jazz2love

Album:  Jitterbug To Lonely Things Artist:  Miwa Gemini Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.miwagemini.com Jitterbug To Lonely Things from vocalist Miwa Gemini feels like a ride through a carnival from the reflective "New Year's Day" to the percolating minstrel "Jitterbug To Lonely Things."  Gemini's fourth release is lanterned in pleasing aesthetics from her gorgeous vocal tones to the graceful expressions played in the instrumentation. The winding strings in "Spring Without You" have a succor effect on the soul as Gemini's gentle voicing whispers in the listeners ears, "Oh, the spring has come / Then why do I feel so blue / Oh, the spring has come / But not for me."  The title track continues along this pattern with succor-clad swells as Gemini's vocals traipse softly along the waltzing tempo of the billowy horn and swinging strings.  Another inviting track is "Better Life" with the gypsy-like jangle of the tambou

Album:  I'm with You Artist:  Mark Winkler Label: Café Pacific Records Website:  http://markwinklermusic.com Vocalist Mark Winkler sings the music of singer-songwriter Bobby Troup on his newest release I'm with You from Café Pacific Records.  American gems like the iconic "Route 66" and the perky romper "Triskaidekaphobia" are reawakened in Winkler's hands as he revamps the swing music of the 1940's and '50s.  From the romantic ambience of "It Happened Once Before" to the lightning-sharp filament powering the title track, Winkler takes the music traditionally played in the lounge rooms of the Las Vegas casinos out in the open. The bend of a lyrical phrase, the extension of a syllable, and the rhythmic fingersnapping timing of a verse are each considered in Winkler's delivery as he moves through Troup's repertoire with complete aplomb.  He refers to Troup as a kindred spirit of his and demonstrates what he means by that in h

Album:  I Remember You:  The Music of Nat King Cole Artist:  Nicolas Bearde Label:  Right Groove Records Website:  www.nicolasbearde.com I Remember You: The Music of Nat King Cole is Nicolas Bearde’s newest endeavor and the sixth CD he has released on his own label, Right Groove Records.  His re-imaginings modernize the formula for swing music from the days of Nat King Cole.  Bearde's R&B enriched voicing helms the tracks, engaging the listener's melodic sensibilities.  Creamy and debonair, Bearde's renditions move the music of Nat King Cole into the 21st century in time with Cole's 100th birthday celebration. Supple and smooth, Bearde's treatment of "That Sunday, That Summer" displays his sensual phrasing and even keel.  Moving deeper into the recording, the emotive tone of his voice in "Funny (Not Much)" rings like a nightingale as Eric Alexander's saxophone twirls float with a lingering peal above the melodic verses of the piano k

Album:  When We Were Young Artist:   Kelley Suttenfield Website:  www.kelleysuttenfield.com Singer Kelley Suttenfield offers her renderings of some of Neil Young's most notable tunes on her recording When We Were Young ,  featuring the Memling Ensemble String Trio on a selection of tracks.  Produced and arranged by guitarist Tosh Sheridan, songs refurbished with orchestral elements by the Trio give them a new look and feel.  Suttenfield's own timbres are very much the female counterpart to Neil Young's gravelly bristles, possessing a similar folksy tone with smoother strokes and caressing motions. Her treatment of "The Losing End" is adorned in country twange trimmings accompanied by her vocal phrasing that sits comfortably on the bobbing knolls of the rhythm section.  "Flying on the Ground" is anchored by light-footed drumbeats rotating around the silky guitar strings bowing softly around Suttenfield's vocals, imbuing the track with a feminine t

Album:  Standards and Sweet Things Artist:  Fleur Seule Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.fleurseule.com Torchbearers of the Golden Age of swing, Fleur Seule led by frontwoman and vocalist Allyson Briggs breathe new life into classic ballroom numbers on their forthcoming release Standards and Sweet Things .  An exhilarating assortment of swing, ballroom jazz, bossa nova, salsa, and rumba tunes, the self-released recording is genuine Americana à la the Great American Songbook. America's period following the Prohibition Era and World War II is represented in Fleur Seule's song selections.  Scat favorites like "Them There Eyes" and "Taking a Chance on Love" are elbow to elbow with Latin-tinged moonlight serenades such as "Sabor a Mi" and "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan."  Briggs's vocal phrasing is tailored to the mood portrayed in the lyrics whether it's the jubilant "Manuelo" or the love-soaked "Misty," she

