RUN'S LOSSLESS LIBRARY

Herbie Hancock - Monster
FUSION | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 246MB | 42:21
Columbia 1980

1. Saturday Night
2. Stars in Your Eyes
3. Go for It
4. Don't Hold It In
5. Making Love
6. It All Comes Around

Despite the PR hype about this being Herbie Hancock's first "rock" album, Monster is really another disco album, though more varied in texture, somewhat more subtle in execution, and blessedly rid of those vocoder vocals, though not of the real ones. "Saturday Night," despite the distinctive presence of Carlos Santana, sets the album's dancefloor tone. The rock element is supposedly supplied by Hancock on the newly-developed Clavitar, where, try as he might to articulate like a guitarist, the sound is still that of a mutated synthesizer. Alphonze Mouzon is wasted on drums, and guitarist Wah Wah Watson has a field day on his eponymous specialty. Most annoying (and defining) track -- "Go for It."~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Herbie Hancock - Piano, Synthesizer, Clavinet
Alphonse Mouzon - Synthesizer, Drums
Fred Washington - Bass
Bill Champlin - Vocals
Ray Parker - Bass
Melvin Ragin - Guitar
Randy Hansen - Guitar
Carlos Santana - Guitar
Sheila Escovedo - Percussion

FILECLOUD

MEGA.CO

HUGEFILES

Herbie Hancock - Secrets
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 281MB | 48:01
Columbia 1976

1. Doin It
2. People Music
3. Cantelope Island
4. Spider
5. Gentle Thoughts
6. Swamp Rat
7. Sansho Shima

Having long since established his funk credentials, Herbie Hancock continues the direction of Head Hunters and its U.S. successors here, welding himself to the groove on electric keyboards while Bennie Maupin again shines sardonic beams of light on a variety of reeds. In "Doin' It," the most successful track, Hancock makes a more overt bid for the dancefloor, for the tune is basically one long irresistible groove with a very commercial-sounding bridge. Again Hancock chooses to recompose one of his standards; "Cantelope [sic] Island" is almost unrecognizable converted into a sauntering, swaggering thing. A streamlining process has set in -- the drumming has been simplified, some of the old high-voltage drive has been muted -- yet there are still enough enjoyable, intelligently musical things happening here to hold a Hancock admirer's attention. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Herbie Hancock - Fender Rhodes, Synthesizer
Bennie Maupin - Saxophone, Clarinet
Melvin Ragin - Bass, Guitar
James Levi - Drums
Ray Parker - Guitar
Paul Jackson - Bass
Chris Mancini - Vocals
Kenneth Nash - Percussion

FILECLOUD

HUGEFILES

Much respect to the original uploader

O.C. - Word....Life
RAP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 359MB | 53:12
Wild Pitch 1994

01. Creative Control
02. Word...Life
03. O-Zone
04. Born 2 Live
05. Time's Up
06. Point O Viewz
07. Constables
08. Ga Head
09. No Main Topic
10. Let It Slide
11. Ma Dukes
12. Story
13. Outtro (Sabatoge)
14. Born 2 Live (Remix)

O.C.'s auspicious debut announced the arrival of one of modern rap's more gifted storytelling lyricists. The artist dropped his thesis on "Time's Up" a '90s rap benchmark track that served to separate rap's true school from its ever-expanding species of frauds. On that track, O.C. takes umbrage with money-grubbing fake MC's over a combined droning bass guitar and well-plucked sample from Slick Rick's "Hey Young World." The album is drenched in classic, hard-core East Coast B-boyism, but O.C. puts the boasts on the shelf to take up more existential subject matter. On "Born to Live" he spins wistful fables from his childhood in order to discuss life's bittersweet fragility: "born to live/a life to die/life's so damn short and I wonder why." The soulful composition lifts a tasteful snippet from Keni Burke's "Keep Rising to the Top." O.C.'s connections to Organized Konfusion shine through on his debut, showcasing a thought-provoking intellectual diversity rarely seen on rap albums. Organized's Pharaoh Monche sits in on the album, as do producers Buckwild and Lord Finesse. Word...Life saw little commercial success due, in part, to the drained coffers of the failed endeavor that was Wild Pitch Records, but one would be hard-pressed to find a hard-core hip-hop fan without this recording somewhere in their collection ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide

KRS-One - Maximum Strength
HIP-HOP | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | PNG | 243MB | 33:13
Koch 2008

01. Beware
02. Pick It Up
03. All My Men
04. Straight Through
05. Rockin' Til the Morning
06. The Kool Herc
07. Busy Bee Shout Out
08. New York
09. Hip Hop
10. Let Me Know
11. Nah
12. The Heat

