is Your Heart)
2. Genevieve
3. Theme From "The Bad And The Beautiful" (Love Is For The Very Young)
4. Caribbean Night (Noche Caribe)
5. Return To Paradise
6. Invitation
7. Ruby
8. The Loveliest Night Of The Year

Music From Hollywood 

Ever since the days of sound, music on the screen has occupied an important, if sometimes overlooked position. From the early times when the soundtrack overwhelmed the audience to the present, when the music has become an integral part of screen entertainment, musicians of all kinds have composed scores for the movies. Sometimes the musicians were men of the stature of Aaron Copland, virgil Thomson and similar composers, at other times they were simply songwriters hired to string together some borrowings from classical composers. It is only lately that the screen has developed its own group of musicians, men who have studied the art of the film as well as the art of music, and who have brought new concepts into their writing for movies. These men have written dramatic and exciting scores, and at the same time have not neglected the melodic themes that spill over into popular music.

Many scores for the movies these days forge far into the advanced guard of music, without the public ever quite knowing it. The uses of dissonance and throughly modern concepts in film music is far greater than is generally recognized, but these ideas go to point up dramatic concepts rather than demonstrate a musical philosophy. Along with these tecniques, however, Hollywood composers have not abandoned the memorable themes that have consistently spread through their work. Not too long ago almost every dramatic film had a theme song that wound its way through the reels, changing in its mood and orchestration as the story progressed. Many of these themes gained popularity in their own right, and it is today's counterpart of those themes that Percy Faith presents so winningly in this collection.

One of the most charming melodies from recent movies has been The Song From Moulin Rouge, a remarkably lovely French waltz used to introduce Jane Avril in the picture. This song was not only the first from a film score to attain wide popularity in recent years, it was one of the few waltz ballads to become a popular success in many months. The score for the film was written by Georges Auric, one of France's most gifted composers, and a member of the celebrated Les Six, composed of six famous French composers. M. Auric, a pupil of Vincent D'Indy, has written many ballets and a large number of works for piano and orchestra, as well as an opera-comique. His music is heard frequently in English and French films, and his score for "Moulin Rouge" is an excellent example of his sparing use of music in a film, music that makes its point swiftly and immediately and then subsides for the actual drama itself. It was Percy Faith's recording of The Song From Moulin Rouge that began the song's climb on the bestseller lists; a new, extended version of the arrangement was prepared for this collection.

Not strictly from Hollywood, but nevertheless from one of the most amusing films of recent years is the delightful Genevieve, from the British comedy of the same title. The music, written by William Engvick and Larry Adler, provides not only a charming theme but points up the situations in the film throughout. Music as a commentary has been especially notable in British movies, where it is frequently used to give special significance to story movement. Here, however, Percy Faith presents only the theme, a melody of immediate and lasting appeal.

David Raksin, who wrote the music for "The Bad And The Beautiful", a theme known as Love Is For The Very Young, is one of Hollywood's most talented composers. A student of such diverse composers as Arnold Schonberg and Harl McDonald, Mr. Raksin began his Hollywood career arranging the score for the first Chaplin sound film, "Modern Times". Remaining there ever since, he has written many notable scores, for a wide variety of movies including "The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty", "Forever Amber", "The Magnificent Yankee", "Whirlpool", and "The Next Voice You Hear". Perhaps his best-known work was the music for "Laura", which in turn became one of the most popular songs of 1945. In addition to his film work, Mr. Raksin has written music for the ballet, for stage plays, chamber groups and for musical comedies. In the theme presented here, he expertly reflects the polished sophistication of the film, overlaid with a wistful, haunting minor quality. Percy Faith's arrangement underlines the poignant note in the music in a splendid concert setting.

Next, Percy Faith presents one of his own compositions, written for the movie "Starlift". Long interested in Latin American rhythms, he has here created a sinuous theme that brilliantly conjures up all the excitement and magic of a Caribbean Night.

From the film "Return to Paradise" comes the theme music by Dimitri Tiomkin, one of Hollywood's foremost composers. This music is colorful and exotic, as befits the score of a film about the south seas, based on James A. Michener's book of the same name. Mr. Tiomkin, with a through training in classical music in Europe and America, has contributed the scores to a large number of notable movies, including "Duel In The Sun", "Quo Vadis", and the more recent "High Noon", for which he won an Academy Award. His remarkable assimilation of the music of the west is brilliantly demonstrated in the title song of "High Noon", which threaded its way throughout the film with fine dramatic effect, and in "Return to Paradise" he conjures up a provocative picture of island paradises without ever directly quoting native music; he works here by suggestion toward a more powerful result. And the result is one of the most enchanting themes to come from Hollywood in a long time; rich, vibrant and tuneful. Another lovely sample of theme music is the melody written for "Invitation" by Bronislaw Kaper. One of the busiest of Hollywod composers, Mr. Kaper's scorings are most frequently heard in M-G-M films adding much to their dramatic and romantic impact.

