Maurice Frank (vocals); John DiMartino (arrangements, piano); Eric Alexander (ten sax); Aaron Heick (sop sax, clarinet, alto flute); Paul Meyers (guitar); Luques Curtis (bass); Obed Calvaire (drums); Samuel Torres (perc).
(Review by Ann Alex)
I listened in an unconventional way, by starting with track 4 on which Eric Alexander (no relation to me, he’d disown my musical attempts) is featured. As Lance had praised this jazzman in another review I needed to check him out and I wasn’t disappointed. On Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me the sax’s improvised responses to the singer’s statements are most impressive, in fact, it just about talks back. Great stuff!
So I was well primed to enjoy the rest of the music, a mixture of standards and songs which aren’t heard too often. Our singer is a native New Yorker, growing up, and benefitting from listening to the singers of the 50’s and 60’s and it shows in his sensitive yet strong-voiced interpretations. This is a debut album from a seasoned singer, who performs on the East Coast and beyond, and who now lives in Florida. All the musicians, besides Alexander, are established performers.
The tracks include Cole Porter’s Dream Dancing (skilled piano); the thrilling lyrics of How Little We Know (‘two tingles intermingle’ and ‘who cares to define what chemistry this is’) sung to bass only; Slow Hot Wind in which the flute trills to represent the wind; Strayhorn’s Day Dream, with very busy drums; the Latin Yellow Days, all about sunlight and lost love; a bluesy She’s Funny That Way with a good piano solo; The Beatles In My Life, with a swinging clarinet. The other tracks are Save Your Love For Me; Yesterday (Jerome Kern); Baubles, Bangles And Beads: On The Street Where You Live. Ann Alex
The CD was released on July 6, reference Jumo Music 1007. See www.mauricefrank.com
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