From the opening barks "I know we ain't getting' soft!" over the stripped-down piano and drum production of "Beware," it's evident that KRS-One has been reevaluating his sound, and is responding to criticism with fire. The teacher's back and class is in session. After several lackluster releases, in which Blastmaster Chris obsessed over the state of hip-hop and spent his time pointing fingers at other rappers for not bringing it, Maximum Strength shows him at his maximum strength and doing what he does best: preaching. As the first KRS One album with a real sense of purpose in years, nearly every track focuses on the beefs he has with politics and society. This is the educator at his purest. He pulls no stops as he rifles through his rhyme book, dropping lines like "take a look at the police and how they treat you/ take a look at corporations and how they cheat you/ democrats and republicans are all see through/ now we votin' for the lesser of two evils, man, don't let them deceive you/ this is an autocracy not a democracy/ but to call this a democracy without mock interest in the laws of society, that's called hypocracy." He continues waxing political in "Pick It Up," breaking open the European history textbooks to provide a background on the last time a true democracy was practiced: by Cleisthenese in 508 BC before Athens was conquered by Alexander of Macedon. Thought-provoking raps like these seem like luxuries when compared to the typical flash in the pan party raps that are embraced by radio stations, which encourage listeners to throw their hands in the air rather than pushing core values. Kris preaches unity in the community and loving your sister, but also knows when to lighten up and reminisce about the good times with party raps of his own. "Let Me Know" shows him spitting rhymes with the finesse and lyrical prowess of Busta Rhymes over a dancehall jam, and "Straight Through" shows him furiously speeding through B-boy topics without taking a breath. At the worst moments, "New York" and "Hip Hop" suffer slightly, scarred by scatting female vocals and dated production, but for a middle-aged rapper at this stage in the game, it's surprisingly relevant and not only one of the better hip-hop releases he's dropped in years, but one of the best of his career. ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide

Various Artists - Soca Gold 2012
SOCA | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 531MB | 64:31
VP 2012

01. Jab (No Pain) – Iwer George
02. Link Up – Destra
03. Work – Lil Rick
04. Bubble On A DJ – Swappi
05. No Pressure – Sass featuring Nadia Boston
06. Grapevine – Jamesy P
07. De Drinkers Anthem – Ricky Jai featuring Lady Saw
08. Roll It – Hypasounds
09. Rave Out – Skinny Fabulous featuring Busy Signal
10. Inna Band – Roy Cape featuring Blaxx
11. Rumble – Skinny Fabulous
12. Brace & Wine – Alison Hinds
13. You Make Me – Farmer Nappy
14. Good Time – Edwin Yearwood
15. Over You – Kimba Sorzano
16. Jiggle It – Inches
17. Don’t Look Back – Big Red
18. Keep Talking – Lil Rick

This DVD/CD combo features over 90 minutes of exclusive footage from Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2012, including music videos, live performances, and behind the scenes footage from the wildest part of the year. Artists include Iwer George, Destra, Lil Rick, Swappi, Sass, Nadia Boston, Jamesy P, Lady Saw, Hypasounds, Skinny Fabulous, Busy Signal, Roy Cape, Blaxx, Alison Hinds, Farmer Nappy, Edwin Yearwood, Kimba Sorzano, Inches, and Big Red.

McCoy Tyner - Together
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 249MB | 41:32
Milestone 1979

1. Nubia
2. Shades Of Light
3. Bayou Fever
4. One Of Another Kind
5. Ballad For Aisha
6. Highway One

During his years on Milestone, McCoy Tyner had the opportunity to record in a variety of settings with many of his favorite players. For this disc the innovative pianist is featured with quite an all-star crew: trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, flutist Hubert Laws, Bennie Maupin on tenor and bass clarinet, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, Stanley Clarke (in a rare appearance at the time on acoustic bass), drummer Jack DeJohnette and percussionist Bill Summers. In addition to a pair of Tyner's originals, songs were contributed by Laws, DeJohnette, Hutcherson and Hubbard ("One Of Another Kind"). The music is essentially high-quality advanced modal hard bop and each of the sidemen get their opportunities to be showcased. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

McCoy Tyner - Piano
Hubert Laws - Flute
Stanley Clarke - Bass
Bill Summers - Congas
Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson - Marimba, Vibes
Bennie Maupin - Clarinet, Saxophone

Juice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
SOUNDTRACK | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 403MB | 54:37
MCA 1992

01. Uptown Anthem - Naughty By Nature
02. Juice (Know the Ledge) - Erik B. & Rakim
03. Is It Good to You - Teddy Riley
04. Sex, Money & Murder    - MC Pooh
05. Nuff Respect - Big Daddy Kane
06. So You Want to Be a Gangster - Too Short
07. It's Going Down - EPMD
08. Don't Be Afraid - Aaron Hall
09. He's Gamin on Ya - Salt N Pepa
10. Shoot Em Up - Cypress Hill
11. Flipside - Juvenile Committee
12. What Could Be Better Bitch - Son Of Bazerk
13. Does Your Man Know About Me - Rahiem
14. People Get Ready (Remix) - Brand New Heavies