Like Mr. Tiomkin, Heinz Roemheld has solid classical background. After initial training in the United States, he studied with masters in Berlin Philharmonic. From there he moved to supervision of music for German films, finally coming back to the United States to direct the scoring for such memorable films as "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (an Academy Award work), "Down To Earth" and "Valentino". His most recent work is the music for "Ruby Gentry", translated into popular music as Ruby. This theme is deep and warm, with a minor cast that gives it a hint of the blues, altogether in keeping with the setting and motivation of the film. Taken out of its context, the theme retains its quality as an individual idea, and contributes much to the current return to the ballad in popular music. In Percy Faith's fine setting, Ruby is another shining example of the beautiful themes currently in use in Hollywood.

As a finale, Percy Faith presents The Loveliest Night Of The Year from "The Great Caruso", an especially interesting example of the use made of classic themes. The basic material here is an old waltz called Over The Waves, by Waldteufel, adapted by Irving Aaronson with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, and the resulting re-creation enjoyed a spectacular success not only as a theme melody, but as an independent popular song. The music presented here by Percy Faith not only gives a cross-section of Hollywood's striking use of music, but provides rewarding listening for anyone interested in lovely themes in brilliant orchestrations. This is music from Hollywood, arranged and played for your pleasure by Percy Faith and his Orchestra in a stimulating and provocative collection.

(From the original LP liner notes)

Percy Faith - Summer Place '76

1. Summer Place '76 (The Theme From "A Summer Place")
2. Feelings
3. Ding Dong
4. Maybe September
5. Soleado
6. Dream Your Dream
7. Sha Bumpin'
8. Saddest Thing Of All
9. La Balanga
10. Send In The Clowns

Summer Place

André Popp - My Way Of Music

1. "A" Comme Amour
2. Le Lit De Lola
3. Entre Le Ciel Et La Mer
4. Mon Amour, Mon Ami
5. Tililoy
6. L'Amour est Bleu (Love Is Blue)
7. Manchester Et Liverpool
8. Ne Sois Pas Triste
9. Les Papillons
10. On N'oublie Jamais
11. Bim Bom
12. Le Coeur Trop Tendre

My Way Of Music 

 André Popp

Percy Faith - My Love

1. My Love
2. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
3. Peaceful
4. Sing
5. The Twelfh of Never
6. Kodachrome
7. Pillow Talk
8. And I Love Her So
9. The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia
10. Killing Me Softly With Her Song
11. Viva Vivaldi

My Love

Caravelli - Midnight Cowboy

1. Midnight Cowboy
2. Wight Is Wight
3. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
4. L'Etranger (Prèlude)
5. Vole S'Envole
6. Adieu Jolie Candy
7. Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus
8. Que Je T'Aime
9. Le Clan des Siciliens
10. Once Upon A Time In The West
11. Romantico Blues
12. Fantasie Pour Cordes

Midnight Cowboy

Caravelli - Please Love Me

1. Love Me, Please Love Me
2. Yellow Submarine
3. Un Homme Et Une Femme
4. Mademoiselle Lise
5. Bang Bang
6. Monday Monday
7. Paris En Colère
8. Lara's Theme
9. Strangers In The Night
10. Angelique
11. Ton Nom

Please Love Me 

CARAVELLI, real name Claude Vasori, was born September 12th of 1930 in Paris, from Italian father (from Milano) and French mother.

He was initially instructed in music by her mother in piano and voicing/harmony at seven years old, and later, when he was thirteen he started to attend the Paris Conservatoire.

At twenty he was professionally touring, accompanying singers on piano, and his first son, Patrick was born (his daughter two years later).

When he was 26 years old he started as orchestra conductor.

In 1959 with the help of famous French jazz bandleader Ray Ventura, he obtained a contract to form his own orchestra oriented to popular music.

In 1956 Caravelle Aerospatiale introduced the twin jet Caravelle. This plane was the first jet created for the short-haul market. The first Caravelle entered service for Air France on May 9, 1959. France was proud of it. So Claude took this name which he turned more Italian in honor to his father origins, changing the last letter: "CARAVELLI et son Violons Magiques (his Magnificent Strings)" was born.

