Jazz Articles about Duchess

About Duchess

Album Review

A great party is never just an event. It is a sequence of emotions, encounters, expectations, surprises, fleeting romances, moments of reflection, and, ultimately, gratitude. On A Marvelous Party, Duchess (Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, Melissa Stylianou) transforms that universal experience into an irresistible jazz journey. More than a collection of standards and popular songs, this is a carefully conceived concept album that traces the cycle of a memorable gathering from invitation to farewell. Throughout the program, arranger Oded ...

Album Review

DUCHESS: Live At Jazz Standard

Read "Live At Jazz Standard" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
March 29, 2020

There are a fair number of vocal groups blending harmoniously and swinging through the jazz set today, but none are as charmingly sassy as DUCHESS. With two studio albums already under a collective belt—actually three, if you include an under-the-radar Christmas set—it only made sense for vocalists Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou to finally show the greater listening community what Duchess does on the stage. Joining up with its regular rhythm section—pianist Michael Cabe, guitarist ...

Album Review

DUCHESS: Laughing At Life

Read "Laughing At Life" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
January 27, 2017

Jollity seems to be at a premium these days, so thank God for DUCHESS. This fizzy vocal trio is the antidote to all things grim, bringing joy to the masses one smile and song at a time. Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou--three of the most captivating vocalists around today--clearly appreciate great music laced with good humor. With their trio debut--DUCHESS (Anzic Records, 2015)--they delved into a brand of Boswell Sisters-inspired music that you just don't ...

Album Review

DUCHESS: DUCHESS

by Dan Bilawsky
January 22, 2015

There's a new vocal super group in town, and it proves that bonhomie hasn't been banished from jazz. DUCHESS--the sublime combination of Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou--is a serious musical force, but it makes some seriously friendly music. Cervini, Gardner, and Stylianou each delivered superb releases on the Anzic imprint in 2014, but that didn't stop them from making time to work out some “girl-on-girl harmony," as they put it. They spread affability throughout New ...