John Proulx (piano, vocals, arrangements); Larry Koonse (guitar); Chuck Berghofer (bass); Joe LaBarbera (drums); Bob Sheppard (ten/sop sax); Billy Hulting (perc): Melissa Manchester (guest vocals); Alan Broadbent (string arrangements); Gina Kronstadt (1st violin, leader); Susan Chatman (2nd violin); Rodney Wurtz (viola); Stefanie Fife (cello)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This is a real swinger, a happy, entertaining disc of skilled modern jazz, consisting of lesser-known jazz standards and jazz versions of pop songs, sung in a warm light-toned tenor. Proulx, who hails from Michigan and is a Grammy-winning composer, trained as a pianist and played for 15 years on the West Coast USA. He comes from a musical family and it wasn’t long before he started singing. This is his fourth CD, which he has produced independently. The tracks are:-
1/ Gentle Rain Straight in with the swing, voice doing 4’s with the drums, scat with the guitar, the piano moves the song along well and portrays drops of rain to end the song.
2/ Scatsville An amusing song about scatting ‘It’s the language of madness’ with scatting of course, and noodling from the sax.
3/ The Summer Knows Clever lyrics about the Summer as a woman, slower, with just strings and piano.
4/Watch What Happens Percussion to the fore for this Latin number, clapping and a bass solo.
5/ Say It With skilled bass accompaniment
6/ I Don’t Worry About A Thing – Another amusing set of lyrics, ‘I don’t worry about a thing
‘cos I know nothing’s gonna be alright’.
7/ The Last Goodbye A sad song of lost love or maybe friendship, with the strings.
8/ Stained Glass A love song with the guest vocalist, a duet of call and response.
9/ Something To Live For, with a superb piano solo.
10/ Both Sides Now a well-sung jazz version of the Joni Mitchell hit.
After enjoying this CD, it occurred to me that we have skilled jazz pianists playing locally, but none of them sing, and I’d like to bet that they can. I’d love to hear songs from Messrs Edis* or Law. How about it, if you happen to be reading this?
The CD was available from March 14, 2018, at ArtistShare.com and in stores. See www.johnproulx.com
2 comments :
Ann, Paul Edis was reported as singing at St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook, on April 27!
See link I've added to your review.
From Ann Alex, Well all I can say is that he should do more singing, and let's hear Alan as well.
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