Album:  Love Is Artist:  Yvette Norwood-Tiger Label:  Serenity Records Website:  www.yvettenorwoodtiger.com Whether vocalist Yvette Norwood-Tiger is a chameleon or emotionally attached to the lyrics she sings, she is able to portray a wide range of feelings that demonstrates a penetrative vocalese.  Her latest release Love Is proves her versatility as a singer, reaching a range that extends from a graceful gait to a sultry purr.  Starting off, the Latin trimmings of "Song for My Father" move to the sensual sway of Tiger's vocals, which switch to a rhumba-esque rhythm along "Long Lost Friends," adorned in the ruffling toots of Michael Mackey's trumpet.  Her treatment of "La Vie En Rose" is heartfelt as Mackey's trumpet contours the melody with soaring pouts.  Languid and luxuriating, Tiger's vocalese on "My Funny Valentine" has a smooth bluesy sheen that is incomparable, as she transitions to a spiritual voicing in "C

Album:  Midnight Bloom Artist:  Miki Purnell Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.mikipurnell.net With a penchant for making beautiful music, vocalist Miki Purnell weaves elements of nocturnal blues, jazz lullabies, and smooth swing on her new recording Midnight Bloom .  Arranged by pianist Tamir Hendelman, the program has a springy vibe generated by Purnell's perky vocals, anchored by a fluid consistency in Hendelman's ruminating keys.  Warm and meditative, the music is a calming balm on the soul and a soothing libation on the aural senses. A combination of jazz standards and original works, Purnell brings the two worlds together on "Midnight Madness Called Jazz."  Harnessing the gentleness of Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight," Purnell takes the listener back to 1941 in her lyrics, describing the bright and lively scene at Minton's club during America's jazz age of the mid-20th century.  Laced with a hint of burlesque paired with noctu

Album:  Whyte Witchcraft Artist:  Ronny Whyte Label:  Audiophile Website:  www.ronnywhyte.com A prolific singer and songwriter, Ronny Whyte is known for his interpretations of classic swing, blues, and cabaret novelties. His latest release Whyte Witchcraft is a collection of Cy Coleman classics, featuring the Cecilia Coleman Big Band with special guest Eddie Monteiro on accordion.  Jazz vocals performed in the vane of Frank Sinatra, Michael Feinstein, and Harry Connick, Jr. is Whyte's specialty.  His magnet vocals caress the lyrics, emitting an infectious warmth that transcends time. Whyte displays a simpatico with the moonlit ambience of "Sometime When You're Lonely" that transports the listener to the tranquil beaches of the French Riviera.  The catchy phrasing of his vocals in "Witchcraft" boosts the rhythmic pulse of Mike Campenni's drums, then takes a meandering course through "Sweet Talk," moving along a winding track. The pondering m

Album:  Close Your Eyes Artist:  Carolyn Lee Jones Label:  Catn'round Sound Website:  www.carolynleejones.com Cabaret jazz had a place in each decade of the 20th century with its leading vocalists from blues singer Bessie Smith to jazz crooner Michael Feinstein.  Often characterized as burlesque music and bohemian blues, singer Carolyn Lee Jones revamps the cabaret style on her fourth release Close Your Eyes .  From the gentle amble of the storytelling verses in "I Was a Fool" to the enthusiastic splashing of the horns and the grooving swells rollicking along "That Old Black Magic," Jones embraces the multiple aspects of the cabaret culture and infuses a modern twist into jazz favorites. The bossa nova trimmings of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" silhouette Jones's vocals like a silk glove, embellished by Daniel Pardo's tweeting flute.  The swinging vibe of the horns shower lively sparkles across "When I Found You" as Jones