Forrest Gump said in the film of the same name that life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get. The newest CD by jazz violinist Yehudit, Valentine, provides the listener with exactly what one would expect—a heart shaped box of bon bons of familiar musical standards devoted to the topic of love.
Guitarist John Hoy, bassists Cindy Browne and Karen Horner and drummer Curt Moore ably accompany Yehudit, performing on five-string electric violin. And, while she is relatively new on the jazz scene, Yehudit can certainly add her name to the list of other jazz violinists such as Stephan Grappelli, Ray Nance, Michael Urbaniak, Jean Luc Ponty, and Regina Carter.
All eleven cuts on this 53 minute CD follow a very similar, standard, straightforward rendering of tunes including “My Romance,” “My Funny Valentine,” “There Is No Greater Love,” and “Ain’t Misbehavin.” While the soloing is also rather standard and straightforward, Yehudit and her band mates reveal that they are competent improvisers.
There is no question that the musicianship on Valentine is of a high caliber. For the listener desiring more adventurous or profoundly deep music however, this CD would be somewhat of a disappointment. Yehudit and her band mates, provide no real surprises and the performances are relatively pedestrian and not particularly challenging to the ears. If one is seeking a nice collection of non-obtrusive renditions of well worn musical standards, then Yehudit’s Valentine is just the box of chocolates for you.
Personnel: Yehudit, five-string electric violin John Hoy, guitars Cindy Browne, bass Karen Horner, bass Curt Moore, drums
