Patricia Barber Quartet - Live in Belgrade - 2008

The elegant Patricia Barber- Cole Porter album is up there again. The song of all is her gentle reworking of "You're the Top" - "something that Cole Porter and I wrote together", she jokes in this clip from a show in Belgrade. I just love the way she sneaks John Coltrane, "the Earl Spencer's daughter" and the president-elect into the list of superlatives.

Herbie Hancock on Nissan Live Sets with Joni Mitchell - 2008

Thursday March 20, 2008 - Herbie Hancock performed in front of 300 fans in LA for the Nissan Live Sets on Yahoo! Music series. Joni Mitchell joined Herbie on stage to perform several songs from his new album, River: The Joni Letters. The night also included performances of classics hits.

The audience was lucky enough to see a superb group of musicians (including LA fixture and drumming sensation Vinnie Colaiuta) collaborating with special guests DJ C-Minus, up-and-comer Sonya Kitchell, and a very rare appearance by Joni Mitchell.

The band performed some of Herbie's greatest hits, including "Rock It", "Watermelon Man", and some mesmerizing performances with Joni Mitchell singing tunes from Herbie's latest album, River: the Joni Letters. This album has the distinction of being the second jazz album to ever win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year (beating out Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, and the Foo Fighters). 30 minutes video

Fourplay - Live In Cape Town -2009 release

Fourplay is a jazz supergroup comprised of Bob James, Nathan East, Larry Carlton, and Harvey Mason. Their smooth sounds have endeared them to jazz connoisseurs all over the world, and ... Full Descriptionthis live recording finds them playing in Cape Town, South Africa, on a stop on the band's 2005 tour.

This show in Capetown has much enthusiasm in their performance. And it shows their relief from their world tour ending at this wonderful town. It is such fun to see these cats playing each instrument flawlessly and impeccably. If you like Fourplay don't miss watching this. Highly recommended.


running time: 1:30 minutes

Diana Krall - Live in Rio - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 2009

Diana Krall
Live In Rio
Eagle Eye Productions
2009

There are some music critics who will fault a successful artist for "selling out," for appealing to the lowest common denominator with music that is either highly processed or mediocre for the sake of not being offensive (read that, misunderstood). Such criticism has been leveled at Canadian pianist and singer Diana Krall, who by any standards of success is a rock star in the world of jazz—and it's true, Krall takes absolutely no artistic chances, choosing rather to perform mainstream jazz vocal music superbly well. But that is her charm. Krall's conservative approach has led her to wide crossover appeal and matching commercial success since her debut in 1993.

Live In Rio is Krall's DVD companion to her recently released bossa nova recording, Quiet Nights (Verve, 2009). It captures Krall and her long time band of bassist John Clayton, guitarist Anthony Wilson and drummer Jeff Hamilton, augmented by percussionist Paulinho DaCosta, performing at the Vivo Rio in Rio De Janeiro in November 2008. The performance was also supported by the Rio De Janeiro Orchestra under the direction of Ruria Duprat.

Apparent from the start of the show is the affectionate rapport between Krall and her Brazilian audience. It is obvious that Krall and company enjoy performing for the Rio crowd and that the Rio crowd enjoy being performed for. Also apparent is Krall's rapport with her band, all members smiling at one another. Krall's performance betrays her preparations for Quiet Nights with the performance of several songs from the then unreleased album. These are sprinkled among her typical repertoire of ballads and upbeats.

Krall opens with a frisky "I Love Being Here With You" and remains in this vein until bossa-ing it up with the Hal David/Burt Bacharach classic "Walk On By." This introduces the scaffolding performances of the show, Krall's oft-performed "Frim Fram Sauce," taken at a quick clip, and her newly arranged reading of Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek." On these two pieces Krall earns her living playing, singing and soloing with that creative efficiency she has become known for. So urgent is her performance that the humid Rio night glows on her, indicating just how special this pairing was.

For the Brazilian audience, the performance peaks with the trilogy of "Quiet Nights," "Este Seu Olhar" and "The Boy from Ipanema," all delivered with Krall's relaxed and breathy sexiness. Here she is one with the audience, who she encourages to sing along. Wilson's piquant guitar playing is here best realized, his sensitive soloing and accompaniment well suited for this swaying material. Clayton and Hamilton are impeccable, as always.

One writer in the blogosphere takes Krall and company to task for having aged since the mid-1990s. While it is sad that youth is not a continuing state of affairs, it is nice to see the beautiful and talented Krall in full maturity. Krall is not the be all and end all. Dena DeRose is a better singer and Patti Wicks a better pianist. But, while she may not blaze any creative jazz trails, Krall's intelligent and informed piano playing and her unique timing and delivery will have her remaining the star she is in her proper place in the musical heavens.