He signed a contract with the French record label Versailles. His fist album "Dance Party" is recorded (issued also in STEREO ).

So under Versailles licenses his early recordings are edited in other countries ( 20th Century Records in USA, Ariel in Argentina and Discophon in Spain, etc.)

In 1962 he composed "Et Satan conduit le bal" original soundtrack under his real name, French film starred by young Catherine Deneuve. An EP record was issued in France.

Later Versailles is acquired by Columbia records (1964). Thanks to CBS worldwide distribution facilities soon he started a real international career, obtaining gold records in France, Japan, Israel and South America.

With his orchestra he also made recordings with Maurice Chevalier and Charles Trenet ( La mer / Beyond the sea, and I wish you love composer ) among other singers.

In 1970 he composed "L'Homme Qui Vient De La Nuit" soundtrack film, starred by Ivan Rebroff. This soundtrack was issued in LP by CBS France.

In 1970/1 he recorded an album in USA .

He is one of the first and few Western artists who were invited to conduct the NKH Orchestra from Japan TV Network.

His first Japan Live Concert is recorded in 1972 by CBS.

In 1973 one of his own compositions was included in the Frank Sinatra album "Old Blue Eyes is back" : "Laisse moi le temps" / "Let me try again", original French lyrics by M..Jourdan, English lyrics by Paul Anka.

This song was previously presented in competition at the "Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar", Chile, representing France and obtaining a 2nd prize (a Chile song was the winner), although it was considered the best song by critics and people. Making a delayed justice, a few years ago, it was proclaimed the Best Song in the history of this Festival, in its 40th Anniversary, something unusual for a non 1st prize in any song contest. This song was also covered by Raymond Lefevre.

In 1978 he composed and recorded the title song of "Goldorak et les 2 Mazingers", for the Japan anime/cartoon.

In a television interview in Buenos Aires (1980) he informed he was coming from making his recording # 2000. It was Berlin "White Christmas".

In 1981 he toured with his orchestra in the ex U.R.S.S. with great success ( all concerts sold out).

The following year he went back to that country, this time to make a record in the Melodiya label with Russians musicians and female singers ( in his style without lyrics). This record "Caravelli in Moscow" includes 12 songs, majority written by young pop Russian composers of that time, and a couple of traditional tunes. 10 themes were recorded in Moscow/Melodiya, and 2 in Paris/CBS with his own orchestra.

In 1983 “Caravelli plays Seiko Matsuda” album is recorded in Japan in digital.

In the middles '80 in order to up to date his sound he started to share the rhythm arrangements with his son Patrick Vasori and prestigious musicians like Gilles Gambus and Serge Planchon, who also played keyboards and synthesizers with the orchestra.

In November 2001 he was touring Japan with an orchestra composed of 32 musicians (tour N° 7), invited by Sony Foundation ( the previous tour was in 1996 ).

According to this event Sony Music Japan edited another 2CD set "Caravelli plays Michel Polnareff and ABBA", being the first (Polnareff) a selection from '60 & '70 albums (including his outstanding cover of Love me, please love me, but in mono) and the second (ABBA) a selection from 70' recordings.

In November and December 2002 he recorded a 15 songs album titled “A new day has come” with his Grand Orchestre in Brussels, Belgium, for Readers’s Digest.

In December 2003 he was touring Japan again. This time 6 concerts, all sold out.

(by Horacio Miguel Vazquez from grandorchestras.com)

Clifford Brown with Strings - Orchestra arranged and conducted by Neal Hefti

1. Yesterdays
2. Laura
3. What's New
4. Blue Moon
5. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
6. Embraceable You
7. Willow Weep For Me
8. Memories Of You
9. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
10. Portrait Of Jenny
11. Where Or When
12. Stardust

With Strings

Clifford Brown's death in a car accident at the age of 25 was one of the great tragedies in jazz history. Already ranking with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis as one of the top trumpeters in jazz, Brownie was still improving in 1956. Plus he was a clean liver and was not even driving; the up-and-coming pianist Richie Powell and his wife (who was driving) also perished in the crash.