This soundtrack boasts a lineup that stands as a veritable who's who of early-'90s hip-hop. Heavyweights such as Naughty by Nature, Salt-N-Pepa, and Cypress Hill all check in with stellar contributions to this remarkably consistent collection. In addition, respected pioneers of the genre also lend their talents to the album, with Eric B. & Rakim's propulsive "Juice (Know the Ledge)" and Teddy Riley featuring Tammy Lucas' slinky "Is It Good to You?" Other notable tracks include Too Short's cautionary tale "So You Want to Be a Gangster?" and EPMD's cooly confident "It's Going Down." Juice showcases a group of performers whose work can be appreciated because of their integrity and rhyming skills rather than their blatant sampling of entire hit songs or video gimmickry. In short, it represents everything that is right about hip-hop. ~ Brian Egan, All Music Guide

Wisdom - Full Spectrum
RAP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 376MB | 56:19
Wisdom Creations 2013

01. Ancient Mother
02. Push
03. This Is
04. Aye O
05. Never Give In
06. Chatty Mouth
07. Higher
08. You
09. Longest Day
10. Lyricism
11. This Is Life
12. Lift Up Your Head
13. Crystal Clarity
14. Breathe
15. Wisdom Of Sai Maa
16. Ode To Shiva

Oakland-based and Sonoma County-bred hip-hop artist Wisdom has just dropped his third studio album, Full Spectrum. Touring in promotion of the worldwide release, Wisdom and his crew headline this week’s Casa Rasta reggae dance party night in downtown Santa Rosa on Thursday, March 7. Born Tevya Jones, the Sebastopol-raised hip-hop lyricist is well-known to local reggae fans as the frontman for the band Azibo Tribe, as well as a former member of Medicine Drum. His creative style is progressive, conscious hip-hop rooted in dancehall beats and reggae rhythms. With more than three decades of experience under his belt, Jones’ new album has a polished, authentic approach, fusing the cultural divide between hip-hop and world beats. Mixing up militant drums and rapid scratch loops, Wisdom’s rhythms touch upon everything from b-boys and street battles to light prisms and dojos. Full Spectrum features Sizzla and Michael Rose from Black Uhuru, and “it’s more focused,” says Wisdom on the direction of the new record. “I spent way more time crafting and perfecting this album. My voice is stronger, matured and I have fused more of both my rhyming and singing together as well as developed more mastery of both individually.” ---Jacquelynne Ocana, Citysound-Bohemian

MEGA

Trae the Truth - Street King
RAP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 556MB | 79:28
Fontana 2011

01. Strapped Up
02. Woke Up This Morning
03. Inkredible
04. Getting Paid
05. I Am the Streets
06. Keep on Rollin
07. That's Not Luv
08. Life
09. Goes Out
10. Slum Religion
11. Not My Time
12. Hood Shit
13. I'm Fly
14. Street King
15. It’s All I Know
16. I'm Gone Bus

The name of the game for most of Street King is inconsistency. But looking at the lineup he’s secured for Street King – Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, Rick Ross, Jadakiss included – there’s little doubt that Trae has the support of his peers, from the South and otherwise. Though Trae isn’t a particularly deft lyricist, he has an adequate flow and loads of charisma to spare. Most of all, the features and often-stellar production carry Street King along for what is an uneven, but very bumpable and gritty experience. --SLAVA KUPERSTEIN, Hip Hop DX

Wyclef Jean
Lupe Fiasco
Gorilla Zoe
Big Boi
Jadakiss
Lloyd
Game
Lil Wayne
Messy Marv
Rick Ross
Scarface
Shawty Lo
Wiz Khalifa

Various Artists - Lif Up Yuh Leg An Trample
SOCA | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 443MB | 53:25
Honest Jons 2004

01. Laventille Rhythm Section - Rhythm
02. Dawg E Slaughter - Trample
03. Timmy - Bumpa Catch A File
04. Maximus Dan - Soca Train
05. Andra Tanker - Food Fight
06. Dawg E Slaughter - Bounce
07. Massive Gosine - Chrloo
08. Denise Belfon - Saucy Baby
09. Bunji Garlin - Warrior Cry
10. Machel Montano - Fireman
11. Michelle Sylvester- Go Ahead
12. Bobo & Agony - Soca Taliban
13. Machel Montano & Black Stalin - Love Fire

