Marlena Shaw

Marlena Shaw – Who Is This Bitch Anyway (1975/2014)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 39:36 minutes | 1,56 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 39:36 minutes | 714 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Front Cover | © Blue Note

Marlena Shaw’s 1975 release, her best-selling Blue note album, is a soul-jazz hybrid incorporating elements of funk along with topical lyrics dealing with social issues of the day. Shaw came up with the title herself, a tongue-in-cheek reaction to her relative obscurity in the United States.

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Marlena Shaw – Marlena (1972/2014)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 40:51 minutes | 1,61 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 40:51 minutes | 811 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Front Cover | © Blue Note

Many have compared Marlena Shaw’s range, class and swing to that of eternal jazz lights Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson. This 1972 release was Shaw’s debut for Blue Note and includes a blend of pop songs and show tunes, arranged and conducted by Wade Marcus. Shaw had just ended a four-year stint as a vocalist in Count Basie’s orchestra which earned her an historic contract as the first female vocalist signed to Blue Note, an association that yielded five albums and several singles.

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Marlena Shaw – Just A Matter Of Time (1976/2014)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 42:28 minutes | 1,67 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 42:28 minutes | 883 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Front Cover | © Blue Note

Marlena Shaw’s best-selling 1976 release is notable for its inclusion of Be For Real, covered by Leonard Cohen in 1992. This album, her last for Blue Note, features Shaw’s interpretation of This Time I’ll Be Sweeter, also recorded by Linda Lewis and Martha Reeves and later Angela Bofill and Roberta Flack and Love Has Gone Away previously recorded by The Spinners. One of the standout cuts on the album, It’s Better Than Walkin’ Out, provided a historic first for Blue Note when a top ten 12” disco single version was remixed and issued.

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Marlena Shaw – From The Depths Of My Soul (1973/2014)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 38:35 minutes | 1,52 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 38:35 minutes | 734 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Front Cover | © Blue Note

“1973 album from the Jazz and Soul songstress. Recorded in May 1973 in New York City, the album was produced by noted jazz music executive Dr. George Butler who assembled a cast of great musicians including Ron Carter (on bass), Grady Tate (drums) and guitarists Hugh McCracken and Cornell Dupree. The song selection on the album runs the gamut from R&B hits of the day such as The Main Ingredient’s ‘Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely’ and ‘Wildflower,’ popularized by The O’Jays to ‘I Know I Love Him’ (from the Andrew Lloyd-Weber/Tim Rice musical Jesus Christ Superstar) and Randy Edelman’s ‘The Laughter And The Tears.'” — SoulMusic.com

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Marlena Shaw – Live In Tokyo [Japan] (2002)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 61:45 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 3,97 GB
or FLAC 2.0 Stereo (converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,27 GB
Features Stereo & Multichannel Surround Sound / Eighty-Eight’s / Village Records # VRGL-8807

Marlena Shaw is a jazz singer who just never gets her commercial rewards. Her delivery is musically unique, emotionally engaging and quite oftne humorous. She’s a true jazz singer and this live set captures most of it.

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