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Jeff Baker: Shopping for Your Heart
ByThe "just play" recording approach employed for this set suits Baker's style. He sounds relaxed, his cool, smooth vocals rolling like a flow of a snowmelt stream. His silky delivery has matured and his voice has coarsened a bit, if ever so slightly, on the opener, Miles Davis' "All Blues." It all comes together here: Jeff Johnson's thick bass throb opens the tune; drummer John Bishop bumps along with Johnson's bounce. Pianist Bill Anschellonce Nnenna Freelon's musical directorflashes into the mix with sharp bursts of clean light, and about four and a half minutes in, saxophonist Brent Jensen weaves his a tart tone into the mix. This soundthe songs, the arrangements, the musicianship, the group dynamic, the singingis near perfection, and at just a touch over eight minutes, the piece ends too soon.
Baker's chosen his material well. Classics like "In the Wee Small Hours" and "Time After Time"familiar Sinatra vehiclesmix it up with jazz tunes: Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite" and "Billie's Bounce" (Baker's bebop chops will knock you out), along with pop hits like like Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me" and James Taylor's "Mean Old Man."
Put away those "emerging talent" or "promising" descriptions for Jeff Baker. Shopping for Your Heart proves that he's one of the finest vocalists on the scene.
Track Listing
All Blues; What'll I Do; Roll to Me; In the Wee Small Hours; Shopping for Your Heart; Billie's Bounce; A Day in the Life of a Fool; Stolen Moments; Will You Still Love Me; Yardbird Suite; Mean Old Man; Time After Time.
Personnel
Jeff Baker
vocalsJeff Baker: vocals; Brent Jensen: saxophones; Bill Anschell: piano; Jeff Johnson: bass; John Bishop: drums.
Album information
Title: Shopping for Your Heart | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: OA2 Records