Following up their London Is the Place for Me compilation from 2002, the Damon Albarn-related label Honest Jons unleashes another set of hot carnival music, this time including present-day artists who are no strangers to powerful modern beats and studio tricks. Lif Up Yuh Leg an Trample is no less fun than London Is the Place for Me's set of bright, summery, party music, but it's got more of a street-level bite and doesn't always hide its social commentary under playful lyrics. Andre Tanker's story of starvation, "Food Fight," uses the old carnival music tricks of dark humor and irony, but Dawg E Slaughter's "Trample" is an incredible slice of hip-hop soca with a standoffish growl that can't be bothered with subtlety. Combining soca's hectic pace, dancehall's busy song structure, and his own biting lyrics, Slaughter is the real find of the collection and worth learning more about, something for which the collection's booklet doesn't help a lick. It's a beautiful 44 pages filled with photographs, sexier than something the more academic Rounder label might do, and maybe that's the point. If it takes coffee-table packaging and the singer from Blur's endorsement, so be it. Music this driven and urgent shouldn't be missed and if all you can think about is that silly calypso record your parents brought home from vacation, forget about it. Soca and carnival music have more to say than ever before, and the artists here take the Mighty Sparrow's and Lord Kitchener's "with the people" attitude to new levels of thrilling. You'll have to go elsewhere for the specifics, but Lif Up Yuh Leg an Trample captures the diverse world and empowering spirit of modern-day soca perfectly. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Otis Redding - Very Best Of Otis Redding

STAX | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 233MB | 44:34
Rhino 1992

01. These Arms of Mine
02. Pain In My Heart
03. That's How Strong My Love Is
04. Mr. Pitiful
05. I've Been Loving You Too Long
06. Respect
07. I Can't Turn You Loose
08. Satisfaction
09. My Lover's Prayer
10. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa
11. Try A Little Tenderness
12. Shake
13. The Happy Song
14. Tramp
15. Dock of the Bay
16. I've Got Dreams to Remember

The Very Best of Otis Redding wasn't the first Otis Redding compilation but it is the best of the single-disc collections, distilling the high points across his career (up thru the posthumous hits "(Sitting' On) The Dock of the Bay" and the heartbreaking "I've Got Dreams to Remember") in 16 tracks, every one a musical milestone and a soul music high-point of one kind or another. Although aimed at the casual listener and the neophyte fan, there are some astonishing realizations to be had in listening to this disc and looking at the chart placements of the early sides, and realizing just how uniform his musical influence is -- "These Arms of Mine" and, especially, "Pain In My Heart," from 1962 and 1963, respectively, sold only a fraction of what his later singles did, yet they've been covered by so many artists since, that they're as familiar as any of the other, bigger hits on this disc. The collection is hardly comprehensive, but all of the major bases are touched, right down to his 1967 hit duet "Tramp" with Carla Thomas. The other advantage, especially for those on a budget, is that this was the first Otis Redding compilation to avail itself of the improved master tape research and analog-to-digital technology of the early '90s. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Otis Redding - Vocals
Steve Cropper - Guitar
Carla Thomas - Vocals
Memphis Horns - Brass

Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society
VOCAL JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 446MB | 57:58
Heads Up 2012

01. Radio Song
02. Cinnamon Tree
03. Crowned & Kissed
04. Land of the Free
05. Black Gold
06. I Can't Help It
07. Hold On Me
08. Vague Suspicions
09. Endangered Species
10. Let Her
11. City of Roses
12. Smile Like That

Esperanza Spalding's fourth album, Radio Music Society (a companion piece to Chamber Music Society in name only) is one of enormous ambition -- polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting -- that consciously juxtaposes neo-soul and adult-oriented jazz-tinged pop. It employs a stellar cast, largely of jazz musicians, to pull it off. She produced the set, with help from Q-Tip on a couple of numbers, and wrote all but two songs here: a cover of "I Can't Help It" (a Michael Jackson cover written by Stevie Wonder) and Wayne Shorter's "Endangered Species." There are truckloads of players, including three different all-star drummers in Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke on "Black Gold" (which also contains his vocals and an appearance by the Savannah Children's Choir). Though Ms. Spalding takes most lead vocals, there are also duet appearances from Lalah Hathaway and Algebra Blessett. Backing vocalists include Gretchen Parlato (who also anchors a chorus on several tunes) and Leni Stern. The American Music Program horn section appears on three cuts. The highlights here include "Crowned & Kissed" (a Q-Tip co-production) with its rubbery bassline, contrapuntal horns, Leo Genovese's artful pianism, and Carrington's impeccable sense of swing that bridges funk, neo-soul, jazz, and hip-hop. "Radio Song" contains layered interpolated rhythms (again courtesy of Carrington), sparkling Rhodes piano, syncopated horns and backing chorus, Spalding's alto croon, and a taut, popping bassline. Lovano's saxophone adds a truly elegant and graceful dimension to "I Can't Help It." The charts on Shorter's tune (with lyrics by Spalding) illuminate what may have been the composer's intent all along -- and nod at Pastorius-era Weather Report simultaneously. DeJohnette's funky subtlety drives the knotty fingerpop of "Let Her," and Hart's trademark, shimmering cymbal work on "Hold on Me" complements Spalding's sultry vocal in retro bluesy pop -- it's one of only a couple of places on the record where she plays acoustic bass. While Radio Music Society may play better to younger pop audiences than more die-hard jazzheads, this program is so diverse and well executed -- despite a little overreaching -- it's anybody's guess. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Esperanza Spalding - Bass, Vocals
Terri Lyne Carrington - Drums
Daniel Blake - Saxophones
Algebra Blessett - Vocals
Lalah Hathaway - Vocals
Ashton Summers - Trombone
Igmar Thomas - Trumpet
Ricardo Vogt - Guitar
Matt Warming - Trombone
James Weidman - Organ
Raymond Angry - Organ
Darren Barrett - Trumpet
Joe Lovano - Tenor Saxophone
Lionel Loueke - Guitar, Vocals
Kama Bell - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Leo Genovese - Fender, Guembir, Piano

