Judi Silvano: Indigo Moods

Vocalist Judi Silvano celebrates 20 years of jazz recording with the release of Indigo Moods on the Jazzed Media label. After recording in a variety of formats, with and without husband and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, Silvano lands here with a collection of standards that features pianist Peter Tomlinson providing the harmonic guidance and trumpeter Fred Jacobs adding the color. Such an intimate environment provides maximum artistic exposure for vocalists, and only the most experienced singers can not only withstand such exposure, but turn it to their benefit. Silvano does exactly both with grace and poise.

Silvano makes this an intensely personal project, permeating the music with her experience, artistry and courage. "Skylark" is almost idiosyncratic with her approach and phrasing, as is the final verse of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo." Silvano bends notes to cry uncle, creating a harmonic tension and release that is the bread and butter of only the best singers. Like tenor saxophonist John Coltrane's tone, Silvano's voice is not so much pretty as commanding and sublime. It is one that cannot be ignored.

If Indigo Moods has a center of gravity, it is Tadd Dameron's exquisite ballad, "If You Could See Me Now." The divine chemistry between Silvano, Tomlinson and Jacobs is transparent to the quantum-level point, giving an aural glimpse of what makes the craft of jazz vocals such a special subset of the overall genre. Jacobs plays muted, giving an organic reading of the accompaniment flourishes that give vocal recitals their deep hues and tones. Silvano captures all of the melancholy of love lost, deeply etched with her singing experience. These are the qualities that make this recording so exceptional. This is experienced singing sung well.