Clifford Brown accomplished a great deal in the short time he had. He started on trumpet when he was 15, and by 1948 was playing regularly in Philadelphia. Fats Navarro, who was his main influence, encouraged Brown, as did Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. After a year at Maryland State University, he was in a serious car accident in June 1950 that put him out of action for a year. In 1952, Brown made his recording debut with Chris Powell's Blue Flames (an R&B group). The following year, he spent some time with Tadd Dameron, and from August to December was with Lionel Hampton's band, touring Europe and leading some recording sessions. In early 1954, he recorded some brilliant solos at Birdland with Art Blakey's quintet (a band that directly preceded the Jazz Messengers) and by mid-year had formed a quintet with Max Roach. Considered one of the premiere hard bop bands, the group lasted until Brown's death, featuring Harold Land (and later Sonny Rollins) on tenor and recording several superb sets for Emarcy. Just hours before his death, Brownie appeared at a Philadelphia jam session that was miraculously recorded, and played some of the finest music of his short life.

Clifford Brown had a fat warm tone, a bop-ish style quite reminiscent of the equally ill-fated Fats Navarro, and a mature improvising approach; he was as inventive on melodic ballads as he was on rapid jams. Amazingly enough, a filmed appearance of him playing two songs in 1955 on a Soupy Sales variety show turned up after being lost for 40 years, the only known footage of the great trumpeter. Fortunately, virtually all of his recordings are currently available, including his Prestige dates (in the OJC series), his work for Blue Note and Pacific Jazz (on a four-CD set), and his many Emarcy sessions (reissued on a magnificent ten-disc set). But the one to pick up first is Columbia's The Beginning and the End, which has Brown's first and last recordings. 

(by Scott Yanow from allmusic.com)

Charlie Parker With Strings - Volume 2

1. Dancing In The Dark
2. Out Of Nowhere
3. Laura
4. East Of The Sun
5. They Can't Take That Away From Me
6. You'd Be So Easy To Love
7. I'm In the Mood For Love
8. I'll Remember April

With Strings 2

Personnel:

Charlie Parker - alto saxophone
Joseph Singer - French horn
Eddie Brown - oboe
Sam Caplan, Howard Kay, Harry Melnikoff, Sam Rand, Zelly Smirnoff - violins
Isadore Zir - viola
Maurice Brown - cello
Verley Mills - harp
Bernie Leighton - piano
Ray Brown - double bass
Buddy Rich - drums
Joe Lipman - arranger and conductor

Charlie Parker with strings

A longstanding desire of Parker's was to perform with a string section. He was a keen student of classical music, and contemporaries reported he was most interested in the music and formal innovations of Igor Stravinsky, and longed to engage in a project akin to what later became known as Third Stream Music, a new kind of music, incorporating both jazz and classical elements as opposed to merely incorporating a string section into performance of jazz standards. On November 30, 1949, Norman Granz arranged for Parker to record an album of ballads with a mixed group of jazz and chamber orchestra musicians. Six master takes from this session comprised the album Charlie Parker with Strings: "Just Friends", "Everything Happens to Me", "April in Paris", "Summertime", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", and "If I Should Lose You". The sound of these recordings is rare in Parker's catalog. Parker's improvisations are, in comparison to his usual work, more distilled and economical. His tone is darker and softer than on his small-group recordings, and the majority of his lines are beautiful embellishments on the original melodies rather than harmonically based improvisations. These are among the few recordings Parker made during a brief period when he was able to control his heroin habit, and his sobriety and clarity of mind are evident in his playing. Parker stated that, of his own records, Bird With Strings was his favorite. Although using classical music instrumentation with jazz musicians was not entirely original, this was the first major work where a composer of bebop was matched with a string orchestra.

Some fans thought this record was a sellout and a pandering to popular tastes. It is now seen to have been artistically as well as commercially successful. While Charlie Parker with Strings sold better than his other releases, Parker's version of "Just Friends" is regarded as one of his best performances. In an interview, Parker said he considered it to be his best recording to that date.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Charlie Parker With Strings - Volume 1

1. Just Friends
2. Everything Happens To Me
3. April In Paris
4. Summertime
5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
6. If I Should Lose You

With Strings 1

Personnel:

Charlie Parker - alto-saxophone
Mitch Miller - oboe
Bronislaw Gimpel, Max Hollander, Milton Lomask - violins
Frank Brieff - viola
Frank Miller - cello
Myor Rosen - harp
Stan Freeman - piano
Ray Brown - double bass
Buddy Rich - drums
Jimmy Carroll - arranger and conductor

One of a handful of musicians who can be said to have permanently changed jazz, Charlie Parker was arguably the greatest saxophonist of all time. He could play remarkably fast lines that, if slowed down to half speed, would reveal that every note made sense. "Bird," along with his contemporaries Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell, is considered a founder of bebop; in reality he was an intuitive player who simply was expressing himself. Rather than basing his improvisations closely on the melody as was done in swing, he was a master of chordal improvising, creating new melodies that were based on the structure of a song. In fact, Bird wrote several future standards (such as "Anthropology," "Ornithology," "Scrapple from the Apple," and "Ko Ko," along with such blues numbers as "Now's the Time" and "Parker's Mood") that "borrowed" and modernized the chord structures of older tunes. Parker's remarkable technique, fairly original sound, and ability to come up with harmonically advanced phrases that could be both logical and whimsical were highly influential. By 1950, it was impossible to play "modern jazz" with credibility without closely studying Charlie Parker.

