03 Dec
Aphrodites Child by Juliet Kelly
Wednesday, 03 December 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Many contemporary jazz bands look to create an identity and sound of their own by writing original material. It is rare however for a vocalist, and especially a female voca…
A friend of mine recommended this debut CD. Though I receive CDs all the time to listen to her recommendation was intriguing; "I really don't know anything about Jazz but I…
I have never heard of Steve Hass. I'm sure that I have heard Steve Hass play not knowing who he was, but nevertheless, I'm not a fan. That is, until now.I listened to this …
Steve Hass has amazed me again. Only this time, he stretches beyond his mastery of the drumkit. His arrangements and his production of this work are top notch.Traveler i…
The cover of Boz Scaggs' latest release, But Beautiful, has a moody black and white photograph of Boz gazing across the black void at a silver toned microphone, his profile…
Singer/songwriter Lizz Wright has created music for every mood. A song for every season in our lives. Her debut Verve album "Salt" touches every emotio…
29 Nov
Why Shouldn't I? by Elaine Miles
Saturday, 29 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Of all the over produced, over record and over arranged stuff I've been bombarded with in the last 2 decades (not meaning that is a bad thing...), soft and sweet Elaine Mil…
28 Nov
Why Shouldn't I? by Elaine Miles
Friday, 28 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Why Shouldn't I? is a new and first CD by a wonderful up and coming Jazz singer, Elaine Miles, accompanied by the fine guitarist Loyal McAvoy. Miles sings with a deep, rich…
25 Nov
Connections by Bruce A. Henry
Tuesday, 25 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
As clouds roll by on a windy Autumn day blanketing the earth below with serenity so does the tones and gentle vocals of one Bruce A. Henry. Mr. Henry with his 2003 release …
22 Nov
Such Sweet Thunder by Lorraine Feather
Saturday, 22 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
The recordings of Lorraine Feather just better each time she records, and if it isn’t obvious yet, she is stepping into the shoes of jazz-oriented lyricists like Jon Hendri…
One of the pleasures of reviewing CD’s is the chance to discover recordings that may exist in relative obscurity, despite their worthiness, despite the passion and commitme…
17 Nov
Something To Say by Tony Gallo
Monday, 17 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Tony Gallo Has "Something to Say" and sing!Innovative interpretation and vocal tones coated in class describe the contents of Tony Gallo’s debut project "Something to Sa…
15 Nov
Connections by Bruce A. Henry
Saturday, 15 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
The popularity of fusion/world-influenced jazz combined with a spiritual theme seems to be a growing trend. This comes as no surprise when one stops to consider that often …
11 Nov
This Is Always by Rebecca Sayre
Tuesday, 11 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Blessed with a sweet voice and a very competent band, Rebecca Sayre’s recent album entitled "This is Always" is a pleasant way of spending an hour. The selected pieces are …
09 Nov
Peel Me a Grape by Barbara Levy Daniels
Sunday, 09 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Barbara Levy Daniels returned to music after an absence of almost 40 years. The New York based vocalist sent along a copy of her second CD, Peel Me a Grape. Accompan…
09 Nov
Sings Maxine Sullivan by Sally Stark
Sunday, 09 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Tribute albums from one jazz singer to another are always an interesting proposition; when the two vocalists involved are both, ahem, somewhat undersung as is the case with…
08 Nov
Never Do Without You by Julie Mahendran
Saturday, 08 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
The title of Toronto, Canada, resident Julie Mahendran's project, "Never Do Without You" is taken from the lyric of Janet Jackson's song, "Love Will Never Do."Mah…
08 Nov
The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album by Tony Bennett & Bill Evans
Saturday, 08 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
1975 may've been an OK year for some kinds of American music, but there were two now-legendary figures who weren't exactly "Top o' the world, Ma." Jazz-oriented song stylis…
06 Nov
Live At Tulas by Greta Matassa
Thursday, 06 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Live At Tula’s is the latest release from jazz vocalist Greta Matassa and it’s absolutely fantastic. Recorded, as the title implies, live at Tula’s Restaurant and Nightclub…
06 Nov
Such Sweet Thunder by Lorraine Feather
Thursday, 06 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Good jazz runs in the family! Vocalist / lyricist Lorraine Feather is a multi-talented performer and, like her late father, an absolute original. One cannot imagine …
05 Nov
Irreplaceable by George Benson
Wednesday, 05 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Timeless musical icon, George Benson, master of evolution and re-invention, is definitely not lost in a masquerade as he comes out fresh and smooth on Irreplaceable.…
04 Nov
Irreplaceable by George Benson
Tuesday, 04 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
When you've meant as much to music as George Benson has you've earned the right to do pretty much anything you want to. Apparently with the release of Irreplaceable …
It’s nice to see a young emerging singer who has a real chance to attain stardom. Certainly, Chicago’s Susan May is a talent to watch. The young woman celebrated her twelft…
02 Nov
The Carlyle Set by Christine Andreas
Sunday, 02 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Christine Andreas is a veteran Broadway singer and actress with a voice that is big and bold. The Carlyle Set is a studio recreation of what it sounded like when she…
01 Nov
Vintage Grillo by Jerry Grillo
Saturday, 01 November 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
This compilation of tracks from Milwaukee based jazz singer Jerry Grillo is pleasant enough, featuring solid renditions of popular classics. Culled from six earlier release…
Armi Grano continues to bless the jazz world with her intimate and enjoyable jazz vocals, and in FEELIN' FINE, she is in topnotch form as always! Her voice is the kind of v…
