Todd Beaney - Piano Praise 2

Todd Beaney - Piano Praise 2
2010, Todd Beaney

Todd Beaney is a pianist, composer, arranger and educator.  He has written or arranged for such groups as U.S. Army Blues; New Orleans Brass Quintet, the Billy Graham Crusade, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Truth.  The ASCAP member has four albums under his belt and three volumes of hymn arrangements for piano.  In his spare time, Beaney also serves as a piano adjudicator for the New York State School Music Association and serves as Music Director for Wilton Baptist Church in Wilton, Connecticut.  The Princeton grad, with Master of Music degrees from both McNeese State University and the Eastman School of Music has made music a lifelong passion.  His fourth album, released in 2010, is Piano Praise 2.  It’s a collection of piano-based instrumentals covering classic hymns and modern Praise music.

Beaney opens with “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God”, an intriguing first step for an instrumental album.  Beaney shows a strong left hand presence early on while allowing his right hand free reign to run at will.  Beaney is an active player, not condescending to the passive, new-age evocations of many contemporaries.  Beaney shows a sense of drama and passion in the music.  “Lord, I’m Coming Home” has a soulful feel and shows Beaney’s own sense of internal rhythm.  Beaney lights up the song in an artful and delicate fashion with a sense of confidence that’s part self assurance and part faith.  “Oh, How I Love Jesus” has a pretty, rolling quality that is appealing, even if Beaney’s piano style sounds like that of a secondary school choir director. 

Beaney brings a bit of Gershwin to “At Calvary”, with an arrangement that sounds like it would be right at home somewhere in the middle of ‘Porgy and Bess’.   Fans of Stephen Schwartz will be listening closely to Beaney’s take on “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”.  Beaney imparts the same sense of light and melody that infused Schwartz’ early works for the stage in one of the most inspired performances on the album.  “For All The Saints” sticks with the Broadway feel; an energetic and active take that’s well-played and nicely arranged.  “Brethren, We Have Met To Worship” finds Beaney’s powerful, driven left hand resurfacing.  This is a solid performance, but would benefit greatly from additional instrumentation.    “Walking In Grace” shows a pretty, airy approach.  Beaney creates a majestic feel for the tune, drawing inspiration and energy out of the arrangement in a moment that speaks of glory.  Beaney ponders his way through a wandering jazz interpretation of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”.  The elegant piano-bar style is a bit of a surprise, but is nonetheless enjoyable.  Beaney closes with the classic hymn feel of “The Solid Rock”; a musical return to the roots of praise music.

Todd Beaney shows off a progression of sounds and styles throughout Piano Praise 2 that may be the arc of his own development as a pianist.  Starting with left-hand driven style of the opening track, moving through the somewhat percussive style of a choir director and then into the more refined airs jazz, gospel and show tunes, Beaney explores the representation of faith in music in a multitude of styles that are uniquely American.  This is a niche album, meaning that the market for this material is probably somewhat limited, but Beaney shows enough chops and stylistic flexibility to be of interest to any serious student of the piano in addition to the religious music market. 

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5) 

Learn more about Todd Beaney at http://www.toddbeaney.com/.  Piano Praise 2 is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Steve Erwin - Was It Like This

Steve Erwin - Was It Like This

2006/2008, Steve Erwin

Washington D.C.-area singer/songwriter Steve Erwin exacts a quiet influence on those around him.  With an operatic voice and a detailed-oriented style of song craft, Erwin has made himself a staple of The Beltway’s music scene.  Back in 2006, Erwin released Was It Like This, a debut album that was re-released in 2008 with bonus tracks.  Erwin’s songwriting and voice are certain to capture your attention, and the guitar work of no less than Danny Gatton in support helps to push a good-bordering-on-great album over the edge.

Was It Like This opens with “Sweet Boy”; a solid story-teller song built in a ménage of blues, country and roots rock.  Erwin fills the song with inflection and energy with a voice that makes you want to keep listening.  “Oh, Howard” blends murder, intrigue and the depths of alcoholism into a story about a mentor gone on the lam; an entertaining turn that truly displays Erwin’s talent for detail-oriented song craft.  “In Fall” is a work of art.  Erwin’s quiet song of remembrance is enhanced by Gatton, who fills and frolics in subtly magical measure.  “Walkin’ This Road” is great bluesy-folk with a gospel tinge and R&B backbeat; an entertaining tune with a ‘one-day-at-a-time’ theme that’s highly entertaining. 

