Jeremy Fox: With Love

Dr. Jeremy Fox has certainly made his mark in the jazz world but, not as a singer or musician but rather, as an educator/clinician, vocal coach and arranger, and on his inaugural album With Love, Fox offers an inspirational vocal album of jazz standards deserving serious attention. Assembling a group of ten world-class vocalist with varied combos, studio orchestra, a big band and a string section, Fox presents eleven newly-arranged standards from the likes of Sammy Cahn, Cole Porter, Neil Hefti and Artie Shaw among others. Writing custom arrangements for a host of top-notch singers was, in part, based on his Doctoral project in Jazz Composition at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, the beautiful music found on this album, is the result of that creative effort.

Based in Miami, FL, the Doctor draws from many area singers with national reputations like fellow alumnus Kate Reid, Kevin Mahogany, Wendy Pedersen as well as drawing international artists like Peter Eldridge and Lauren Kinhan—both members of the renowned New York Voices—along with Brazilian singer Rose Max and Swedish vocalist Anders Edenroth. Opening the music is a brand new arrangement of the time-honored Lew Brown/Sammy Fain standard "That Old Feeling" with Professor Reid providing the smooth vocals befitting such a tune. Essentially, book ending the album by appearing one more time on the finale, Reid—with the accompaniment of the String section—provides a truly inspiring version of the Sergio Mendes staple "So Many Stars."

Grammy-nominated singer Kate McGarry graces the recording with a tender treatment of the Cahn/Van Heusen standard "All My Tomorrows" followed by one of the highlights of the disc with baritone vocalist Kevin Mahogany's superb voicing of "Three Little Words." Not to be outdone, Derek Fawcett—founding member of the Chicago-based pop group Down The Line—delivers a fantastic version of "Get Out of Town," featuring Alex Weitz on tenor saxophone with some of the best instrumentals of the recording. Versatile jazz singer Sunny Wilkinson provides a warm and gentle take of the Stephen Sondheim song "Not While I'm Around" followed by a terrific arrangement of the Hefti/Bobby Troupe classic "Girl Talk," delivered by the sensational Wendy Pedersen with a little help from alto saxophonist Neil Carson.

Two beautiful soft spots on the recording come from first, the Edenroth original "Friendship" complete with cello, flugelhorn and flute solos, and the Jimmy Dorsey immortal "I'm Glad There Is You" voiced with emotion by Eldridge. Fellow New York Voices member, Kinhan gets to swing a bit on the big band arrangement of Shaw's perky "Moonray" assisted by pianist/keyboardist Daniel Strange, director of an All-Star Jazz ensemble in Coral Gables, FL. Cleverly crafted for some of arranger Jeremy Fox's favorite singers, With Love is a treasure trove of gorgeous arrangements, outstanding vocal performances and stellar instrumentals—all defining this charming recording as one of the best vocal albums on the jazz landscape.