Denise Jannah: The Madness Of Our Love

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: June 1, 2000

An eclectic singer with three previous jazz albums, Denise Jannah has performed with such widely disparate organizations as the Willem Breuker Collective, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, the Dutch Metropole Orchestra and starred in major productions of A Night At The Cotton Club and Ain’t Misbehavin’. Her attractive voice and crystal-clear delivery bring standards into instant focus while offering spirit and soul with distinction.

Supported by a veteran piano trio, Jannah toys with the beat. She never loses control, but moves in and out of time with the band again and again. Her four compositions reveal a penchant for employing meters as tools for driving home desired themes. Jannah’s waltz, "If Only," sweeps along easily with pleasant thoughts of what the future may hold, while "Wide Awake" swings to a steady 4/4 beat of sober tradition. "The Madness of our Love," in 5/4 time, flows seamlessly with grace, while "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" surprises with an unusual 7/4 meter. Bassist Ira Coleman gives away the riffed secret, as drummer Carl Allen tempers with crisp, percussive logic. Up-tempo and with Brazilian overtones, the arrangement serves to showcase Jannah’s scat singing alongside her lyric delivery. Caressing the lyric of "’Round Midnight," she tells a convincing story. Elsewhere, with other familiar standards, Denise Jannah treats each song with respect while interpreting lyrics and making sure that her audience will remember the enjoyable session.

Track Listing: Dearly Beloved; Wide Awake;

Personnel: Denise Jannah- vocals; Bert van den Brink- piano; Ira Coleman- bass; Carl Allen- drums; Khalil Bell- shaker on "Le Sourire de mon Amour."

Record Label: Blue Note Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream