Petra van Nuis (vocals); Dennis Luxion (piano).
(Review by Lance).
Amid the hocus-pocus of the many CDs now being marketed as jazz, this album, recorded live at Chicago's PianoForte, is refreshingly sans hocus or pocus. What it does have is focus - focus on a good tune, a good lyric and, an interpretation by two of Chi's finest on some choice material.
I've known of Petra since I raved over a previous album with guitarist and hubby, Andy Brown and this is of the same high standard - like is 11 out of 10 high enough?
Duo albums and gigs seem to have become more and more prevalent these days. Usually, it's for economic reasons. Fortunately, at other times, and this is just such an occasion, it's the artists' desire to create something intimate, personal without the intrusions of drums, basses or horns.
Or guitars!
Just as Petra and Andy gelled on her earlier album so does the sensuous sounding vocalist do here with Dennis Luxion.
Almost every duo album these days acknowledges the inspiration of Ellis Larkins, who, on record with either Ella or Ruby Braff, more or less etched the ground rules in vinyl.
Petra and Dennis follow the code. If it ain't broke...
It's been a great year for vocalists, Petra ranks alongside the best of them, and anyone looking for a sympathetic accompanist such as Dennis need only contact the Chicago Local 10-208.
The material is what we now expect from Petra: the known, the not so well known and the delightful surprises:
Street of Dreams; Night People; The Piano Player (A thousand and one saloons); Moonlight Saving Time: You and the Night and the Music; While my Lover Sleeps; Small Day Tomorrow; Dreamsville: No Moon at All; The Night We Called it a Day; Shadows of Paris; Black Coffee; Count Your Blessings.
The music is fantastic, yet the applause is quite low-key. If I'd been present I'd have been a-whoopin' an' a-hollerin'. Petra tells me that our Patti D was present and, PD, not averse to doing a little vociferous applauding herself, makes me wonder if the audience had been asked to show some restraint?
Whatever, once you've got the music on the player I think your response can be accurately forecast - start a-whoopin'!
Lance.
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