Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Carla Cook: Dem Bones

Carla Cook: Dem Bones

By Jim Santella
May 1, 2001
Sign in to view read count

The title of Carla Cook's latest album refers to the trombone choir she's enlisted to blend with her silky smooth voice. Her natural ability makes this one work. Whether she's scat singing, crooning soft ballads, or spinning acrobatic vocalese, Cook is always on pitch and quite in control. Her expressiveness is what makes her performances special. Cook, who grew up in Detroit, has made the connection between jazz and similar art forms. She made her decision to become a jazz singer while still in the 8th grade.

On Fred Wesley's "For the Elders," Cook fills the role of fourth chair trombone. Her wordless vocals match the trombone trio that well. With ballads such as "Like a Lover" and "Someone to Light Up My Life," she's at the top of her form. But it's snappy scat singing that reveals itself as Cook's greatest strength. Near the finish of "Better than Anything," for example, she moves into a trumpet-like scat vocal that says it all better than words can.

Carla Cook's eclectic program choices reflect her varied background. A degree in Speech Communication and formal training in voice, bass and piano must surely have helped hone her natural skills. Like most singers, exposure to many music forms has made her comfortable with it all. Finding "Ode to Billie Joe" and "Come, Ye Disconsolate" on her jazz album may come as a surprise, but it fits well. Cyrus Chestnut, James Genus and Billy Kilson provide a superb team spirit. More than just a superb follow-up to her It's All About Love debut, Dem Bones reminds us of power that jazz has in its capacity for creating bridges to most other art forms.

Track Listing

The More I See You; Like A Lover; Oh Gee; Dem Bones; Just A Sittin' And A Rockin'; Ode To Billie Joe; Someone To Light Up My Life; For The Elders; Come, Ye Disconsolate; Better Than Anything; A Lover's Lullaby (Total Time: 60:31).

Personnel

Carla Cook

vocals

Carla Cook: Vocals; Cyrus Chestnut: Keyboards; James Genus: Bass; Fred Wesley, Craig Harris, Tyrone Jefferson: Trombone; Jeffery Haynes: Percussion.

Album information

Title: Dem Bones | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: MA Recordings

< Previous
Cynthia Sayer

Next >
Larry Fuller: It's a Dream to Play wi...

Comments

About Carla Cook

Instrument: Vocals

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.