“Uncomplicated Love” is a classic Christmas-themed ballad that’s lovelorn and weary yet hopeful all at once.  Erwin bemoans his search for a love that’s built on the basics.  The songwriting here is so classic in style you’ll swear it must be a cover.   “Born A Tourist” is a nine minute blues/rock guitar clinic in the form of a song.  Starting in slow dynamic turns, Erwin and Gatton take listeners to frenetic heights before setting you gently back on earth again.  Particularly if you yourself play guitar, this song on its own makes the album worth checking out.  “Adult Love” explores the twists and turns love sometimes takes before it ends up settling where it belongs.  The theme and lyrics here are solid, but for once Erwin oversteps his bounds in a song that seems musically interminable with its woeful/whiney feel. 

“In The Mix” is a solid, jazz-infused number that shows off the live energy of Erwin and his band while retaining some of the fine tuning that a studio recording provides.  “I Will Sleep” has some real pizzazz, but the melody line veers out of Erwin’s comfortable range and suffers for the fact.  Erwin closes with a stylish live cover of George Gershwin and DuBose Howard’s “Summertime” (Porgy & Bess), hamming up the vocal a bit, presumably to try and sound in character.  It’s a solid performance, but sounds ill-conceived in light of the grand history of the song.  “Summertime” is one of those tunes that have become so iconic that anything less than a stellar performance pales in comparison to the great performances offered up by artists throughout its history.

Steve Erwin does a lot of things right on Was It Like This.  His voice, within his comfortable range, is very much worth spending some time with.  Erwin also has distinctive skill as a songwriter and story teller, showing an attention to detail in his lyrics that is rare and even harder to make work well within the structure of a song.  The addition of Danny Gatton’s guitar work is a boon as well.  Gatton dashes and dances between Erwin’s melody lines with a flair that’s legendary, illuminating the songs with rhythms, sounds and fills that turn great songwriting into works of art.  There are a few wrong turns on this trip, but even they serve to make Was It Like This a bit more memorable. 

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

 Learn more about Steve Erwin at http://www.stevererwin.com/.  Was It Like This is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.  Amazon also offers a copy of the album on CD; it is the original 2005 release and does not contain the bonus tracks on this version.

Gunnar Madsen - Two Hands

Gunnar Madsen - Two Hands
2010, G-Spot Records

The first time I heard Gunnar Madsen's group The Bobs was on an episode of the Dr. Demento Show in the late 1980's. The song "Cowboy Lips" inspired me to go out and buy several Bobs albums and turned me on to acapella music. After ten years of The Bobs, Madsen has been involved in everything under the sun. He's written music for movies (Just A Kiss, The Break Up), television (Sex And The City, HBO's Asteroids), done voice work (HBO's The Rat Pack as Sammy Davis Jr.), released critically acclaimed albums for adults and children and even been nominated for a GRAMMY Award. Madsen's musical theater work (The Shaggs, co-written with Joy Gregory) has won awards for Best Original Score, Best World Premier Musical and Musical Of The Year from various groups. Every on the move, Madsen returns in 2010 with an album of solo-piano compositions (occasionally aided by Turtle Island String Quartet's Irene Sazer on violin) entitled Two Hands. Recorded at world-renowned Skywalker Sound, Madsen delivers a collection of sixteen songs worthy of its own award consideration.

Two Hands opens with "Break Into Blossom", a pretty, peaceful composition with its own internal vibrancy. The song builds slowly in strength and confidence like the budding of a flower, highlighting a pretty melody against the gentle but unyielding pressure of burgeoning life. "Kerenyi" has an opening line that sounds like a variation on Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue"; the comparison ends there however, as Madsen takes us on dark and moody journey with hints of Celtic music in its heritage. One of the more compelling pieces on the album is "Nino And Me", a depressed and disconnected waltz that deconstructs a noble beauty against the background of deep sadness. You'll have this particular composition on repeat.