30 Oct
Mystery Girl by Lisa McCormick
Thursday, 30 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Flames in her eyes, seduction in her voice, and aspiration in her heart is the only way to describe Lisa McCormick’s recent project "Mystery Girl". Released in 2003, this J…
Versatile vocalist Sandy Sasso's debut CD, Mixed Grill, is a collection of fine songs that range from Rogers and Hammerstein's "It Might As Well Be Spring," to Johnny Me…
29 Oct
Forgotten in Manhattan by Joseph Walsh
Wednesday, 29 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
On Lost in Manhattan Joseph Walsh provides an interesting mixture of original compositions and interpretations of songs by everyone from Cole Porter and Irving Berli…
27 Oct
At the End of the Day by Rosana Eckert
Monday, 27 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Rosana Eckert is a jazz singer and educator from Texas. At the End of the Day finds her backed by seven other Lone Star jazzmen, the best known of which is probably …
21 Oct
The Opportune Time by Breggett Rideau
Tuesday, 21 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Vocal jazz stands as an iconic testament to the history and legacy of some of America's most prolific talents. Names such as Billy Eckstein, Ma Rainey, Frank Sinatra, Peggy…
20 Oct
Live at Pearls by Wanda Stafford
Monday, 20 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Wanda Stafford’s new album pays tribute to the swing era. Songs of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s are set forth in this collection of swing, ballads, blues and Latin jazz, all ar…
19 Oct
Sunday In New York by Libby York
Sunday, 19 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Some vocalists dazzle with their virtuosity; others provide a healthy dose of fun standards sung well, but leave nothing original for the listener to grab onto; still other…
Something To Say is the debut CD of vocalist Tony Gallo.Gallo is a likeable jazz-pop singer with a strong voice and a cool swagger that suits him whether he is singing a…
Bassist, Vocalist and Trumpeter John Howard is originally from Chicago but for the last 2 decades has lived and worked in Vancouver, British Columbia. His CD Soul Jazz is p…
15 Oct
Like A Woman by Dani Thompson
Wednesday, 15 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Pheeeeeew!! Once I got past this woman's flawless good looks, I proceeded to 'review her disc'...(Somehow, that doesn't sound so nice!) Just kidding!.......chortle, chortle…
14 Oct
Such Sweet Thunder by Lorraine Feather
Tuesday, 14 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Aside from the great mixing & mastering job, (Which I'll assume Lorraine held court over), I give this CD project a resounding.........WOW!! Lorraine's vocal delivery & vib…
14 Oct
Baker Sings Chet by Jeff Baker
Tuesday, 14 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
As a clever play on the title of Chet Baker's "Chet Baker Sings", Jeff Baker's (no relation, as far as my research shows) new CD, "Baker Sings Chet" is a smooth and delight…
13 Oct
The Best Of Times by Gary LeMel
Monday, 13 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
With a voice as smooth as cashmere and a delivery as cool as a SouthBeach cocktail, Gary LeMel is back on the scene vocally after a 30 yearhiatus. Billy Childs and Roger…
12 Oct
Girls, Moms, And Me by Lynne Jackson and Mike Palter
Sunday, 12 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Lynne Jackson and Mike Palter are unabashed romantics in a cynical era. They care. They care about the world. They care about this country. The UNICEF anthem, "We Dream a B…
The long awaited recording by vocalist Ya Ya Fornier has been 20 years-plus in the making. Through the process of elimination, many of the kinks that befall many fir…
10 Oct
Sunday In New York by Libby York
Friday, 10 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Libby York simply sings the songs as they should be sung, with clarity and sensitivity. Her phrasing is natural with a bit of sophistication, and most importantly, totally …
07 Oct
Love You Madly by Sandy Dennison
Tuesday, 07 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Sandy Dennison is a wise woman.On her debut CD, "Love You Madly," she sings 11 evergreens by Duke Ellington and his assorted collaborators. The choice of material is evi…
05 Oct
Make Me Feel 3.27.03 by Julian Velard
Sunday, 05 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Pianist/vocalist Julian Velard and his quintet recorded this affair at New York City’s Ars Nova Theater on 3.27.03. And for those who enjoy comparisons, Velard professes th…
04 Oct
Lizabeth Live at the Marquee Lounge by Lizabeth Flood
Saturday, 04 October 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
Interpreting the works of legendary composers and arrangers through vocalese is an art form in itself; however, when singers take it upon themselves to do so, they should s…
Lilian Terry's dusky voice carries a message from the soul. In this album of eclectic meanderings, Terry shows a predilection for subdued urgency. The sweet longing and vul…
30 Sep
Live At FitzGeralds by Robert Kramer
Tuesday, 30 September 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
The Chicago area jazz vocalist, Robert Kramer sent along his newest EP release. The five track CD was recorded live at his appearance at FitzGerald’s in May 2003. A …
28 Sep
A Little Moonlight by Dianne Reeves
Sunday, 28 September 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
A Little Moonlight is a modestly remarkable collection of ten standards interpreted and in some cases reinvigorated by Dianne Reeves & five other outstanding musicia…
25 Sep
Irreplaceable by George Benson
Thursday, 25 September 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
As a George Benson fan from the CTI days through his previous releases (Standing Together (1998) and Absolute Benson 2000, I was not impress with this release. Described as…
24 Sep
My Song Of Something by Nanette Natal
Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Published in
Jazz Vocals - CD Reviews
It’s been a couple of years since Nanette Natal issued her Is Love Enough? album and it knocked me out. Good news! Natal will have a new CD on the shelves sometime t…