Featured Artist: Lisa Yves and The Young Beboppers
CD Title: Jazz for Kids - Vocalese
Year: 2001
Record Label: Luli Music
Style: Jazz Vocals
Musicians: Brad Hatfield ( piano), Marshall Wood ( bass),
Jim Gwin (drums), Mike Monaghan ( woodwinds), Ken Cervenka ( trumpet). Vocals by Lisa Yves and the Young Beboppers, featuring: Leah Fine, Sarah Konowitz, Emily Snidman, Lindsay Opper, Abby Kobrin, Rachel Konowitz, Alex Worgaftik, Zoe Schwartz, Andrea Hanssen, Hayley Katz, Jill Breitner, Ashley Tabroff, Alexa Madloff, Chelsea Vantine-Kelley.
Review: There are children singing on this CD. Now if you have had enough of precocious tots belting out that "Annie" anthem, "Tomorrow," not to worry! The kids are hip. The music is cool. The accompanying quintet is drawn from Boston's finest .
Lisa Yves, who sings lead and produced the album and its predecessor, "Everybody's Boppin," graduated from NYU's School of Music with a vocal jazz major and then began her mission of bringing jazz to kids through songwriting and teaching. She is now based in southeastern Massachusetts.
"Vocalese" pays homage to the composers of jazz standards, the players of classic solos and the vocalists who gave their music special meaning.. Bird, Prez, Jimmy Rowles, Monk, Benny Golson, Clifford, Horace Silver, Jimmy Guiffre, Lady Day, Carmen, Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure. Jon Hendricks. Creators all. The liner notes provide brief bios of these greats and complete lyrics for those foolish enough to try to keep up with the Young Beboppers.
The clear, straight-ahead and innocent children's voices make this CD an unique treasure.There's plenty of swing here from start to finish, from "Swing Baby Swing" (playground swing, that is) to "Savoy." The two vocal quartets handle Jon Hendricks' involved treatments of Monk's "Rhythm-a-ning" and "Four Brothers" with remarkable ease. Mike Monaghan on tenor and vocalist Sarah Konowitz prove to be a rhythmic team on Eddie Jefferson's version of " Lester Leaps In." There's humor too. Jimmy Rowles' country-western take on Monk is always hilarious and Eddie Jefferson's "Silly Little Cynthia" is fun and funky. And do check out the kids' food conversation during "Frim Fram Sauce."
The ballads are moving. Emily Snidman puts so much heart into "I Remember Clifford" she would have you believe she knew him. ( Then she scats his "Joy Spring" with abandon.) Horace Silver's "Song for my Father" is given lyrics by Yves and a sparkling Brazilian flavor by Andrea Hanssen.The contrast between the bright sound of the children's chorus and Lady Day's world-weary voice on her classic "God Bless the Child" provides that tune with a whole new meaning ,one of hope.
Yves, a versatile jazz vocalist, is featured on 'Sister Sadie", "Now's the Time" and, with Chelsea Vantine-Kelley , "Sometimes I'm Happy." She also contributed original songs and lyrics oriented to children. Much more than that, this CD is just full of love, joy, enthusiasm, and accomplishment and that is her doing. The future of jazz depends on creative teachers like Lisa Yves. Invite her to your school for a clinic and watch for the next release by Yves and the Young Beboppers, due out soon
Tracks: Swing Baby Swing, Now's the Time, I Like Rhythm/I've Got the Blues, The Ballad of Thelonious Monk, Listen to Monk, Swing a Song of Sixpence, I Remember Clifford/Joy Spring, Sometimes I'm Happy, Sister Sadie , Song for my Father, Four Brothers,.A Million Dollar Baby, The Frim Fram Sauce, God Bless the Child, You, Silly Little Cynthia, Stompin' at the Savoy.
JazzReview.com