Various Artists - Soca Gold 2011
SOCA | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 512MB | 64:31
VP 2011

01. Come To Meh - Iwer George
02. Guh Down - Lil Rick
03. Party Cyan Done - Bunji Garlin & Problem Child
04. Coming Again - Machel Montana
05. White Oak And Water - Rikki Jai
06. Touch Road - Busy Signal
07. Tight Spot - Luta
08. Neighbour - Edwin Yearwood & Patrice Roberts
09. Feel Like Wukkin - Destra
10. Nuttin Undah - Lyrikal
11. Drop It - Mr. Dale
12. All Of Your Body - Skinny Fablous
13. Baddest Wine - Alison Hinds & Ziggy Ranks
14. Mashing Up - Iwer George
15. Nah Let Go (Soca Refix) - Gyptian
16. Buss Ah Lime - KV Charles
17. Soak It - Buffy
18. Leave De Cyat - Sean Caruth

Soca Gold has the hottest Soca Hits on the market! Get ready as Soca Gold 2011 brings you face to face with the winning songs from Caribbean carnival 2011. Included here is Soca Monarch Machel Montano with 'Coming Again', Chutney Soca Monarch winner Rikki Jai with 'White Oak & Water' plus Iwer George with the big tune 'Come To Meh' and much more! Soca Gold 2011 features exclusive tracks from Busy Signal ('Touch Road'), Edwin Yearwood featuring Patrice Roberts('Neighbor') and Gyotian ('Nah Let Go Soca Refix'). This CD/DVD package includes exclusive footage from Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2011 live performances and behind the scenes footage from the wildest party of the year - T&T Carnival! Soca Gold 2011 is today's hottest Soca music compilation!

Fabian Almazan Trio - Personalities
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 331MB | 65:50
Biophilia 2011

01. String Quartet No. 10
02. H.U.Gs
03. Personalities
04. The Vicarious Life
05. Grandmother Song
06. Bola de Nieve
07. Russian Love Story
08. Sin Alma
09. Tres Lindas Cubanas
10. Una Foto

Fabian Almazan began creating some buzz with his sparkling piano chops in trumpeter Terence Blanchard's group on Choices (Concord Music Group, 2009). Originally from Havana, Cuba, Almazan is not only one of the young rising stars in New York, but is also classically trained and has received a number of awards as a composer in film, chamber and orchestral projects. Many of these disciplines come into play on this auspicious debut, which includes Almazan's equally convincing trio with bassist Linda Oh and drummer Henry Cole, and a string quartet on two tracks. This is evident in Alamzan's emotive interpretation of Dmitri Shostakovich's "String Quartet No.10 Opus 118." While maintaining the austere beauty of the Russian composer's work, the music is enhanced with electronic colorations—splices of noise and sound effects that build to a breaking point at midpoint, right before the string quartet quietly resumes the theme. If Shostakovich's third movement speaks of Almazan's interpretative daring then "The Vicarious Life" shouts his virtuosity as the trio works through the track's dizzying cadence. Almazan plays like a man possessed, at times flamboyantly, yet with masterful control, while his equally competent trio mates have their own bright moments such as Cole's intro on "H.U.Gs (Historically Under-Represented Groups)" and Oh's punchy solo in "Russian Love Story." But there's more to Almazan's repertoire than just highbrow composition and swinging solos. There's a reverential tone in "Grandmother Song" that is tender yet powerful and tunes such as "Bola de Nieve" (by singer/songwriter Carlos Varela) and "Tres Lindas Cubanas" (textured with the sampling of a scratchy LP) cast shadows of Almazan's memories of Cuba. Personalities is a portrait of the people and sounds that have influenced Almazan, who like these ten compositions are multifaceted and intriguing. --Mark Turner, All About Jazz

Fabian Almazan - Piano, Fender Rhodes
Henry Cole - Drums
Linda Oh - Bass
Meg Okura - Violin
Megan Gould - Violin
Noah Hoffeld - Cello
Karen Waltuch - Viola

Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 515MB | 67:02
Warner Brothers 2012

01. Ain't Messin Round
02. When My Train Pulls In
03. Blak and Blu
04. Bright Lights
05. Travis County
06. The Life
07. Glitter Ain't Gold
08. Numb
09. Please Come Home
10. Things Are Changin
11. Third Stone from the Sun
12. You Saved Me - 6:11
13. Next Door Neighbor Blues

Gary Clark, Jr. has been hailed by a number of critics as "the New Hendrix," which seems to be the fate of any guitarist who combines blues and rock styles at a considerable volume (particularly if they cover "Third Stone from the Sun"). While that's a blurb that may look good in Clark's press kit, it rather misses the point; Clark isn't a visionary, game-changing artist like Hendrix, but instead he's a canny singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist who has learned from the past and present, fusing them into a style that's distinctive and exciting if not necessarily revolutionary. Warner Bros. is also pitching Blak and Blu as Clark's "groundbreaking debut album," when in fact it's just his major-label debut, with four indie releases preceding it, making the confidence and ambition of this set a bit less remarkable. But if Gary Clark, Jr. isn't likely to change the way we look at rock & roll or rewrite the aesthetic of the electric guitar, he is one of the most interesting talents to come out of the contemporary blues scene in quite some time. On Blak and Blu, most of Clark's tunes are solidly rooted in the blues, but he's also folded in hearty servings of hard rock, funk, retro-soul, and even a dash of hip-hop, and the way he lets the flavors mix is a big part of what makes this album work so well. There's an undertow of Northern Soul on the dance-friendly opener "Ain't Messin' Round,""Travis County" is a no-frills rocker that recalls the Stones in fifth gear, "The Life" finds Clark moving back and forth between singing and rapping in a streetwise tale of drug addiction, "Numb" recalls the punk blues attack of the Black Keys and the White Stripes in its fuzzed-out blast, and the title cut samples both Gil Scott-Heron and Albert King as Clark melds conscious themes with blues backdrops. While the typical modern-day guitar hero goes out of his way to throw his dexterity in your face at every turn, here Clark shows off a tougher and more primal style, and though his chops are certainly good, he keep his solos concise and his attack muscular throughout. And if his songwriting is a bit uneven, he has an inarguable talent with both lyrics and melodies, and he's a good-to-great singer, sounding soulful and honest on every cut. Blak and Blu's production (by Rob Cavallo and Mike Elizondo in collaboration with Clark) is too polished and processed for its own good, but if this album isn't likely to change your life, it will make an hour of it a lot more interesting, and there's no arguing that Gary Clark, Jr. is a talent strong enough to match his record company's hype. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

Gary Clark - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Congas, Drums, Trumpet
Zac Rae - Hammond, Piano, Vibes, Wurlitzer
Scott Nelson - Bass
J.J. Johnson - Drums
David Moyer - Saxophone
Satnam Ramgotra - Tabla
Mike Elizondo - Bass, Guitar
Danny Levin - Trombone, Trumpet

Seal - Soul 2
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 314MB | 43:51
Reprise 2011

01. Wishing on a Star
02. Love T.K.O.
03. Ooh Baby Baby
04. Let's Stay Together
05. What's Going On
06. Love Don't Live Here Anymore
07. Back Stabbers
08. I'll Be Around
09. Love Won't Let Me Wait
10. Lean on Me
11. Oh Girl

On 2008's Soul, Seal went through the '60s soulbook with the assistance of producer David Foster. For its 2011 sequel, Seal moves on a decade and brings in Trevor Horn to helm its 11 tracks (sometimes in conjunction with Foster and his cohort Jochem van der Saag), a result that perhaps freshens proceedings up a bit but doesn't change them markedly. Soul 2 remains a faithful re-creation of classic soul, Horn applying a new coat of paint to the original arrangements, ensuring that this is a fresh, glistening environment for Seal. The singer doesn't pop against this backdrop, he blends into his surroundings, sounding as immaculately tailored as the instrumentation, never pushing the tunes away from the melodies you know by heart. While that might not make for especially compelling listening, it's certainly pleasant either as nostalgia or as high-end lifestyle music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Seal - Vocals
Frank Ricotti - Vibraphone
Julian Hinton - Piano
Chris Bruce - Guitar
Ash Soan - Drums
David Foster - Keyboards
Pete Murray - Organ, Piano
Trevor Horn - Guitar, Melodica
Jochem van der Saag - Synthesizer
Jamie Muhoberac - Synthesizer Bass

Stefon Harris - Black Action Figure
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 382MB | 56:55
Blue Note 1999

