Kate Reid: Sentimental Mood (2008)

Edward Blanco

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2005

Ed has been a jazz fan for 35 years and hosts a jazz radio program at WDNA 88.9 FM.

Recent articles (380 total)

Published: September 30, 2008

Pianist and vocalist Kate Reid is the latest singer to present music from The Great American Songbook, covered by so many others over the years. Blessed with a rich alto voice and being a consummate pianist to boot, Reid puts her own unique spin to a selection of oft-heard standards. Sentimental Mood benefits from a fine cast of Los Angeles musicians, among them guitarist Ron Eschete and saxophonist Ernie Watts, who plays sparingly here. Also performing with the singer is trumpeter and husband Steve Reid.

Unlike some jazz vocal recordings where the instrumentals play a major role in the music, Reid's vocals dominate the album, pushing the other musicians to the background. This is rhythm-based music where the piano, bass, guitar and drums provide the majority of the support.

The music here is clearly designed to appeal to one's softer side, beginning with Van Heusen/Mercer's "I Thought About You" and offering others like Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," and Cole Porter's "Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love," which set the mood here and it's all sentimental. Reid is particularly enjoyable with splendid interpretations of Jobim's "Dreamer" and "Too Late Now," two of the softer and mellow songs on the disc.

She ends on a high note with "The Face I Love," the best pick-up tune and the only one featuring Watts' dazzling saxophone, with whom Reid shares the stage on a wonderful closer and departure from the theme of the album. With a doctorate degree in Jazz Performance, Reid's Sentimental Mood is just the kind of musical medicine to cure that moody feeling, providing a jazzy prescription of sentimental love songs to soothe the tender heart.

Track Listing: I Thought About You; Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars; Lush Life; Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love; Dreamer; Too Late Now; I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me; Only Trust Your Heart; In A Sentimental Mood; Out of This World; Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True; The Face I Love.

Personnel: Kate Reid: piano and vocals; Steve Reid: trumpet; Steve Barnes: drums; Chris Conner: bass; Ron Eschete: guitar; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone.

Record Label: Self Produced
Style: Vocal