Angela DeNiro: My Shining Hour

Spouses Ron Aprea and Angela DeNiro co-hosted a weekly jazz radio show on WSHR-FM in New York for two years. Together, they featured the music of legendary artists from the jazz community along with sterling interviews. They've performed with the best. Just four years ago, DeNiro won first prize on BET-TV's Jazz Discovery program.

With My Shining Hour, the singer is due for wider visibility. The album captures her heartfelt spirit and parades her musical talents for all to enjoy. The program begins with the title track, which features trumpeters Don Sickler and Mike Carubia and trombonist Scott Whitfield backing the vocalist in a bouncy big band arrangement. Like a Basie adventure, the arrangement carries them across decades of jazz territory.

"Surrey with the Fringe on Top" follows with a lovely lyric interpretation punctuated by Cecilia Coleman's hard bop piano interlude. The mood swells significantly. DeNiro and Aprea follow with a stirring unison passage: she as scat vocalist and he on flute. Together, they fold in tradition with a musical freshness.

Aprea's tribute to Phil Woods, "For Phil," features quaint lyrics over a bossa nova aura, as well as Aprea's sensual alto saxophone solo stretch. He's captured the straight-ahead bop essence perfectly, while she's honored the artist through a storyteller's vocal interpretation. She and Scott Whitfield sing "Joy Spring" with the kind of warmth that Clifford Brown espoused, while the band surrounds them with swinging fun. Their vocalese captures the moment.

"Satchmo's Samba" allows DeNiro the freedom to run with a lyric in high gear. Aprea lends a powerful alto saxophone solo that raises the intensity level considerably. Together, they drive straight ahead enthusiastically.

With strings, the vocalist slows for meaningful ballads like "Someone to Watch Over Me," which celebrate her "shining hour" from a contrasting perspective. Whether persuading through a heartfelt ballad mood or romping through a driving vocalese adventure, Angela DeNiro gives a highly recommended performance that's certainly deserving of much wider recognition. It's about time.

Visit Angela DeNiro on the web for mp3 samples and more.

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