Born in Kansas City, KS, Charlie Parker grew up in Kansas City, MO. He first played baritone horn before switching to alto. Parker was so enamored of the rich Kansas City music scene that he dropped out of school when he was 14, even though his musicianship at that point was questionable (with his ideas coming out faster than his fingers could play them). After a few humiliations at jam sessions, Bird worked hard woodshedding over one summer, building up his technique and mastery of the fundamentals. By 1937, when he first joined Jay McShann's Orchestra, he was already a long way toward becoming a major player.

Charlie Parker, who was early on influenced by Lester Young and the sound of Buster Smith, visited New York for the first time in 1939, working as a dishwasher at one point so he could hear Art Tatum play on a nightly basis. He made his recording debut with Jay McShann in 1940, creating remarkable solos with a small group from McShann's orchestra on "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "Honeysuckle Rose." When the McShann big band arrived in New York in 1941, Parker had short solos on a few of their studio blues records, and his broadcasts with the orchestra greatly impressed (and sometimes scared) other musicians who had never heard his ideas before. Parker, who had met and jammed with Dizzy Gillespie for the first time in 1940, had a short stint with Noble Sissle's band in 1942, played tenor with Earl Hines' sadly unrecorded bop band of 1943, and spent a few months in 1944 with Billy Eckstine's orchestra, leaving before that group made their first records. Gillespie was also in the Hines and Eckstine big bands, and the duo became a team starting in late 1944.

Although Charlie Parker recorded with Tiny Grimes' combo in 1944, it was his collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie in 1945 that startled the jazz world. To hear the two virtuosos play rapid unisons on such new songs as "Groovin' High," "Dizzy Atmosphere," "Shaw 'Nuff," "Salt Peanuts," and "Hot House," and then launch into fiery and unpredictable solos could be an upsetting experience for listeners much more familiar with Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Although the new music was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the recording strike of 1943-1944 resulted in bebop arriving fully formed on records, seemingly out of nowhere.

Unfortunately, Charlie Parker was a heroin addict ever since he was a teenager, and some other musicians who idolized Bird foolishly took up drugs in the hope that it would elevate their playing to his level. When Gillespie and Parker (known as "Diz and Bird") traveled to Los Angeles and were met with a mixture of hostility and indifference (except by younger musicians who listened closely), they decided to return to New York. Impulsively, Parker cashed in his ticket, ended up staying in L.A., and, after some recordings and performances (including a classic version of "Oh, Lady Be Good" with Jazz at the Philharmonic), the lack of drugs (which he combated by drinking an excess of liquor) resulted in a mental breakdown and six months of confinement at the Camarillo State Hospital. Released in January 1947, Parker soon headed back to New York and engaged in some of the most rewarding playing of his career, leading a quintet that included Miles Davis, Duke Jordan, Tommy Potter, and Max Roach. Parker, who recorded simultaneously for the Savoy and Dial labels, was in peak form during the 1947-1951 period, visiting Europe in 1949 and 1950, and realizing a lifelong dream to record with strings starting in 1949 when he switched to Norman Granz's Verve label.

But Charlie Parker, due to his drug addiction and chance-taking personality, enjoyed playing with fire too much. In 1951, his cabaret license was revoked in New York (making it difficult for him to play in clubs) and he became increasingly unreliable. Although he could still play at his best when he was inspired (such as at the 1953 Massey Hall concert with Gillespie), Bird was heading downhill. In 1954, he twice attempted suicide before spending time in Bellevue. His health, shaken by a very full if brief life of excesses, gradually declined, and when he died in March 1955 at the age of 34, he could have passed for 64.

Charlie Parker, who was a legendary figure during his lifetime, has if anything grown in stature since his death. Virtually all of his studio recordings are available on CD along with a countless number of radio broadcasts and club appearances. Clint Eastwood put together a well-intentioned if simplified movie about aspects of his life (Bird). Parker's influence, after the rise of John Coltrane, has become more indirect than direct, but jazz would sound a great deal different if Charlie Parker had not existed. The phrase "Bird Lives" (which was scrawled as graffiti after his death) is still very true. 

