Duchess Live at the Jazz Standard

Duchess
Live at the Jazz Standard
Anzic Records

After two delightful studio albums, Duchess, the flirty and fun jazz vocal trio of Amy Cervini, Hillary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou, have a new recording catching their entertaining act at The Jazz Standard in New York City. Backing Duchess is a swinging quartet of Michael Cabe – piano, Jesse Lewis – guitar, Matt Aronoff – bass, and Jared Schonig – drums on a selection of songs, some of which are from the two prior recordings.

The trio's girl harmony harks back to classic swing vocal groups like the Boswell Sisters and The Andrew Sisters. They sing "(We) Love Being Here With You," which is followed by "Swing Brother Swing," both of which also feature Lewis' biting guitar in addition to the charm of their singing. The brief spoken interludes add to the appeal here. Other notable selections include a cover of The Boswell Sisters' recording, "Herbie Jeebies," with definite showmanship and an effervescent "On the Sunny Side of the Street." Then there is the wisdom of "A Little Jive Is Good for You," and a marvelous rendition of Duke Ellington's "Creole Love Call." Wycliffe Gordon provided the handsome arrangement of this latter number, which they offer an affecting performance with their wordless vocal harmonies.

There is plenty of manic orderly chaos on "Everybody Loves My Baby," with tempo changes and even a kazoo solo to close this cd. "Live at the Jazz Standard" is another delightful album of serious fun from Duchess.

I received my review copy from Anzic Records. here they are performing Duke Ellington's "Creole Love Call."

Duchess Laughing at Life

Duchess
Laughing at Life
Anzic Records

Duchess, the flirty and fun jazz vocal trio of Amy Cervini, Hillary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou, have a second recording that provides a contemporary take on such classic vocal trios as the Boswell Sisters and the Andrews Sisters as they provide fresh and delightful takes on mostly classics of early jazz, and the American Songbook. They are backed by pianist Michael Cabe, bassist Matt Aronoff, and drummer Jared Schonig with guitarist Jesse Lewis appearing ion 9 of the 14 selections and tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer on four. Additionally Wycliffe Gordon adds trombone to two selections and Anat Cohen adds clarinet to two. The trio share vocals on eleven tracks while each is featured on one.

The trio opens with a delightful take on Clarence Williams' "Swing Brother Swing" which is handled a bit more sweetly than Catherine Russell's recent recording of this number. Lederer rips off some ferocious tenor sax on it. "On The Sunny Side of the Street" is a pretty familiar standard and their backing trio adds fresh accents to the harmonies and vocal interplay with Cabe taking a lively solo. The title track is a sprite number new to these ears followed by a lively rendition of the classic "Everybody Loves My Baby" with Anat Cohen's adds fills around the vocals that include some double time singing and scatting before she takes a wonderful solo. This is a marvelous performance followed by a lazy, wistful "Stars Fell on Alabama," with Wycliffe Gordon adding some growling and crying trombone.

Amy Cervini sings Cole Porter's amusing "Give Him the Oo La La" with Gardner and Stylianou adding their backing while Stylianou takes lead on, "Where Would You Be Without Me," from a sixties Broadway show and Lewis takes a guitar solo here. Gordon joins again on Ellington's "Creole Love Call," on which Duchess sings lyrics in addition to wordless vocalizing. Gordon conjures up Bubber Miley and Tricky Sam Nanton with his growling mute as well as adds his own vocalizing and scatting to that of Duchess on a marvelous take on Ellingtonia. Gardner is up front on a nice take on the Ray Charles classic, "Hallelujah I Love Her (Him) So," and then the trio provides a ruminative take on Porter's "Er'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Johnny Mercer's "Strip Polka" is far from reflective with its zany lyric of a burlesque queen who strips as the band plays a polka while she is always a lady who stops just in time with Lederer's tenor sax providing the right atmosphere.

After a bouncy "Here's to the Losers," Cohen adds some warm clarinet to a lovely "We'll Meet Again" before a bonus track, "Dawn" which sounds like a lullaby. It is an enchanting finish to another delightful recording from Duchess.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371) but I have made a few corrections and minor changes. Here Duchess sings "Everybody Loves My Baby."

Duchess's Jazz Harmonies Shine on Self-Titled Album

Duchess is a New York based, all-women jazz vocal group featuring Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou, singing in the "close harmony" style associated with groups such as the Boswell Sisters who have released an eponymously titled recording on Anzic Records. The recording was produced by by Oded Lev-Ari, who helmed previous Anzic releases by Cervini and Stylianou. The trio are supported by a band led by drummer Matt Wilson with pianist Michael Cabe, and bassist Paul Sikivie. Also making their presence felt are saxophonist Jeff Lederer and guitarist Jesse Lewis.

The songs included range from a Peggy Lee number "I Love Being Here With You", Johnny Mercer's "P.S. I Love You" a playful Gershwin rarity with "Blah, Blah, Blah" and a direct Boswell Sisters homage with their arrangement of "Heebie Jeebies." The trio provide new twists on "Que Sera, Sera" and the standard "I'll Be Seeing You." Each gets a solo spot with "My Brooklyn Love Song" (Hilary), "A Doodlin' Song" (Amy) and "Humming to Myself" (Melissa). While occasionally they focus on the ballad side of the material, often the performances are flirty and playful with the backing band providing solid swing and saxophonist Lederer and guitarist Lewis adding marvelous solos.

Peggy Lee's "Love Being Here With You" opens with its bouncy perkiness, marvelous harmonies as they personalize the lyrics as they promise to swing this joint tonight before Lederer rips off a solo. They trade lead vocals and mix harmonies of "There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears," which sounds like an updating of a classic blues with sharp solos from Lewis and pianist Michael Cabe. Doris Day would approve the lovely rendition of "Que Sera, Sera," while Amy Cervini is perky with her colleagues adding to the perkiness of "A Doodlin' Song," with harmony backing and spoken asides with some tough tenor sax complimenting the light-hearted singing.

Wilson second line groove provides the primary backing for the lively reworking of the Chordettes hit "Lollipop," with a lively tenor sax-drum duo break in the middle. "It's a Man" with its lyrics warning women of a two-legged animal, sports some honking sax. The perky, lively harmonies of "Heebie Jeebies" closes a delightful and enchanting recording that may not be the deepest side of blues, but sure is full of serious fun.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in slightly different form in the November-December 2015 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 363). Here is Duchess performing "I Love Being Here With You."