01. Club Madness
02. Feline Blues
03. There Is No Greater Love
04. Of Things to Come
05. After the Day Is Done
06. Conversations at the Mess
07. BlackActionFigure
08. Collage
09. You Stepped Out of a Dream
10. Alovi
11. Bass Vibes
12. The Alchemist
13. Chorale
14. Faded Beauty

With his second album Black Action Figure, Stefon Harris still is finding his footing as an innovator, yet he is well on his way to developing his own exciting sense of style. At its core, this is fairly traditionalist hard bop, but there is energy and unpredictability to Harris' playing that makes it feel chancier -- and he does push harder at the borders of bop this time around. That added sense of adventure, along with the robust spirit of his supporting band, makes Black Action Figure another winner for Harris. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Stefon Harris - Vibraphone
Jason Moran - Piano
Tarus Mateen - Bass
Eric Harland - Drums
Steve Turre - Trombone
Greg Osby - Alto Saxophone
Gary Thomas - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Ronny Jordan - Light To Dark
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 350MB | 52:55
4th And Broadway 1996

01. Into The Light
02. Homage
03. It's You
04. The Law
05. Fooled
06. Closer Than Close
07. I See You
08. Downtime
09. Deep In My Heart
10. Laidback
11. Light To Dark
12. Last Goodbye

Ronny Jordan's Light to Dark demonstrates less of an acid-jazz and dance feel than his previous albums, preferring to stay closer to his funky soul-jazz roots. Though Jordan continues to grow as a guitarist -- his leads are fluid and seductive, his chord vamps tasty. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide

Ronny Jordan - Guitar, Synthesizer, Vocals
Carl Brown - Vocals
Sola Akingbola - Percussion, Vocals
Joel Campbell - Organ, Vocoder, Fender, Piano

Gil Scott-Heron - Revolution Will Not Be Televised
COMPILATION | JAZZ+VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 321MB | 62:10
Flying Dutchman 1974

01. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
02. Sex Education: Ghetto Style
03. The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues
04. No Knock
05. Lady Day and John Coltrane
06. Pieces of a Man
07. Home Is Where the Hatred Is
08. Brother
09. Save the Children
10. Whitey on the Moon
11. Did You Hear What They Said?
12. When You Are Who You Are
13. I Think I'll Call It Morning
14. A Sign of the Ages
15. Or Down You Fall
16. The Needle's Eye
17. The Prisoner

Spanning 1970-1972, this superb collection takes us back to Gil Scott-Heron's early years, when he was working with jazz producer Bob Thiele -- a man who had been in the studio with everyone from John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders to Coleman Hawkins. But The Revolution Will Not Be Televised isn't a jazz collection per se; it's a collection of innovative R&B and spoken poetry that contains jazz influences and finds Scott-Heron employing such jazz musicians as flutist Hubert Laws and bassist Ron Carter. Like the Last Poets, Scott-Heron has been described as "one of the first rappers" -- and while he was hardly the first person to speak in rhyme to music, there are definitely parallels between angry sociopolitical poems like "Whitey on the Moon,""No Knock," and "Brother" and hip-hop commentary from the 1980s. Poetry, however, doesn't dominate this album -- most of the selections illustrate Scott-Heron's excellence as a singer, including "Home Is Where the Hatred Is,""Did You Hear What They Said?," and the poignant "Save the Children." One of the collection's less political tracks is "Lady Day and John Coltrane," an R&B classic that articulates how easily jazz can lift a person's spirits. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised isn't the last word on Scott-Heron's artistry -- he recorded many more treasures after leaving Flying Dutchman for Arista in 1975. But it's one of the collections to acquire if you're exploring his artistry for the first time. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Gil Scott-Heron - Vocals, Organ, Piano
Brian Jackson - Piano
Ron Carter - Bass
Pretty Purdie - Drums
Jerry Jemmott - Bass
Burt Jones - Guitar
David Spinozza - Guitar
Eddie Knowles - Percussion
Charlie Saunders - Percussion
Hubert Laws - Alto Saxophone, Flute

BS
MEGA.CO

Dave Koz - Dave Koz
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 360MB | 51:53
Capitol 1990

01. So Far From Home
02. Emily
03. Give It Up
04. Nothing But The Radio On
05. Castle Of Dreams
06. Endless Summer Nights
07. Love Of My Life
08. Art Of Key Noise
09. Perfect Stranger
10. If Love Is All We Have
11. Yesterday's Rain

Fans of saxophonist Dave Koz from either his days playing EWI with the Rippingtons or his tours with lookalike pop star Richard Marx waited a long few years for this explosive debut, and Koz certainly delivers the goods with an absolutely smashing Sanborn-esque display of chops and seduction. The Marx effect is a definite plus, as Koz does wonders with a cover of the singer's "Endless Summer Nights" and he co-wrote one of the disc's best originals: "Give It Up" with Marx and Jeff Lorber (who is one of the album's handful of producers). As in his previous work as a sideman, Koz proves an innovative player throughout. This project not only launched one of the great smooth jazz sax careers of the '90s, but it was one of the first genre albums to spawn hit singles (the ballads "Emily" and "Castle of Dreams") and VH1 videos. Pure dynamite, but Koz would later top even himself. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