"Ordinary Day" shows off Madsen's ability to hide simple beauty write in front of your eyes (or ears). The song has an incidental feel, but the pure sweetness of the theme buried in the mellow musical shell will call to you. "The Blackbird Whistling" feels exploratory, with a theme that comes alternatively in straight lines and scattered bursts. It's a wonderful juxtaposition of the steady feel of nature and the vibrant intercessions of life. "Frank Grows Flowers" is built around a similar concept, displaying the vibrancy of simple, every day actions while setting a pace that's simultaneously with purpose and at ease. There is a joyful feel to this song that cannot be denied. Madsen gets more pensive with "Down Moon", building to dark, muddy resolutions that push to break through but never quite manage, falling back into themselves to try again. The song comes to rest in a state of sadness, but there is a beauty in this struggle that shines through almost as a post-harmonic theme. "3 South Trail" finds Madsen treading a lazy/dreamy path with elements of melancholy woven in. It's a pretty set-up for the closing track, "Red Bird". "Red Bird" is jarring and beautiful, sounding at times like two separate and distinct thoughts occurring between piano and violin. This conversation occasionally aligns into brief moments of clarity where the two are so in-synch that you'll wonder how you ever thought otherwise.

Gunnar Madsen is one of those artists who seem likely to explode if he stops creating. Madsen's muse runs in some many directions it's dizzying, but nearly everything he touches turns to gold. That trend continues with Two Hands, by far the best instrumental piano album to cross this desk this year. Madsen's compositions come to vivid life on Two Hands, avoiding classifications such as classical, pop or new age by transcending them all. Two Hands is not an album you pick up for light dinner music; it's an album you buy to listen to. If you do, the music is its own reward. Two Hands is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gunnar Madsen at http://www.gunnarmadsen.com/.  Two Hands is available on CD or as a Download from Amazon.  Downloads are also available from iTunes.

Halie Loren - Stages

Halie Loren - Stages
2010, White Moon Productions

No matter how vibrant the performer; no matter how talented the producer, it's simply not possible to get the full power of a live show into a studio recording. Even one-off sessions with no overdubs fail to get the whole aural picture on tape. This seems an important consideration as I sit here listening to Wildy’s World Artist Of The Month for June, 2010 Halie Loren's newest album, Stages, recorded during 2009 at two different venues in Oregon. Loren has an amazing voice, warm and sultry in a way that recalls the Great Ladies of Song. That voice has always been apparent on her albums Full Circle and They Oughta Write A Song, but if you want to be blown away, grab a copy of Stages and get comfy.

Stages opens with "Danger In Loving You", a virtuosic opening that recalls names like Etta James, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holliday. Loren has the innate ability to sell a song like she's lived it, making the experience so real that listeners can lose themselves for a moment. "On A Sunny Afternoon" is to the same level, but allows Loren's band to show off a bit. Particularly notable here is pianist Matt Treder, who brings the backdrop alive with a piano part that's so vibrant it's practically alive. Loren's take on U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" sounds as if it might have been arranged by Hoagy Carmichael; keeping the essential melody intact but taking some mixolydian liberties in the process. On this tune in particular Loren sounds like a cross between Norah Jones and Sade, offering a soulful twist on her warm alto.

"More" starts out in a 1970's singer/songwriter pastiche before turning into a classic cabaret tune. Loren waxes poetic on her perfect love and questions whether her current love matches up to the ideal. The song alternates between a dreamy, pensive chorus and upbeat, jaunty verses and sounds like it might have come from a stage show. Loren really digs in on the classic "Cry Me A River", leaving goose bumps in her wake. You'll walk away thinking you finally heard the song as Arthur Hamilton originally envisioned it as he put pen to paper. Loren's take on Antonia Carlos Jobim's "The Girl From Ipanema" is lighter fare but no less inspired; capturing the carefree feel of the original.

On "Free To Be Loved By Me", Loren has a magical moment. Back in singer/songwriter mode, Loren delivers a tune that could have been a top-10 pop hit in the mid-1970's, and might still take the charts by storm in a country arrangement in today's marketplace. It's a brilliant tune, and plays exceedingly well live, where Loren sells it like a Tony-winning actress. Moving quickly to pick up the pace, Loren and band launch into Louis Jordan's "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", done in a peppy, syncopated arrangement that will have your toes tapping from the outset. Loren shifts once again into "Great Ladies Of Song" mode for "Love Me Like A River Does", offering a textured, nuanced and ultimately beautiful vocal performance. Bassist Mark Schneider provides rhythmic and musical support with a line that stumbles, and then walks as Loren asks for it all. Pianist Matt Treder fills around them like the air we breathe, creating an amazing ensemble that's as in-sync for the three and a half minutes of the song as it’s possible to get.

