The Whole Music Experience

Jazz Deborah Latz   Fig Tree June Moon Productions Ever so often a new voice crosses my path, a musician so authentic, that I pause and take notice.  Deborah Latz comes to jazz by way of musical theater, but she’s no cabaret act, neither is she a smooth jazz crooner.  Latz’ zingy interpretations of jazz chestnuts as well as, her original tunes get under the skin.  Her arrangements surprise us, such as the slowed down Embraceable You which features only vocals and bass or Blue Skies with its light 70s funk.  Latz travels into foreign territory, Brazil with her original E Luxo Só and on the cover Corcovado ( Quiet Nights , Quiet Stars made famous by Astrud Gilberto).  The titular track, Fig Tree also contributes a fun and zestful performance to the CD. It’s hard to come up with any new adjectives not already used by music critics to describe Latz’s voice or style.  So I just decided to enjoy what’s on offer, 14 carefully ch...

Jazz Catherine Russell Strictly Romancin’ World Village/Harmonia Mundi (2012) A follow-up to her World Village CD, Inside This Heart of Mine Catherine Russell’s Strictly Romancin’ sizzles with nostalgia.   Opening with New Orleans jazz, Under the Spell of the Blues and then following that with the sultry ballad, I’m in the Mood for Love , why not revisit the album this Valentine’s Day? I admit, I’m reviewing the album a year after its release, but that just proves the staying power of this recording.   Russell has style to burn and she seems equally at ease belting out a bluesy piece as she does in conveying heartfelt emotions with the soulful ballads.   She kicks up dust with Wake Up and Live , which will cause listeners to wake up and dance. I enjoy watching Russell’s videos on YouTube too.   Check out her version of the saucy Kitchen Man or any of the promotional pieces from her World Village recordings.   On Strictly Romancin’...

Jazz Chris McNulty The Song that Sings You Here Challenge Records If you didn’t know the story behind Chris McNulty’s album The Song that Sings You Here , you might find the album romantic and sensual.   And it is those things, but the irony of McNulty’s son’s death and the story that McNulty includes in the liner notes contributes pathos that hovers over both the covers and original tunes that grace the album.   For instance, when you hear the jazz chanteuse croon the words to One Less Bell to Answer (Bacharach/David), you feel McNulty’s heart breaking.   Then the vocalist closes the album with the titular song she composed before the death of her son.   She sings, “Just like the sun, an ageless flame.   Just like the moon and sand. Just like your eyes that shine forever here through all time, love’s a long road home.” Backed by a stellar band that includesUgonna Okegwo on bass, Marcus Gilmore on drums, Paul Bollenback on guitars...

Marshall Gilkes Sound Stories Alternative Side Records When trombonist Marshall Gilkes’ Sound Stories arrived at my post office box, I had no plans for reviewing the recording in the near future.   I was taking a short sabbatical from reviewing so I could concentrate on other projects.   However, out of curiosity, I slipped Sound Stories into my CD player and the music grabbed me.   The blend of lyrical and be bop jazz played tightly by this quintet begged for a review.   With Gilkes leading, Donny McCaslin (tenor sax), Adam Birnbaum (piano), Yasushi Nakamura (bass) and Eric Doob (drums) through both composed-through and improvisations, this album showcases a great deal of jazz talent.   Who doesn’t enjoy the alchemical process of music? A little bass, drums, toss in piano, and an extensive conversation between tenor saxophone and trombone, and you have a recipe for a jazzy escape. The ironically titled, Anxiety--Part 1 and Part 2 did not ...