(by Scott Yanow from allmusic.com)

Don Costa - Vozes & Metais

1. Day In Day Out
2. Deed I Do
3. The Breeze And I
4. Just In Time
5. But Not For Me
6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
7. Skyliner
8. Echo Of Love
9. Opus Nº 1
10. Adios
11. Thou Swell
12. Nice Work If You Can Get It
13. Mack The Knife
14. Lisbon Antigua
15. Poor People Of Paris
16. Anna
17. April In Portugal
18. Francesa
19. Serenata
20. Delicado
21. Dancero
22. Never On Sunday
23. Blue Tango

Vozes & Metais

O produtor, arranjador e maestro Don Costa procurou inovar em tudo o que criou. Deixando de lado uma das suas maiores virtudes, que é a de descobridor de artistas, temos que considerá-lo como o notável músico que sempre foi. Aqui, temos mais uma prova disso, e à medida que vamos ouvindo o disco, mais nos convencemos que estamos diante de algo diferente em termos de avançada técnica de gravação. Todos os cuidados são tomados com o equipamento técnico, para que se obtenha o maior rendimento possível e nota-se que os músicos procuram dar o máximo de si, daí resultando um trabalho técnico-artístico de altíssima qualidade.

O repertório também reflete o cuidado de Don Costa em oferecer sempre o melhor. Da movimentada "DAY IN DAY OUT", ele nos conduz pelo romantismo de "DEED I DO", de forma quase imperceptível. "THE BREEZE AND I" (Andalucia), de Lecuona, adquire nova beleza com a primorosa orquestração aqui apresentada. "JUST IN TIME" vem a seguir, estuante de ritmo e movimento. A seguir, temos a presença de Gershwin com "BUT NOT FOR ME". E o jazz também tem vez: "I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT", consagrada peça de Hodges, Harry James e Duke Ellington, comparece vestida de roupa nova; e apesar de antiga, ostenta as esfuziantes cores de roupas das juvenis de hoje. No "SKYLINER" mostra que as coisas quentes e movimentadas sempre agradam. Don Costa sempre apreciou o ritmo latino e não esconde isso em "ECHO OF LOVE". Lembram-se de "OPUS Nº 1", a página de Sy Oliver que atravessou gerações? Pois ei-la aqui. Enrique Madriguera, ao compor "ADIOS", nunca imaginou que de Glenn Miller a Don Costa, ela continuasse morando em inúmeros corações. Rodgers e Hart também aqui estão com "THOU SWELL". E a coisa termina com Gershwin, de forma magistral, com "NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT". Bem, termina é maneira de dizer, pois nós temos certeza que você vai ouvir de novo. E é bem capaz que dançe... até mesmo sozinho ou sozinha...

Produzido por Don Costa

Don Costa (July 10, 1925 – January 19, 1983) was an American pop music arranger and record producer best known for his work with Frank Sinatra.

Costa was born Dominick P. Costa in Boston, Massachusetts to an Italian American family. As a child, he took a keen interest in learning the guitar, and he became a member of the CBS Radio Orchestra by the time he was in his teens. In the late 1940s, Costa moved to New York to further his career by becoming a session musician. He played guitar along with Bucky Pizzarelli on Vaughn Monroe's hit recording "Ghost Riders in the Sky." It was around this time that Costa started experimenting with combinations of instruments, producing musical arrangements, and peddling them to a few notable big bands.

It was this self-promotion that caused two young up and coming singers to notice his work. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme invited Costa to write some vocal backgrounds for their future recordings. He agreed, and thus began a winning association that led to their joining a new record label being headed by Sam Clark as president: ABC-Paramount records. It was here that Costa accepted the position of head A&R man as well as chief arranger and producer. Many hits were to follow, not only with Lawrence and Gorme, but with Lloyd Price, George Hamilton IV, and Paul Anka, as well.

Costa found several of his own instrumental recordings becoming hits, including the theme tunes from Never on Sunday and The Unforgiven. He was voted number one in Cash Box as the most popular recording arranger and conductor. It was at this time that Lawrence, Gorme, and Costa left ABC to join the United Artists label. Costa continued to produce and arrange for others as well as release his own instrumental albums.

