"An espresso-rich blend of Diana Washington sass, Lena Horne spohistication and Cleo Laine musicality" - Jazztimes-Christopher Laudon

Mercedes Hall and her trio Glafkos Kontemeniotis - Gaku Takanashi - Kazi McCoy

Live performance review by Annie Simmons of jazzimprov.com

Kitano Jazz Club NYC

May 14, 2008

What can you say about Mercedes Hall? I didn't know what to expect when I caught her first act at Kitano in mid-May. When the lights dimmed, her trio, Glafkos Kontemeniotis on piano, bassist Gaku Takanashi, and Kazi McCoy on drums started playing the first tune. I was amazed at how incredibly quiet this trio was, yet they were swinging like nobody's business. This was a well-honed unit and the perfect accompaniment to Ms. Hall. I was thinking that this was going to be a quiet, intimate evening, when Mercedes walked up to the band, announced herself, and let the party begin. While her distinct voice is enough to separate her out from the pack of jazz vocalists, Mercedes Hall is a consummate entertainer. In the hour-long set, the audience got all of Hall: an actress, a polished song stylist and a comedienne. Hall became one with the lyrics and made all of the nine songs her own-you would think that she wrote them all. Her chatty banter between songs was entertaining and had the audience feel like Hall was their best friend and she was having a private party just for her friends Hall opened with the brassy, blues number, "Someone Else Is Steppin' In," where you got a big dose of attitude. Hall sang, scatted, mumbled and told a story. Bassist Takanashi laid down a funky bass line for the Ellington number, "Everything But You." The Burke/Van Heusen tune "But Beautiful" was done as a Bossa with Hall bending notes. Kontemeniotis on piano is absolutely stunning and his solo on this tune made you not want it to end. Kontemeniotis also arranges the songs allowing Hall's true essence to be brought to each song. "The Masquerade Is Over" was done as a slow ballad. The band played so quietly behind Hall that her passionate voice emoted such pain-the song became almost operatic in it's intensity, with Kontemeniotis' velvety piano swirling around Hall's subtle voicings. Other memorable songs was a soulful rendition of "Black Coffee" with a killer bass solo by Takanashi and the title track from Hall's latest CD, Chico O'Farrill's "Pure Emotion", a Bossa that was arranged by Arturo O'Farrill. Kudos to Kontemeniotis and the band. The Kitano is an intimate, acoustically perfect room and these artists created music that even the walls were thrilled to absorb. What can you say about Mercedes Hall? Brassy. Sassy. Entertaining. Witty. A powerhouse of emotion and a consummate jazz artist. She makes you feel, yet you lose yourself at the same time. What a treat.. the real deal.