Single Review: You're Driving Me Crazy from Naama Gheber

Single:  You're Driving Me Crazy
Artist:  Naama Gheber
Website:  https://www.naamagheber.com

Naama Gheber's treatment of popular tunes from the Great American Songbook is manna for the ears.  Her reimagining of Walter Donaldson's 1930 classic blues ballad "You're Driving Me Crazy," made popular by vocalist Billie Holiday and saxophonist Stan Getz, is another delight that will be included in her November 2022 EP If I Knew Then.

In the vane of Holiday, Gheber personalizes the song with flirty inflections and nuanced vocals that engage the listener's attention.  Joined by pianist Ben Paterson, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Evan Sherman, Gheber indulges in a playful exchange with her band, displaying a charisma that is entirely of her own style.  Gheber's vocals move from a mambo-infused sway to a sprightly swing and closes with a bluesy vamp.  The arrangement keeps the listener bewitched by the versatility and flexibility in her vocals, and her instinct for knowing where to take the melody to hold her audience.

Naama Gheber first received notoriety during her residencies over the past few years at Manhattan’s Mezzrow Jazz Club.  She was born in Beér Sheva, Israel in 1991, and though she primarily grew up in the city in the Negev Desert, she spent four of her early childhood years living in Baltimore, Maryland, while her parents attended Johns Hopkins University. It was the start of a lifelong bond with America and American culture.

Influenced by such singers as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Helen Merrill, Gheber fell in love with the singers and melodies from the Great American Songbook.  She succeeded in finding her own voice, honing these novelty tunes while carving a niche for herself and delighting audiences.   In her hands, these pop classics are like manna for the ears.

Musicians:
Naama Gheber - vocals
Ben Paterson - piano
Neal Miner - bass
Evan Sherman - drums