The Quiet Milestone. A summer day in June 1961, New York’s Village Vanguard: Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, and Paul Motian step onto the small stage – and create music that endures. From these concerts came two albums that shaped jazz history: Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. The latter, named after Evans’s niece, is regarded as one of the most tender and moving recordings in the genre. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1929, Evans was a quiet revolutionary. Classically...
Back and Immortal. After serious illness and a two-year retreat from the public eye, Édith Piaf returned in 1960 with a legendary comeback that would make her immortal for good. The album Récital 1961 captures these unique moments of French chanson and Piaf forever. It was recorded live at L‘Olympia in Paris on December 29, 1960 and first released on Columbia in January 1961. Piaf was accompanied by the Orchestre et Choeurs conducted by Jacques Lesage. Eight of the album‘s nine songs were...
Where Have All The Flowers Gone? The trio, Peter Yarrow, Noel „Paul“ Stookey and Mary Travers are among the most successful folk groups in the USA. Their debut album entitled „Peter Paul And Mary“ immediately stormed to the top of the US charts, remained in the TOP 10 for ten months and in the TOP 100 for a whole three years. Peter, Paul And Mary were involved in the civil rights movement and also took part in the March on Washington. There they played their hit „If I Had A Hammer“,...
The Beginning Was Shrill! The Berlin duo Rosenstolz with singer AnNa R. and songwriter Peter Plate shaped the beginning of the 2000´s like hardly any other German formation and are to this day the most successful German pop duo. Sexual tolerance, poetry, equality between man and woman, „posh- pop“ are the catchwords. Already in the 1990s a first, firm fan circle developed and Rosenstolz became an insider tip. Her songs from the early days were more experimental, a liaison of chanson and...
Unrivaled. Ella And Louis is the collaboration of two of the greatest jazz legends of all time - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. First released in 1956, the record is still considered one of the most outstanding jazz albums of all time and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015. The connection between Fitzgerald and Armstrong on this album is unique. Their voices complement each other perfectly, and their interpretations of the songs are full of emotion and passion. Having...
James Dean of Jazz. Chet Baker is one of the innovators of cool jazz. He has been considered the James Dean of jazz. Unfortunately, the trumpeter was also repeatedly conspicuous by drug excesses and prison stays. Nevertheless, he still is the „Prince of cool“ because of his genius, his special personality and the timeless sound… till today. Chet Baker Sings is his debut vocal album, released by Pacific Jazz Records. The album was initially released in 1954 in single format as a 10“ and...
His Masterpiece. In the Wee Small Hours is considered one of the first concept albums ever. It was Frank Sinatra‘s ninth studio album, released by Capitol in April 1955 and produced by Voyle Gilmore with arrangements by Nelson Riddle. All the songs on the album deal with such themes as loneliness, introspection, melancholy, desolation, lost love, failed relationships, depression and night life. Sinatra had been developing the idea of an album with a consistent theme since 1946 with his first...
The Masterpiece. Miles Davis is one of the most influential and innovative jazz musicians of the 20th century. His albums are classics and masterpieces, he himself is considered a creative genius and exceptional trumpet player. Nevertheless, one album stands out from this unique career: ‚Kind Of Blue‘. Everything around this album is magical. It starts with an incredible line-up. Besides Miles Davis, Julian ‚Cannonball‘ Adderley, Paul Chambers James Cobb, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and...
One Of The Greatest Jazz Records Of All Time! Dave Brubeck is one of the most successful jazz musicians of all time. With his quartet Modern Jazz reached the mainstream for the first time and not only a small group of enthusiasts. With his album Time Out Brubeck achieved ensations: not only did the album become a bestseller in the US Billboard POP charts, the included piece Take Five was the first jazz track ever to enter the top 40 single charts and became a world hit. Until today Time Out...
Brasil Meets Jazz . Jazz Samba is the first bossa nova album by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd, recorded on February 13, 1962 and released by Verve on April 20, 1962. The album was the first bossa nova recording in the U.S. jazz scene and is considered one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. Although Stan Getz was the star of the album, it was heavily influenced and influenced by guitarist Charlie Byrd. Byrd, like his drummer Buddy Deppenschmidt, had heard a lot of bossa nova on a State...