Album Review: Kayleidoscope from Kaylé Brecher

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Album:  Kayleidoscope
Artist:  Kaylé Brecher
Label:  Penchant Four Music
Website:  www.brecherjazz.com

 Part spicy, part sublime, and part exotic sounding, singer-songwriter Kaylé Brecher displays the many facets of her vocals on her 8th release Kayleidoscope from Penchant Four Music label.  A collection of classic pop standards and original tunes, the release gives Brecher a platform to enchant audiences with bursts of scatting, an art form that is rarely exercised.  Accompanying Brecher on the recording are a variety of musicians who contour her vocals, bringing out the firm grip that her timbres have on the lyrics.

The elegant inflections in her vocals create an amorous mood in "Something About You" as she whirls into a salsa rhythm, nuzzling the lyrics while she calls out, "There's something about you / Something that puts the magic in a song / You are the colors of the sunset... You are love and you are grace / And you are everything that is meaningful to me."  Keeping to the theme of emotions that spring due to love, the sultry swagger in her vocals display the image of a woman enamored in "Shattered" as she moves independent of the knolls carved out by Ratzo Harris's acoustic bass.

Her remake of "My Favorite Things," a fan favorite showtune written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein for the musical The Sound of Music, is spruced in the crystalline sheen of Dr. John Valerio's keys, dimpled by Grant MacAvoy's brushed drums and the smooth beats of Darryl Hall's acoustic bass.  Brecher delivers spicy scatting along "Glad Bag," and an exotic tint in her voicing through "Fruits of the Spirit."  Possessing a sublime tone reflective of vocalist Sarah Vaughan and an uplifting scat stylizing liken to Anita O'Day, Brecher presents "Sea of Dophins" with stunning luster.

Breezy and suave, Brecher's vocals brandish an attractive touch of insouciance.  A veritable veteran at singing, she has performed in settings that range from traditional jazz to bop, blues, and improvised music.   Her expressive voicing and improvised scatting are a testament to her vocal experience and love of free form jazz.

Musicians:
Kaylé Brecher - all vocals and all arrangements
Miriam Suzzette Ortiz - vocal harmony on "Something About You"
Frank Butrey - electric guitar and acoustic guitar
Dr. John Valerio - piano
Michael Louis Frank - piano
David Dzubinski - piano
Miriam Suzzette Ortiz - piano
Ratzo Harris - acoustic bass
Darryl Hall - acoustic bass
Andy Lalasis - acoustic bass
Jim Stager - acoustic bass
Doc Gibbs - percussion
Joe Ruscitto - percussion
Juan Castellanos - percussion
Erik Johnson - drums
Grant MacAvoy - drums

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