Hannah Gill: Everybody Loves a Lover

Hannah Gill has a passion for jazz and draws her inspiration from the likes of Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day and Ella Fitzgerald. On this debut release Everybody Loves a Lover, Gill takes on eleven swing-era standards, and while staying true to the original music, she infuses them with her style, which is inflected with blues and soul. Supporting her on this album is a septet of talented musicians who share her enthusiasm for danceable rhythms and melodic riffs. They are trumpeter and co-arranger of the charts Danny Jonokuchi, saxophonist Ryan Weisheit, trombonist Sam Chess, guitarist Greg Ruggerio ,pianist Gordon Webster, bassist Tal Ronen and drummer Ben Zweig.

For those listeners who might wonder about the sequence of the songs, Gill has structured the tracklist so that the first six compositions are about 'love makers' and the final five songs are about 'heart breakers.' The opener is "Moonlight Saving Time," popularized by Blossom Dearie and swings along frothily with Gill's vocal revelling in the situation. Ella Fitzgerald was best known for her vocal prowess, but she did compose a few tunes, including "I Fell in Love With a Dream."In this mid-tempo arrangement, Gill's warm vocabulary makes an appealing listening experience. There is a perky guitar interjection from Ruggerio mid-way through the number.

In 1948, Michael Curtiz directed a musical romantic comedy entitled "Romance on the High Seas" in which Doris Day made her film debut. Among many numbers written for the movie by Jule Stein and Sammy Cahn was "Put 'em in a Box," which Day performed with the Page Cavanaugh Trio. On this little remembered number, Gill's common-sense delivery rides the sprightly swinging chart with a bright, clear tone. The title track, "Everybody Loves a Lover," was a hit single for Day in 1958. It was written initially as a novelty song, and Gill has retained that tempo. But it does not detract from her breezy, phlegmatic approach to the lyrics.

There are a couple of tunes associated with the Nat King Cole Trio, including "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry" and "This Will Make You Laugh," on which Gill combines the force of her artistry along with the possibilities of vocal expression. The closing track is "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie." This spirited version continues the exposition of her talent, where she brings a clear- eyed approach to the number without any filagree. To conclude, Hannah Gill has provided a compelling debut album through supportive arrangements and skilled performances.

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