The hottest/coolest jazz vocalist on the planet is, with this new release, even hotter and cooler than ever. She's more adventurous, more her own person. The Sassy feel is still there but no longer dominant, just a suggestion of her early inspiration. That she's also absorbed the teachings of Ella and Billie hover in the distance but, for me, more than any of those gals, it's Jon Hendricks who I hear the most in her phrasing, particularly when she does a few bars here and there of vocalese.
We had a taster of the album last month with the opening track - Can't Get Out of This Mood - and the rest of the album is right up there in that euphoric land too.
Guess Who I Saw Today is comparable with the classic versions by Eydie Gormé, Carmen McRae and Nancy Wilson. It's poignant, sad and, at the end of the day, leaves you wondering where she, the subject of the song, goes from here. Does she leave him? Forgive him or kill him? (Damn, I've given away the storyline!)
Fats Navarro's Nostalgia (The Day I Knew) has our girl in bebop mood. Blue Mitchell's Sweet Pumpkin sees Grasso swingin' like crazy whilst Samara does likewise with her voice.
Misty is just that. The voice conveying the hope, the disappointment, the optimism the sadness, of love with Paterson's super sympathetic accompaniment providing just the right mood.
Social Call is a great number and this ranks alongside the best. Again Paterson carries the ball in between choruses - reminds me of Ellis Larkins or Don Abney. Grasso also plucks in - is there a better guitarist in this (or any other) idiom?
More Grasso on Linger Awhile, trumpet from Stafford on 'Round Midnight whilst Grasso returns for Someone to Watch Over me complete with verse.
Available on the legendary Verve label, Norman Granz would have been so so proud to have done the deal. Goodbye Ella - Hello Samara! Lance
1 comment :
Thank you for posting this Lance. She is FABULOUS!
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