Loren's "They Oughta Write A Song" has the sound of a classic jazz vocal tune, but is a Loren original. It's the title track of her last studio album, which was recently released in Japan by Victor Records. Loren's performance here is flawless. "High Heel Blues" offers a moment of whimsy as Loren sings about the draw a great pair of shoes can have, and the afflictions caused by a good pair of high heel shoes. It's a Capella blues and a real connection with the crowd that happens to allow listeners to hear the full tone and color of Loren's voice devoid of surrounding instrumentation. After such a diversion, you'd expect a song of impact. Loren chooses "Summertime", one of the best known songs in the Gershwin catalogue. This one's been done so many times it can either be a safe choice or a disastrous one. There are enough great versions of "Summertime" out there to make anything less than magic seem mundane. Loren delivers with a warm delivery and an understated read on the tune that eschews the histrionics many modern singers try to inject into the song. Stages closes with gentle calypso of "Rainbow Race", a song about the need for all peoples to get along and live together. It's a sweet tune, a fitting concert close with a gentle social message but light enough to end the show on a bright note.

Haley Loren continues to grow and develop as an artist, and she's seeing the fruits of her labors. Her previous album, They Oughta Write A Song, recently crested in the top-20 albums in Japan. It's only a matter of time before Loren sees the same sort of numbers on this side of the Pacific. It's already reached a point where if you want to talk about the best female jazz vocalists working today, a discussion that doesn't include Loren in the mix is incomplete. Stages is brilliant, capturing Loren in a live setting, where the warm textures of her voice and her pitch-perfect phrasing blend with a band that supports her flawlessly. Halie Loren is the sort of vocalist who comes along once or twice a generation, combining technical ability, sound, passion, sensuality and a natural ability to connect with listeners; she creates magic on stage, as on Stages. Stages is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Halie Loren at http://www.halieloren.com/ or www.myspace.com/halieloren. You can order Stages and any of Loren's other albums on CD through her website in the store section. You can also order the album as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Vote For Pedro - Cocktail Napkin

Vote For Pedro - Cocktail Napkin
2007, Vote For Pedro

Vote For Pedro is a novel Boston quartet traversing the bounds of Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Jazz and Comedy to rave reviews. Led by vocalist Diva Taunia (who recently lost 170 pounds and shared her experiences with the world via YouTube), Vote For Pedro creates mellifluous musical magic that is much easier to enjoy than it is to classify. Diva Taunia is an ASCAP songwriter, vocal coach, clinician, session singer and front woman all wrapped into one. Diva Taunia has shared the stage with such performers as The Bobs, Wayne Brady, Patty Larkin, Zoe Lewis, Sean Altman and The Persuasions, and has been won a shelf full of awards for her vocals both regionally and nationally. Vote For Pedro's Cocktail Napkin was released in 2006 but is worth revisiting; the mix of quality music and comedy is rare and is just too good to classify as a novelty.

Cocktail Napkin opens with Do You Trust Me, mixing A Cappella style vocal harmony arrangements in a highly danceable Pop tune. Diva Taunia has a voice people will line up to listen to and practically melts a speaker wire or too while imploring you to dance along. Even the rap serves to enhance the listening experience here. Taunia leads Vote For Pedro into one of the more unusual covers of George and Ira Gershwin's Summertime that I've heard, starting as a dark, free-form interpretation that morphs slowly into a near-frantic tripped out techno/jazz hybrid. Traditionalist may not be entirely thrilled with this one, but it's a brave, novel and successful choice. Cool Kidz answers the old question, "If all your friends jumped off the bridge would you jump too?" with a resounding splash and gurgle. Featuring Manhattan Transfer style vocal harmonies, simple bass and drum loop instrumentation and a rap/sing combo, Cool Kidz is good enough to get mentioned in the Pop category and whacked enough to earn a spot on a show like Dr. Demento. Cocktail Napkin sounds more like a college A Cappella group using minimalist instrumentation than anything else. Vocalist Shah Salmi provides and easy, sure and pleasant performance while the rest of the band kicks in some delicious vocal harmonies. Vote For Pedro wraps up with Tall Dark And Handsome, which won a CARA Award in 2007 for Best Humor Song. The ladies out there will nod in sympathy with this song, knowing that often the best looking men "play for the other team".

Vote For Pedro is a trip. Salmi is a strong performer and deserves more attention than he'll ever get here because Diva Taunia is such a dynamic figure it's easy to lose focus on the rest of the group. Taunia's voice is powerful and supple, able to belt one moment and coo a lyric whisper the next. The sense of humor here is actually funny, something that is all too rare in artists who try to be funny in song. Like the Smothers Brother before them, Vote For Pedro's greatest sleight of hand is their ability to create musically serious and significant music. Just when you think they're serious they'll throw you a curve; and just when you start to think maybe they're a novelty group after all they'll create a phrase with such harmonic purity and beauty you'll be moved. Make sure to get your Cocktail Napkin.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Vote For Pedro and Diva Taunia at http://www.divataunia.com/ or www.myspace.com/divatauniamusic. You can purchase Cocktail Napkin via Vote For Pedro’s web store.

Review: Stefon Harris And Blackout - Urbanus

Stefon Harris And Blackout - Urbanus
2009, Concord Jazz

Stefon Harris And Blackout return in August, 2009 with Harris' seventh album (and first on Concord Jazz); Urbanus. Recorded in the days leading up to the inauguration of President Barack Obama, Urbanus reflects tidal waves of hope and excitement about the days and years to come. Harris and Blackout mix elements of traditional Jazz with modern and progressive strains, but also weave R&B, Funk and Soul the musical tapestry presented here.

Urbanus opens with Gone, a variation on Gershwin's Gone, Gone, Gone (Porgy And Bess). Gershwin's theme is heard here in passing moments, with Harris and Blackout expanding the boundaries and playing vociferously in the margins. There are one or two moments where the experimentation becomes so progressive it will lose fans of traditional jazz, but there's definite artistry in the moment. Buster Williams' Christina features some wonderful work on the vibes by Harris and interesting use of a Vocoder to create a sly yet sophisticated piece of mood music you won't quite be able to get out of your head. Tanktified finds Blackout dancing on the out bounds of jazz form with runs and divergences that seem more about making a musical point than adhering to any semblance of history or structure. Shake It For Me takes similar side trips but never strays quite so far off-track. There are some meticulous and unusual runs presented here that features sax, piano and vibraphone competing for primacy that avoid becoming mess and carry with them a spark of pure creation and a lot of wonderful tension.

Jackie McLean’s' Minor March is a delirious mix of traditional and avant-garde styles tailored in a suit of dark keys, scintillating in repressed light and casting off some glorious moments for the listeners' pleasure. My favorite track on the CD is the Afterthought, opening with a sound that could be a mix of Jazz and Broadway (think Cy Coleman's City Of Angels) but works quickly into one of the more traditional forms on the disc. Harris is absolutely inspired on the vibes here, and the bass player works up a major sweat along the way. Blues Denial comes in a close second for favorite track, taking on a life of its own within the opening bars of the song and seeming to pull Harris and Blackout along for a delirious ride. The aural staging creates an almost dream like-quality that launches you into a series of rapid-fire musical conversations you won't soon forget. Harris closes down Urbanus on the peaceful and introspective passages of Langston's Lullaby, a beautiful, almost ethereal piece of music that's better heard than described.

Stefon Harris and Blackout hit mostly the right notes on Urbanus, galvanizing the spirit of the times in musical structure for future generations to hear. The album loses me when it touches on the fringes of Avant-Garde Jazz, occasionally crossing over into unrecognizable cacophony, but never for long. This doesn't make it bad; it just doesn't speak to me when it goes there. On the whole, Urbanus is a strong effort.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Stefon Harris and Blackout at http://www.stefonharris.com/ or http://www.myspace.comstefonharris/. You can purchase a copy of Urbanus at Amazon.com, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: The Terrence Blanchard Group - Choices

The Terrence Blanchard Group - Choices
2009, Concord Jazz

Terrence Blanchard is prodigious. The Grammy Award winning musician/composter/arranger/bandleader has more than twenty-five albums to his credit, either on his own or with others. He’s also composed music for over 40 movies, including Malcolm X, Clockers, Mo’ Better Blues, Backbeat and Eve’s Bayou. Blanchard’s latest, with The Terrence Blanchard Group, Choices, dropped on August 18, 2009.

Choices opens with Byus, a Funk/Jazz hybrid with Latin elements that starts out with a monologue from Blanchard on intellectualism vs. intelligence. Sax and Trumpet are the primary voices here, creating interesting tension in the shared melody lines while the sax gets in some prodigious runs on its own. The trumpet is a bit more reserved, sticking to more placid, traditional waters. Blanchard gives a short statement on Beethoven and representative power of music as it compares to words before launching into the down-tempo D's Choice. A slow, almost ethereal back drop is punctuated by a slow, staccato melody line that slowly grows more lyric throughout the song. Bilal steps in for a guest vocal appearance on Journey, providing a moving performance in tandem with Blanchard's ever-present trumpet. Hacia del Aire opens on a mournful note, with the Trumpet sounding the clarion call of sadness. The ever-resilient piano changes the mood of the piece however, with trumpet coming along on a more hopeful promenade. All of this is done in a down-tempo arrangement where the rhythms are unsettled and variable. The song grows into a larger conversation as the saxophone cuts in. Soon three voices are talking at once, nearly over one another. The result is a cacophony that can overpower the listener at times.

