Rosana Eckert: At The End Of The Day

The opener, "I Know I’ve Seen This Thing Before," penned by the singer and her husband, flows with that jazz perfection one always wishes for in a vocal recording. Ms. Eckert duets first with bassist John Adams, progressively adding the remaining band members, building a quiet tour-de-force. Johnny Mercer’s "Something’s Gotta Give" allows pianist Brian Piper to display his wares in a jaunty fashion. "Ela E Carioca" is a Bossa sway and "Mr. Hooper’s Find It In A Minute Book" a swing-era phonetic and poetic marvel, complete with a growling muted trumpet.

Ms. Eckert’s ballads are uniformly fine. "At the End of the Day" is almost necessarily a lullaby quietly accented with Rodney Booth’s exquisite brass. She accomplishes the same with "Lament," a plaintive and pure melody piece gently driven by the core rhythm section. Two wonderful inclusions are Benny Carter’s "Rock Me To Sleep," which struts the recording stage with a swagger and wink, and "One Mint Julep" which is a fast, rocking piece with no peers on this recording. The piece highlights Aaron Kelley’s electric guitar. Ms. Eckert’s debut recording is an occasion for celebration. It is a well-conceived and well-performed pleasure.

For more information, visit Rosana Eckert on the web.

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