During this time Frank Sinatra had formed a new recording label, Reprise, and he hired Costa to arrange one of his albums, Sinatra and Strings, released in 1962. This set of standard ballads would remain one of the most critically-acclaimed works of Sinatra's entire Reprise period. Costa's largely string-based orchestrations were outstanding, but he was rarely called upon to write in a similar style again during the long association with Sinatra which followed, as the singer concentrated on more contemporary projects with him. Among the standout tracks on Sinatra and Strings are "All or Nothing at All", an unusual verse-only version of "Stardust" (in absolute juxtaposition to the many chorus-only versions of the song), a ballad rendition of "Night and Day" which provides a lovely contrast to Sinatra's more familiar big band version, and a rendition of "Come Rain or Come Shine" which frequently is included "Best of" compilations from Sinatra's Reprise years. With its atmospheric, muted trumpet intro and its dynamic, bluesy string interlude, it's an extraordinary "tour de force" for Costa.

The following year, in a further sign of his growing stature, Costa was asked to arrange the charts for the Sarah Vaughan album, Snowbound.

In the mid 1960s, Costa moved from New York to Hollywood, California, formed his own company, DCP International, and scored big with the label's major talent, Little Anthony and the Imperials. In 1963, Costa discovered Tex-Mex rocker Trini Lopez working at "PJ's", a Hollywood nightclub. Later in the decade, Sinatra called upon Costa once again to become his primary arranger, and Costa's work with Lawrence and Gorme abated. During this period Sinatra scored one his biggest hits, the Paul Anka composed tune "My Way".

Costa was conducting for Sinatra in Las Vegas as well as arranging his records when he suffered a heart attack and required bypass surgery. After recovering, he started working with Mike Curb at MGM Records, producing and arranging material for the Osmond Brothers hits, as well as having a hand in Sammy Davis, Jr.'s "Candy Man" and Petula Clark's cover of "My Guy."

In the early 1980s, Costa scored again as an artist with a hit with his 10-year-old daughter Nikka entitled "Out Here On My Own." The two were planning a follow-up when Costa suddenly died of a heart attack in New York City.

Costa's ability to write string lines earned him the soubriquet the "Puccini of Pop."

Albums:

Music To Break A Sub-Lease (1958)

The Theme From "The Unforgiven" (1960)

Hollywood Premiere! (1962)

Days Of Wine And Roses (1966)

Modern Delights (1967)

The Don Costa Concept (1969)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Strings Of Paris - Romantic Harmonica Melodies - with Robert Janssen

1. Theme From Midnight Cowboy
2. Yesterdays
3. Ben
4. The Fool On The Hill
5. Blue Moon
6. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
7. Sailing
8. Johnny Guitar
9. One Day I'll Fly Away
10. Easy To Love
11. Michelle
12. Cavatina
13. Dicembre
14. Emmanuelle 2
15. Good Luck Jack
16. Evergreen

Romantic Harmonica

A Grande Orquestra de Paul Mauriat - Exclusivamente Brasil Vol. 3

1. É Preciso Muito Amor
2. Na Paz Do Seu Sorriso
3. Começar De Novo
4. Vazio, Está Faltando Uma Coisa Em Mim
5. Infinito Desejo
6. Estrela Radiante
7. Mania De Você
8. Gostoso Veneno
9. Súplica
10. Estrada Do Sol

Exclusivamente Brasil 3

A Grande Orquestra de Paul Mauriat - Exclusivamente Brasil Vol. 2

1. Pra Que Chorar
2. Amigo
3. Sonhos
4. O que Será (A Flor Da Terra)
5. Somos Todos Iguais Nesta Noite (E O Circo De Novo)
6. Foi Assim
7. Querelas Do Brasil
8. A Noite Vai Chegar
9. Odara
10. D. João

Exclusivamente Brasil 2

A Grande Orquestra de Paul Mauriat - Exclusivamente Brasil Vol. 1

1. Mulher Brasileira
2. Morte De Um Poeta
3. Sabiá Marrom
4. Só Louco
5. Juízo Final
6. Moça
7. Não Deixe O Samba Morrer
8. Qualquer Coisa
9. Mulheres De Atenas
10. Tranquei A Vida
11. Sem Açúcar
12. Pavão Misterioso

Exclusivamente Brasil 1

Carmen Cavallaro piano e orquestra - Boleros Famosos

1. Maria La-O
2. Dolores, My Own
3. Andalucia
4. Enllodo
5. La Comparsa
6. Frenesi
7. Adios
8. Poinciana
9. Solamente Una Vez
10. Aquellos Ojos Verdes
11. Acercate Mas
12. Perfidia

Boleros Famosos

Burt Bacharach - Reach Out

1. Reach Out For Me
2. Alfie
3. Bond Street
4. Are You there (With Another Girl)
5. What The World Needs Now Is Love
6. The Look Of Love
7. A House Is Not A Home
8. I Say A Little Prayer
9. The Windows Of The World
10. Lisa
11. Message To Michael

