Articles by Andrew Velez
Stacey Kent: Raconte-Moi
by Andrew Velez
The opening tune of this set, from the winning vocalist Stacey Kent, is Jobim-Moustaki's “Les Eaux de Mars." In its English-language version, “The Waters of March," this bossa gem was well-known as the exclusive property of the late and wonderful Susannah McCorkle. Kent proves to be a worthy inheritor of it and other tunes in this all-French language album. Several tracks from the French repertory were featured on her previous recording, the fine Breakfast on the Morning Tram (Blue Note, ...
read moreAndrea Fultz: The German Projekt German Songs from the Twenties and Thirties
by Andrew Velez
Since its origins in the turbulent 1920s-'30s, and with the occasional exception of a vocalist-cum-chanteuse like Ute Lemper, the authoritative renditions by Marlene Dietrich and Lotte Lenya have pretty much held title to this music, which might be called the Great German Songbook. Which makes it all the more impressive that Munich-born Andrea Fultz, who has worked with a variety of bands with material ranging from American Songbook to electronica and bossa nova, makes so impressive an impact with this ...
read moreLester Young: Centennial Celebration Lester Young
by Andrew Velez
Although he'd lived a scant 50 hard years when he died in 1959, tenor sax giant Lester Willis Young was and remains one of the most vital and influential forces in jazz. He used words as singularly as he played, dubbing Billie Holiday “Lady Day"; theirs was an incomparable musical pairing and she returned the favor, calling him “Prez" for president. Prez proved to be the key link between the early jazz of Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins with the ...
read moreBrubeck: The Quintessence (1948-1959) ; Take Five; QSF Plays Brubeck; 1975: The Duets & Jazz at Oberlin
by Andrew Velez
Dave Brubeck/Paul DesmondThe Quintessence (1948-1959)Fremeaux & Associes.2009 Sachal Studios OrchestraTake FiveSachal Music2009 Quartet San FranciscoQSF Plays BrubeckViolinJazz2009 Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond1975: The DuetsA&M-Verve2009 Dave Brubeck QuartetJazz at Oberlin Fantasy/OJC-Concord2009 Hail, Brubeck! Most recently David ...
read moreHouston Person: Mellow
by Andrew Velez
Houston Person's Mellow could easily have been called “Up Close and Personal." With dozens and dozens of recordings to his credit, it's just the latest in a long list of exemplary sets that always evidence the warmth of his tone and the directness of his tenor sax phrasing. Also mixed in as well is a funky R&B feeling. That is particularly noticeable on the bouncy “Sunny" that opens the set. Everyone gets into a sweet heat, most notably when James ...
read moreNellie McKay: Normal As Blueberry Pie - A Tribute To Doris Day
by Andrew Velez
Listening to Normal As Blueberry Pie, one might say Nellie McKay is not a traditional jazz singer, whatever that is. In the case of this “Tribute to Doris Day," she's just good and also a lot of fun. Musically, McKay's voice can be feathery at times and, like Day, she has perfect pitch and an optimistic delivery that sounds effortless. All but one of the songs are drawn from the hundreds that Day recorded, from her big band days to ...
read moreTerry Waldo: The Ohio Theatre Concert
by Andrew Velez
No less a ragtime icon than composer Eubie Blake himself endorsed pianist, musical director, arranger and early jazz scholar Terry Waldo as being “an extension of my own musical self." Waldo's irresistible way with this music is in full glory on this 1974 concert. Blake himself was to have participated, but missed the concert due to illness. In his place Waldo plays a quartet of solo ragtime classics including two Scott Joplin tunes, which were then gaining new popularity through ...
read moreAmy Cervini: Lovefool
by Andrew Velez
For this recording songbird Amy Cervini drops ever so lightly upon songs on the theme of love. The sources are as varied as Jack Johnson and Depeche Mode, covering a broad spectrum of genres, styles and periods. The opener, “Bye-Bye Country Boy," recalls a sophisticate's brief pastoral dalliance. It's a tune that others are rediscovering now that Blossom Dearie, the previous owner, has passed on. Cervini's soprano is of firmer stuff than Dearie's, though her clarity and lyric touch are ...
read moreRoni Ben-Hur: Fortuna
by Andrew Velez
This is a worthy follow-up to Roni Ben-Hur's Smile (Motema, 2009), on which he was memorably paired with fellow guitarist Gene Bertoncini. The Israeli-born composer and arranger is teamed here with three stalwarts, the late pianist Ronnie Mathews, percussionist Steve Kroon and drummer Lewis Nash. This is the same rhythm section Ben-Hur used for the album that preceded Smile, 2005's Keepin' It Open (Motema Music). They're joined by bassist Rufus Reid, with whom Ben-Hur worked on the guitarist's fourth release ...
read moreDavid "Fathead" Newman: The Blessing
by Andrew Velez
What an apt name The Blessing is for David Newman's final recording before his death ended a long career last January (2009). He played for more than a decade with Ray Charles and alongside Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Roy Ayers, among many others. For this last studio session he was in fine form. A Milt Jackson gem, “SKJ," is the set's opener, Steve Nelson's vibes providing glowing cascades before Newman swings in with a solo as brief in its ...
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