Tracks: I Love Being Here With You; Let's Fall in Love; Where Or When; Too Marvelous for Words; I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face; Walk On By; Frim Fram Sauce; Cheek to Cheek; You're My Thrill; Let's Face the Music and Dance; Every time We Say GoodBye; So Nice; Quiet Nights; Este Seu Olhar; The Boy form Impanema; I Don't Know Enough About You; S'Wonderful; Exactly Like You.

Personnel: Diana Krall: piano, vocals; John Clayton: bass; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Paulinho DaCosta: percussion; Claus Ogerman: arrangements; Ruria Duprat: conductor; The Rio De Janeiro Orchestra.

Production Notes: 135 minutes. Recorded November 2008 at Vivo Rio in Rio De Janerio, Brazil. Extras: conversations with the musicians and the promotional film - The Boy from Impanema.

Diana Krall at All About Jazz.

In this video clip you will see Diana Krall endorsing her latest CD entitiled Quite Nights - VERVE -2009 release coincidentally this dvd was also release along with this latest 2009 CD.

Stacey Kent - Live at Theatre Antique De Vienne, France 2008

STACEY KENT At Theatre Antique De Vienne 2008

Stacey Kent charms an enthusiastic French audience :

STACEY KENT - voix
JIM TOMLINSON - saxophone ténor
GRAHAM HARVEY - piano
DAVID CHAMBERLAIN - basse
MATT SKELTON - batterie
:
Track List:

1. The Ice Hotel (J.Tomlinson, K.Ishiguro)
2. Ces Petits riens (Serge Gainsbourg)
3. Au Coi Du Monde (Keren Ann, Benjamin Biolay)
4. La Saison Des Pluies (Serge Gainsbourg)
5. Waters Of March (Antonio Carlos-Jobim)
6. Plus Je T’embrasse (Ben Ryan, Max François)
7. They Say It’s Wonderful (Irving Berlin)
8. Breakfast On The Morning Tram (J.Tomlinson, K.Ishiguro)
9. Samba Saravah (P.Barough, V. de Moraes, B.Powell)
10. What A Wonderful World (B.Thiele, G.Weiss)
11. Jardin D’hiver (Keren Ann, Benjamin Biolay)

running time

51:20

Sophie Milman - Live In Montreal, Canada (2008)

After topping the jazz charts with her latest release 'Make Someone Happy', Sophie Milman has toured the world, playing night after night of sold-out performances to her adoring fans from Tokyo to New York. The sultry, smooth vocals of this young, beautiful, Russian born Israeli have characterized her concert performances bringing fans to their feet time and time again. For the first time on DVD, 'Sophie Milman- Live in Montreal' captures 2008 Juno Award winner Sophie Milman at her best, delivering a knock-out performance at the place that started it all, the world renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Performing songs from her chart topping album 'Make Someone Happy' including Stevie Wonder's hit 'Rocket Love', The Guess Who's 'Undun', as well as favorites like 'Ochi Chornye' and `People Will Say We're In Love', this DVD is a must have for jazz fans everywhere.

1. It Might As Well Be Spring [4:01]
2. People Will Say We're In Love [4:18]
3. Something In The Air Between Us [4:38]
4. Rocket Love [5:46]
5. So Long, You Fool [3:56]
6. (It's Not Easy) Bein' Green [6:12]
7. Ochi Chomye [4:58]
8. Reste (Stay) [3:05]
9. Fever [5:09]
10. Matchmaker, Matchmaker [4:21]
11. Undun [4:16]
12. Bye Bye Love [6:14]
13. Eli, Eli [4:59]

Nikki Yanofsky - Ella...Of Thee I Swing - Montreal, Canada (2008)

Nikki Yanofsky - Ella......Of Thee I Swing (2008)

The debut release from one of the most talked about young vocalists in the country! Ella... Of Thee I Swing, features a DVD capturing the 14 year-old jazz sensation in a sold-out show in Montreal, Canada. After four packed concerts at the 2007 Montreal Jazz Festival, Nikki Yanofsky returned, by popular demand, to Place des Arts to reprise her tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, entitled Ella... Of Thee I Swing. This magical night resulted in one of Nikki's most memorable performances. Owning the stage, she captivated her audience like a veteran performer three times her age.

1. Lullaby of Birdland - 3:24
2. It Don't Mean A Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing) - 4:41
3. Swingin' on the Moon - 3:25
4. You've Changed - 3:47
5. Flyin' Home - 2:28
6. Relax Max - 2:55
7. Old MacDonald - 2:16
8. Hear Me Talkin' to Ya - 3:59
9. Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues - 4:41
10. At Last - 2:56
11. The Way You Look Tonight - 3:35
12. A Tisket, a Tasket - 2:18
13. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - 4:57
14. Deed I Do - 2:57