Reach Out

Burt Bacharach's second album will either delight or sorely disappoint modern listeners, depending upon how aware they are of who he really is. It's easy to forget, amidst his '90s revival, that Bacharach was never fundamentally a "rock" songwriter. Reach Out was reissued in 1995, just as Bacharach's star was rising among more mature rock listeners. Parts of this album do aspire to a kind of big-band pop soulfulness. The rest is quasi-jazz of the light variety, very cleanly and carefully arranged by the composer, who tends to emphasize the obvious. A lot of what is here is very basic, well played but displaying no dazzling interpretive details. That's often a risk when a composer interprets his own work -- frequently, it is the outside personality, the performance specialist rather than the composer, who picks up the hidden and unusual sides of a score. Some listeners will also be thrown by the presence of "Lisa," a throwback to pre-'60s pop. But that is a valid part of what Bacharach was about -- he grew up in an environment in which big-band jazz represented mainstream music, and was aspiring to make it as a pop composer when rock & roll hit. So it should be expected that he would have had an affinity for elegant pop music, which he would indulge on his first album for a soft-jazz and pop label like A&M. Reach Out isn't a Rosetta Stone to understanding his music, but it does present Bacharach's vision of his work at its most straightforward, and it is enjoyable on its own terms, as a snapshot of his own sensibilities at that time. 

(by Bruce Eder from allmusic.com)

Favoritas dos anos 70 & 80 - Vários Artistas - Vol. 2

1. Feelings - Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
2. Your Song - Dan Fraser and His Orchestra with Paul Jones (vocal)
3. And I Love You So - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
4. Ben - Gordon Langford and His Orchestra
5. Theme from "Terms of Endearment" - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
6. I Just Called to Say I Love You - Ian Hughes and His Orchestra
7. Three Times A Lady - Ronnie Price and His Orchestra
8. Just the Way You Are - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
9. The Lady in Red - Ian Hughes and His Orchestra
10. It's Impossible - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
11. Take Me Home Country Roads - The Young World Singers
12. Rose Garden - Al Capps and His Orchestra
13. I Will Always for You - David Firman and His Orchestra
14. The Most Beautiful Girl - Pete Moore and His Orchestra
15. Lucille - The Young World Singers
16. You Needed Me - Roland Shaw and His Orchestra with Rosemary Squires (vocal)
17. Southern Nights - The Young World Singers
18. Islands in the Stream - Pete Moore and His Orchestra
19. She Believes in Me - David Firman and His Orchestra
20. Rhinestone Cowboy - The Romantic Strings Orchestra and Voices
21. Always on My Mind - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
22. Stand by Your Man - Elton West and His Orchestra with Laura Lee (vocal)

Favoritas - Vol. 2

Favoritas dos anos 70 & 80 - Vários Artistas - Vol. 1

1. Mozart 40 (Mozart) - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
2. Mull Of Kintyre - The National Philharmonic Orchestra
3. Don't Cry For Me Argentina - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
4. Annie's Song - Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
5. Could It Be Magic - Ian Hughes and His Orchestra
6. Memory (from Cat's) - Johnny Gregory and His Orchestra
7. Send In The Clowns - Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
8. The Music Of The Night - The London Promenade Orchestra
9. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Steve Chandler and His Orchestra with The Young World Singers
10. Let It Be - Gordon Langford and His Orchestra
11. We've Only Just Begun - Acker Bilk and His Orchestra
12. Sailing - The Romantic Strings Orchestra with Pierre Belmonde (Pan Flute)
13. Theme from The Deer Hunter - The Romantic Strings Orchestra with Marco Muciano (Guitar)
14. Love Story - Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
15. Albatross - Pete Moore and His Orchestra
16. To All The Girls I've Loved Before - The Romantic Strings Orchestra
17. Baker Street - David Firman and His Orchestra
18. Yesterday Once More - Peter Hope and His Orchestra
19. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You - David Firman and His Orchestra
20. Yesterday When I Was Young - Sid Dale and His Orchestra

Favoritas Vol.1 - Parte 1  Parte 2

Xavier Cugat - Os Grandes Sucessos de Xavier Cugat

1. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
2. Malagueña
3. Temptation
4. Besame Mucho
5. Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)
6. I Love You Much Too Much
7. The Breeze And I (Andalucia)
8. Yours (Quiereme Mucho)
9. Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil)
10. Amapola

Grandes Sucessos