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Jazz Vocals, Page 7

Gail Jhonson | HerStory

Gail Jhonson - Her Story
 
Gail Jhonson | HerStory
By Peggy Oliver
 
Growing up in one of music’s historical hotbeds, Gail Jhonson was one of many hard working dreamers who truly loved to play the piano. She was thoroughly awed in how nearly everyone in Philadelphia seemed to take music seriously; even the one who were strictly ‘basement’ musicians. But between her teachers and funk heroes she heard on the radio like Sly (Stone) and Stevie (Wonder), there were constant conflicts of interest.

Nick Colionne | Feel The Heat

Nick Colionne - Feel The Heat
 
Nick Colionne | Feel The Heat
by Brent Faulkner
 
Contemporary jazz guitarist and vocalist Nick Colionne delivers enjoyable performances on his seventh studio effort, Feel the Heat. A veteran at this point, Colionne truly has little to prove, but that mindset does nothing to cloud his strong efforts here. From the first track to the closing track, one can easily hear Colionne’s sheer talents as a smooth jazz guitarist with superb soloing abilities.

Tony Exum, Jr. | Finally!

Tony Exum - Finally!
 
Tony Exum, Jr., Finally!
by Brent Faulkner
 
Saxophonist Tony Exum Jr.’s recent effort Finally! is a fine addition to a somewhat crowded smooth jazz genre. With enough crossover appeal to court with urban music fans given its R&B under- and overtones, Finally! definitely possesses something for everybody. It is a hefty task to differentiate smooth jazz oft times, but Exum makes an album that is enjoyable despite any restriction with the genre itself.

Alphonse Mouzon | Angel Face

Alphonse Mouzon - Angel Face
 
Angel Face
Alphonse Mouzon
(Tenacious)
 
by A. Scott Galloway
 
In a musical universe obsessed with guitars and saxes, it’s sometimes a challenge for a drummer to get a little respect. Alphonse Mouzon has gotten his as much for his playing as for his acumen as a renegade independent record label owner (Tenacious Records), the original drummer of fusion pioneers Weather Report and for a four decade string of eclectic jazz recordings as a leader that swing from inside to outside and all the spaces in between (not to mention his colorful fashion sense).

Boney James | Contact

Boney James - Contact
 
Boney James | Contact
By Brian Soergel
 
Saxophonist Boney James, one of the most consistently appealing players in contemporary jazz, returns with his first CD of all-new music since 2006’s Shine. That was his debut with Concord, and he also released a Christmas CD and covers project with four original songs. James is now with a new record label, Verve-Forecast.

Gretchen Parlato | The Lost And Found

Gretchen Parlato - Lost and Found
 
Gretchen Parlato | The Lost And Found
by Brent Faulkner
 
Gretchen Parlato is an exceptional young jazz vocal talent. On her third effort, The Lost And Found, the theme of the album is experimentation. Throughout the cerebral, enjoyable effort Parlato uses her voice in a number of capacities, making The Lost and Found one of the more innovative vocal jazz efforts in sometime. Parlato not only serves as the album’s muse, but also composes a number of the tracks.

Patti Austin | Sound Advice

Patti Austin - Sound Advice
 
Patti Austin | Sound Advice
By Peggy Oliver
 
Patti Austin’s extraordinary voice is a songwriter’s sweetest dream. Since she bowed on the stage at The Apollo Theater at age four with her godmother Dinah Washington, Austin was highly destined to be a songwriter’s best friend. Her maturity as a vocalist grew as a teenager touring with the legendary Harry Belafonte.

Chelsea Baratz | In Faith

Chelsea Baratz - In Faith
 
The New Voices of Today Presents…
 
Chelsea Baratz | In Faith
by Brent Faulkner
 
It is always a ‘breath of fresh air’ to hear a young, new voice in jazz. This time, the new voice comes from über talented saxophonist and composer, Chelsea Baratz, who sounds like a seasoned veteran at the ripe ‘old’ age of twenty four. On her debut effort, In Faith, creativity runs rapid whether it be funk-oriented numbers or more cerebral, neo-traditionalist cuts.

Paula Prophet | From Me To You


 
Album Review: Paula Prophet – From Me To You
By George Strand
 
(Scheduled to be released, January 11th, 2011)
 
Pacific Coast Recording artist Paula Prophet is no stranger to the jazz vocal program. Encompassing a selective mix of jazz standards, a swirl of R&B delicacies and a shake of that popcorn pop music sound, and well after 20 years stimulating listeners with her deep soul enticing voice, Ms. Prophet keeps her passion for singing alive and well in “From Me To You.”

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