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Jennifer Lee: Quiet Joy
ByThe title song, one of Lee's three originals, has a slight samba edge to it; she plays guitar and leads on a wordless vocal chant. Lee shifts easily from a flute-like "oo" to consonant-flavored syllables, while Raul Ramirez handles percussion with Bob Magnusson on bass.
"O Barquinho" captures that same spirit, with Buca Necak taking over on bass and Tripp Sprague adding harmonica. This time, Lee mixes in some scatting with the lyrics. Her delivery is on par with the sounds of such Brazilian vocalists as Astrud Gilberto and Flora Purim, with Sprague's solo adding to the song's joyful feeling. When Lee sings again, the lyrics are in Brazilian Portuguese. She shifts back to English and scatting during the closing sequence, while Sprague answers on harmonica.
"Music of Your Soul," another Lee composition, is a delightful stroll with Lee and Ramirez providing finger snaps. David Udolf joins on piano and Peter Sprague on guitar. During the chorus, Lee sings a phrase that gives a slight nod to Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments." Necak scats during his bass solo and Sprague and Udolf also get turns at soloing.
Lee and her sidemen do a masterful job of mixing samba with straight jazz. Her use of both Portuguese and English lyrics, to say nothing of her scats, enhances the special nature of Quiet Joy.
Track Listing
I Hear Music; Quiet Joy; Menina Da Lua; O Barquinho; Music of Your Soul; You Knew; O Pato; Menininha do Portao; Baby Mine; I Don
Personnel
Tomeka Reid
celloJennifer Lee: vocals, guitar (2-4, 7-11), piano (6, 12, 13); Peter Sprague: guitar (1-6, 10-13); Bob Magnusson: bass (2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13); Buca Necak: bass (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12); Raul Ramirez: percussion (2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11); Duncan Moore: drums (1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13); Tripp Sprague: harmonica (4, 9), saxophone (6, 11); Carter Dewberry: cello (3).
Album information
Title: Quiet Joy | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Unknown label
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Jo Lawry: Singing Sideman