Him Or Me finds Blanchard stepping back in time for a piece that could have come of the early 1970's; Progressive and classical jazz elements mix over seven minutes to create a dynamic musical trip topped off by one of the hottest jazz guitar solos of the year. HUGS (Historically Underrepresented Groups) starts off with an eclectic and variably rhythmic piano intro before evolving into a musically explosive quintet (piano, trumpet, sax, bass and drums). There is a sense of impending chaos that looms, but the song never quite loses its bearing and flies continually in that grey region that is the line between genius and disaster. Blanchard is inspired here, outplaying his own sensibilities and reaching that hypothetical "beyond" state that musicians find in their best moments. Winding Roads is a twelve minute journey that lives up to it's name, taking the listener across musical countryside and blind corners where the scenery changes as quickly as the rhythms of the song. This is another wow moment, but it takes awhile to unfold. Bilal returns on When Will You Call, a classic sounding song that is given emotional weight by Bilal's blue vocal line. The instruments draw back and give Bilal room to work, adding in the appropriate support and fills without becoming too involved.

A New World (Created Inside The Walls Of Imagination) finds Blanchard waxing about the "Age Of Obama", the changes it portends. The song is well structured yet does reflect the tension between change, retrenchment and history that Blanchard references in his opening word. Blanchard's trumpet work is outstanding as always, but it was the guitar work that really caught my ear on this one; drawing on an early electric guitar sound (Les Paul, Chet Atkins) to censure tension while creating more of its own. Blanchard closes out Choices with Robin's Choice, opening with an air of Gershwin before exploding into a modern mix of music and noise. All action ceases suddenly at the end and Blanchard explains why we're here. I'll leave it to you to find out on your own.

Choices moves from quiet creation to cacophony of sound and hits all points in between. Fans of classic, Progressive and modern Jazz will all find something to like here, as Blanchard hits on moods from Monk to Miles and even shades in a little Gershwin here and there. Choices is not the best choice for casual listening; the music demands your attention and refuses to take a back seat. Don't be surprised if The Terrence Blanchard Group gets mentioned come award season.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Terrence Blanchard and The Terrence Blanchard Group at http://www.terrenceblanchard.com/ or www.myspace.com/terrenceblanchard. You can purchase Choices at Amazon.com, or download the album through Amazon MP3.

Review: Kat Edmonson - Take To The Sky

Kat Edmonson - Take To The Sky
2009, Convivium Records

Austin, Texas-based Jazz siren Kat Edmonson makes an exciting debut with Take To The Sky, an album of 9 reinterpretations of jazz standards and pop hits. Released digitally earlier this year, the album is available on CD for the first time on June 2, 2009. Mixed by super Engineer Al Schmitt (19 Grammy’s), Edmonson has an extremely talented band to back her up. Drummer J.J. Johnson (John Mayer, Charlie Sexton); bassist Eric Revis (Branford Marsalis Quartet) and pianist Kevin Lovejoy (Spoon, John Mayer) are joined by guests John Ellis (Charlie Hunter) and Ron Westray (Wynton Marsalis) in providing a tight and original tapestry in support of Edmonson's stunning vocals. Engineer Schmitt, who's worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Sam Cooke, describes Edmonson as "the best new jazz singer I have heard in years".

Kat Edmonson is a once-in-a-generation voice. With a sound reminiscent of the great female jazz vocalists of the 1920’s and 1930’s, Edmonson is a treat for traditionalists, yet has just enough quirky pop sensibility to traverse the generations in between. Take To The Sky opens with Gershwin’s Summertime. The arrangement here is unusually dark, allowing Edmonson to be the only light you hear for the first two minutes of the song; she shines in a gritty and nuanced performance. The Cure’s Just Like Heaven gets a jazz/samba treatment here. I have to admit it took a few listens for me to really get this song, but it’s probably one of the finest covers I’ve heard. Edmonson is seraphic on Cole Porter’s Night And Day and turns in an incredible performance on Henry Mancini’s Charade.

