Kathy Sanborn: Romance Language

Over 60 years ago, the original television series, The Twilight Zone (Rod Serling, CBS, 1959-64), had an unusually memorable episode. Called "Passage for a Trumpet," it featured Jack Klugman, alcoholic, down on his luck and suicidal. A trumpet player named Joey Crown uttered the memorable line, "This horn is half my language." OK. No spoiler. It is a spectacular performance, and now Kathy Sanborn has, in a way, produced an album based on it. The player for the episode was Uan Rasey, to whom Sanborn dedicates Romance Language. Rasey was special, Klugman was special and, for that matter, this recording is, in its way, special, too. Why Sanborn chose to honor Rasey this way only she can say, but he is a player worth remembering.

Sanborn has been described as an "award-winning sultry jazz singer." The description is apt, for this slow-to-medium-tempo recording is full of good things. Sanborn writes and plays keyboards, and she mixed and produced this recording, which is actually her ninth release. The romance is a play on words, of course, since she records in Spanish, French and even a bit of Italian. Next, her listeners expect to hear Occitan, which will almost complete her mastery in Romance. All in all, very impressive.

"Romance Language" is a tune dedicated to Uan Rasey, who is channeled throughout by trumpet player Wayne Ricci. Whether playing an open or muted horn, Ricci weaves the right tapestry around Sanborn's singing, a kind of late-night, noir, on-the-rooftop sound that works very well. "Never Blue," "Sonrisa," "Cambios" and "Si Bon" all preserve the same kind of atmospherics, the kind of warmth that decorates a day of sun-showers. "Sonrisa," is, in fact, about the effect of a smile, fittingly enough.

In sum, this is a minimalist production, but very satisfying. It leaves a listener wanting to hear more from this Berkeley-born, New-York-based singer.

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