Dave Koz - Saxophone, Guitar
Steve Reid - Percussion
Tom Scott - Synthesizer
Jim Lang - Keyboards
Carlos Rios - Guitar
Cole Basque -Vocals
Kevin Cloud - Snare Drum
Lenny Castro - Percussion
Randy Jackson - Fretless Bass
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Matt Bissonette - Fretless Bass
Jeff Lorber - Guitar, Keyboards

ANON

MEGA

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising [Deluxe Edition]
DOUBLE CD | HIP HOP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 709MB | 113:19
Tommy Boy 1989

01. Intro
02. The Magic Number
03. Change in Speak
04. Cool Breeze on the Rocks
05. Can U Keep a Secret
06. Jenifa Taught Me
07. Ghetto Thang
08. Transmitting Live from Mars
09. Eye Know
10. Take It Off
11. A Little Bit of Soap
12. Tread Water
13. Potholes in My Lawn
14. Say No Go
15. Do as De La Does
16. Plug Tunin
17. De La Orgee
18. Buddy
19. Description
20. Me Myself and I
21. L.I.F.E.
22. I Can Do Anything
23. D.A.I.S.Y. Age
24. Plug Tunin

01. Freedom of Speak
02. Strickly Dan Stuckie
03. Jenifa (Taught Me) (12")
04. Skip to My Loop
05. Potholes in My Lawn (12")
06. Me Myself and I (Oblapos Mode)
07. Ain't Hip to be Labeled a Hippie
08. What's More
09. Brain Washed Follower
10. Say No Go (New Keys Vocal)
11. The Mack Daddy on the Left
12. Double Huey Skit
13. Ghetto Thang (Ghetto Ximer)
14. Eye Know (The Know It All Mix)

The most inventive, assured, and playful debut in hip-hop history, 3 Feet High and Rising not only proved that rappers didn't have to talk about the streets to succeed, but also expanded the palette of sampling material with a kaleidoscope of sounds and references culled from pop, soul, disco, and even country music. Weaving clever wordplay and deft rhymes across two dozen tracks loosely organized around a game-show theme, De La Soul broke down boundaries all over the LP, moving easily from the groovy my-philosophy intro "The Magic Number" to an intelligent, caring inner-city vignette named "Ghetto Thang" to the freewheeling end-of-innocence tale "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)." Rappers Posdnuos and Trugoy the Dove talked about anything they wanted (up to and including body odor), playing fast and loose on the mic like Biz Markie. Thinly disguised under a layer of humor, their lyrical themes ranged from true love ("Eye Know") to the destructive power of drugs ("Say No Go") to Daisy Age philosophy ("Tread Water") to sex ("Buddy"). Prince Paul (from Stetsasonic) and DJ Pasemaster Mase led the way on the production end, with dozens of samples from all sorts of left-field artists -- including Johnny Cash, the Mad Lads, Steely Dan, Public Enemy, Hall & Oates, and the Turtles. The pair didn't just use those samples as hooks or drumbreaks -- like most hip-hop producers had in the past -- but as split-second fills and in-jokes that made some tracks sound more like DJ records. Even "Potholes on My Lawn," which samples a mouth harp and yodeling (for the chorus, no less), became a big R&B hit. If it was easy to believe the revolution was here from listening to the rapping and production on Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, with De La Soul the Daisy Age seemed to promise a new era of positivity in hip-hop. [Tommy Boy's 1989 special edition included an additional CD of bonus material.] ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Posdnuos - Vocals
Trugoy - Vocals
Mase - Scratches
Q-Tip - Guest Artist
Red Alert - Guest Artist
Jungle Brothers - Guest Artist

HUGEFILES

BITSHARE

Herbie Hancock - Monster + Secrets (1980 + 1976)

O.C. - Word....Life (1994)

KRS-One - Maximum Strength (2008)

Various Artists - Soca Gold 2012

McCoy Tyner - Together (1979)

Juice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1992)

Wisdom - Full Spectrum (2013)

Trae the Truth - Street King (2011)

Various Artists - Lif Up Yuh Leg An Trample (2004)

Otis Redding - Very Best Of Otis Redding (1992)

Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society (2012)

Various Artists - Soca Gold 2011 (2011)

Fabian Almazan Trio - Personalities (2011)

Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu (2012)

Seal - Soul 2 (2011)

Stefon Harris - Black Action Figure (1999)

Ronny Jordan - Light To Dark (1996)

Gil Scott-Heron - Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1974)

Dave Koz - Dave Koz (1990)

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising [Deluxe Edition]