Edmonson plays chameleon on the Cardigans’ Love Fool, sounding so much like Nina Persson that even fans of the band may be fooled. Edmonson projects a steely vulnerability on this song that is engaging. Angel Eyes (Brent/Dennis) is a popular selection that’s been covered by the likes of Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles and even Sting. Edmonson gives it all she’s got and comes up with a terrific reading of the song. My personal favorite song on the disc is Cole Porter’s Just One Of Those Things. If Porter were able, he would give Edmonson a standing ovation for a modern reading that never loses sight of the spirit of the original. Carole King’s One Fine Day becomes a slinky, taunting song much more fitting to the song’s intent than the bouncy Chiffons version. The album closes out with John Lennon’s (Just Like) Starting Over. Edmonson has recreated the song as a contemplative love song; a true jazz standard. It’s so good you’ll wonder how you ever heard it differently.

Kat Edmonson has a passion for Jazz, and the sort of vocal talent that would rise to the top of most any set of contemporaries of any era since Jazz music was born. The ironically quirky nature of her sound also practically guarantees that if Edmonson ever crosses over to the Rock and Pop worlds she’ll have success as well. The pure creativity and vision on Take To The Sky is stunning; its one thing to be able to cover songs well without sounding like a karaoke performer, but it’s something else again to be able to recreate well known songs in a way that makes them your own without losing connection to the spirit of the original. Kat Edmonson is a vital talent, and Take To The Sky is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kat Edmonson at http://www.katedmonson.com/ or www.myspace.com/katedmonson. You can purchase a copy of Take To The Sky at Waterloo Records or as a download on iTunes.

Review: Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band - A Song Of You

Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band - A Song Of You
2009, Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band

Irene Nachreiner is a multiple-threat artist; vocalist, pianist, songwriter, dancer, screenwriter, actor, and Improv comedy all find homes on her curriculum vitae. She started singing jazz several years ago after meeting acoustic guitarist Marco Tulio (Pat Metheny, Thalia) and drummer/percussionist Cristano Novelli (Milton Nascimento, Diego Torres). Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band's sophomore CD, A Song Of You, features a mix of originals and covers and the exquisite play of her backing band. Aside from Tulio and Novelli, sitting in for this album is pianist and Berklee grad Rique Pantoja (Chet Baker, Milton Nascimento, Steps Ahead, Ricardo Silveira, Carlos Santana).

A Song Of You starts off with the seeds for success, decent original material, some classic covers and a group of A-List backing musicians. Irene Nachreiner gives each song here a technically perfect reading, yet never seems to capture the vim and vigor of her band. Nachreiner’s voice is decent but doesn’t project the sort of charisma needed to pull off songs like S’Wonderful (George & Ira Gershwin); Triste (Jobim); It’s Too Darn Hot (Cole Porter) or Bin Bom (Joao Gilberto). There are a few nice moments here; the title track is a pleasant listen and South Seas Samba has a certain charm to it. Even La Foule is interesting, although perhaps more for the courage it takes to cover such a song.

Nachreiner misses the boat on Fragillidad, the Spanish version of Sting’s Fragile. The original version is an urgent and reverent plea; here it is presented as a hip Latin/Vegas hybrid that’s almost campy. It comes across as technically perfect without the heart or sense of purpose that’s embedded in every note of the song. Likewise Change The World, the song made famous by Eric Clapton comes across like a version you might hear on one of those CDs they sell at Party Warehouse where unnamed performers sing pop hits.

Through it all the backing band is nothing short of inspired. Nachreiner is a solid vocalist with a decent voice, but just doesn’t project the performance style on CD that sells listeners on a song. A Song Of You is a pleasant listen, more appropriate for the dinner hour than serious listening. If you’re more into the instrumental side of things then there is a lot hear to dig into. Irene & Her Latin Jazz Band have created a CD that’s pleasant to listen to but just doesn’t hold the listener.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band at http://www.irenesings.com/. You can purchase a copy of A Song Of You at www.cdbaby.com/cd/irenesings3.

Review: Halie Loren - They Oughta Write A Song

Halie Loren - They Oughta Write A Song
2008, White Moon Productions

Halie Loren made quite an impression with her debut album, 2006's Full Circle. Loren proved she could write and perform songs that walk the line of emotional breakdown with a power and grace that are nearly unheard of in popular music. Loren, who is seemingly something of a musical restless heart, follows up with an album of classic jazz songs entitled They Oughta Write A Song. As good as Loren was on Full Circle, she sounds as if she were born to sing jazz. They Oughta Write A Song hits all the right notes from start to finish.

