The Whole Music Experience

Kristy My Romance Alma Records Canadian jazz vocalist Kristy Cardinali tackles those old jazz standards on her debut recording My Romance . Jazz standards only sound simple on the surface. The torch songs require a palette of emotions, and the voice must sing well-modulated phrasings, which is daunting even to veteran jazz vocalists. Kristy (she uses the singular name as her moniker), nails the faster numbers such as Just One of Those Things and Bye Bye Blackbird (which she delivers a breathtaking rendition), and now that I have downloaded an upgrade for Media Player, I can hear lovely nuances in her vocals.  Though I still think I've heard better interpretations of You Don't Know Me . In fact, the best version ever I have heard of You Don’t Know Me was recorded by a jazz chanteuse from my neck-of-the-woods, Trish Hatley, granted, a vocalist that is easily twice Kristy’s age. Hatley is among my favorite singers of jazz standards along with Greta Matassa (Seattle...

Archival Reviews (Cranky Crow Whole Music) Orchid Ensemble Heartland (2003) Independent Release Orchid Ensemble Road to Kashgar (2004) Independent Release Orchid Ensemble's 2000 recording, Heartland possesses an appropriate title since this CD oozes heart and soul with its delicate collection of traditional and contemporary Chinese music along with music from other cultures. The ensemble is led by Lan Tung on erhu (a two-string stick fiddle that is played on the lap) and she is joined by zheng virtuoso scholar Mei Han and multi-cultural percussionist Jonathan Bernard (marimba and percussion). The 12 compositions on the CD, also feature dumbek, tar, djembe, tambourine, wood blocks, temple blocks, vibraphone, glockenspiel, Chinese opera gongs & drums, tuned bells, mark tree, and other exotic percussion. However, some listeners will be exposed to the 2,500 year old zheng with its pentatonic scale playing along side a Latin American marimba while the erhu weeps ov...