Rebecca
DuMaine (vocals); Dave Miller (piano); Mario Suraci (bass); Bill Belasco
(drums); Brad Buethe (guitar)
(Review
by Ann Alex)
Lance
handed me this CD with a stern warning: I was told that this singer is the
epitome of good jazz singing, so I should listen and learn…
And
I have to agree, he was right! She has a
pleasing alto range voice, clear diction and immaculate timing, just the right
amount of well-integrated scat, but more than all that, she’s a skilled
actress. So the songs display real
feeling. In fact she trained as an
actress, and she sees the Gasbook songs as literary works, which influences her
choice of songs.
This is her 3rd
album for Summit records and the pianist is her father, so I guess the
chemistry between father and daughter helps as well. Another CD that I’ll hang on to.
Tracks
include standards such as Beautiful Love;
One Note Samba (with subtle, light Latin drumming); Down With Love (witty words,
including ‘down with songs that moan about night and day’- I wonder what Cole
Porter thought about that!); You’ve
Changed (acted in a sad, small,
slow, voice); Put On A Happy Face; The
Face That I Love; There Will Never Be Another You; They Say It’s Spring; Too
Close For Comfort: If I Were A Bell. Ms Dumaine likes to try songs that are
less well known, so she sings Exactly
Like You, which is new to me anyway, but is my favourite track, with an
adventurous 4-times repetition of the last line. The only song not strictly jazz is Pure Imagination (Leslie Bricusse/
Anthony Newley).
I
can’t add much about the musicians because they are so good, with neat
effective solos, for instance a spring-like gambolling piano on They Say It’s Spring, lively guitar work
on many tracks and good bass solos.
The
CD is released on May 12th 2015, on Summit Records, catalogue number
DCD 654
Ann
Alex
No comments :
Post a Comment