Starting off with the pensive title track, Loren's silky alto slides through the songs here like a hot knife through butter. Loren is smooth and full of a sensual grace that recalls Eartha Kitt at the top of her game. A Whiter Shade Of Pale is a gorgeous reading by Loren; she owns it like she wrote it, and it is one of the highlights of the CD. Blue Skies is performed in a mischievous, funky jazz arrangement that you won't soon forget. For all that's been said thus far, Halie Loren raises her game another notch on Autumn Leaves. The muted piano arrangement allows for maximum appreciation of Loren's virtuosic vocal, steeped in melancholy remembrance and regret.

Halie Loren really shakes things up on Fever. Get out your ice water, AC and oscillating fans. They won't be enough. Loren proceeds to find the heart of The Blues on God Bless The Child. I keep wanting to point out particular songs as highlights, but the difficulty is that everything here is just so good that the word highlight becomes meaningless. That being said, Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps is amazing. There is a mischievous quality to this performance that allows Loren to reach even higher and touch perfection for two minutes and twenty-one seconds. How Should I Know, The Dock Of The Bay and I Don't Miss It Much are up to the level that Loren has established throughout the album, and Summertime is absolutely glorious. Summertime is one of those songs that EVERYBODY who sings Jazz or Broadway tunes tries on at least once. As such it’s easy to listen to each new rendition with a jaded ear, but occasionally a particular performance will still pique interest. Halie Loren's version is full of soul; adopting the warm and easy feel of the prototypical summer's day that the song uses as its scenery. Loren waxes and wanes in intensity as she builds toward the song's peak. Her performance is a master class that avoids the attempt some singers make to overpower the song on the final chorus, letting the power of the song speak for itself.

I'm torn. After hearing Full Circle I very much anticipated Loren's next project. After hearing They Oughta Write A Song, it seems as if Loren was born with Jazz in her veins. Loren is one of those artists that can sing pop, rock, jazz and even Broadway without missing a beat. She could be equally successful in each realm. Hopefully over time she'll make time for both the pop/rock material and the jazz/show tunes. They Oughta Write A Song deserves to take a place among the great vocal jazz albums. Halie Loren becomes the first artist in the history of Wildy's World to have two Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Discs! They don't make them like this anymore.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Halie Loren and even purchase a copy of They Oughta Write A Song at http://www.halieloren.com/.

Review: Duane Large - Stories In The Last Year

Duane Large - Stories In The Last Year
2008, Duane Large

Duane Large is one of the more enigmatic performers in popular music: Influenced by everything from Croce to Dylan; The Decemberists to The Beatles; George Gershwin to Franz Schubert. Large has played with many groups over time, including The Philadelphia Orchestra. His debut CD, Stories In The Last Year, runs the gamut from rock to folk to Tin Pan Alley without losing direction. It's one of the most musically involved pop/rock albums of 2008.

Duane Large has a straight forward Folk/Americana delivery that is without pretension. His songs are written in a crisp, clean, economical style that is both refreshing and fun. Stories In The Last Year opens with Jillian. Jillian bears a strong stylistic resemblance to Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo). Your House is a classic singer/songwriter folk song. Large's sweet and mellow voice rings clear throughout and his guitar work in exquisite. Abide is my favorite song on Stories In The Last Year, a love song that doesn't stick to the usual formats or cliche, Abide is a powerful and appealing song that probably has major licensing potential.

Ligeia (Poe) has a European sound to it and a gorgeous melody that you won't be able to get out of your head. The Road Less Traveled uses a classic 1960's guitar emulating a doo-wop chorus to back up a classic sound. Large is very convincing here. Other highlights include Tucked In The Seams, the Celtic The Ballad Of Nelly Holland, and All You Are. All You Are is a classic folk song right out of the gate. This is the sort of song that other artists pick up on and record or perform live.

Stories In The Last Year is aptly named. If Duane Large continues on the path he's on he may well end up as one of the more prolific and talented songwriters of the new century. Every song is crisp and clean with well-defined melodies and intelligent, expressive lyrics. Large is likely to find a big audience with the right break.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Duane Large at www.myspace.com/duanelarge or http://www.duanelarge.com/. You can pick up a copy of Stories In The Last Year at www.cdbaby.com/cd/duanelarge.