Lyn Stanley London With a Twist: Live at Bernie's

Lyn Stanley
London With a Twist: Live at Bernie's
A.T. Music LLC

This is the second of vocalist Lyn Stanley's tributes to the legendary Julie London. It is a follow-up to her wonderful "London Calling - A Toast To Julie London." The present recording was recorded Direct-To-Disc at Bernie Grundman's Mastering Studio in Hollywood, so this was a live-in-studio recording, but not at a club. It was like a high wire act as unlike a standard recording with tape, any 'mistakes' might be preserved or require a whole new recording. Stanley brought to the studio a band of guitarist John Chiodini (who co-produced this with Stanley), pianists Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang, bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Aaron Serfaty, and percussionist Luis Conte. Except for the pianists, the musicians also played on "London Calling." This band Stanley has named The Jazz Mavericks.

Like the prior CD, there is no attempt by Stanley to mimic Julie London. Instead, there is an attempt to create a similar mood to London's music, although Stanley's vocal technique and style is different from London's. In both cases, one gets an intimate sensuality with Stanley employing a sultry half-spoken soft sung delivery which often is set against sophisticated backing. Berghofer's bass opens "Route 66," a song that London never recorded by was written by her husband, Bobby Troup who played it often with Berghofer. It is followed by a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac." It is one of two contemporary numbers that Stanley attempts to perform in a manner that Julie London might have sung this. Pianist Ruiz and guitarist Chiodini standout on this behind Stanley's deliberate singing. I did find the rendition of Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" less convincing.

Among other standout performances are an evocative interpretation of "Lover Man," with some deft and thoughtful piano; a beautiful "Blue Moon" with Chiodini's chorded guitar and Berghofer's firm bass line; and a lesser-known blue ballad from the World War II era, "Love Letters." Berghofer and Stanley open "Bye Bye Blackbird" as a duet before the full band provides a fuller setting. Perhaps her most exceptional vocal is a heartfelt "Body and Soul" with some wondrous backing followed by a lively performance of "In the Still of the Night" that closes this recording.

The sound, like Lyn Stanley's prior recordings, marvelously captures every nuance of the vocals and backing. "London With a Twist," might not be almost as satisfying a tribute to Julie London as "London Calling," but has more than enough charms to warrant considerable interest. It is available in a variety of formats.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386). Here is "Route 66" from this album.

Lyn Stanley The Moonlight Sessions Volume One

Lyn Stanley
The Moonlight Sessions Volume One
A.T. Music LLC

A former corporate marketing executive, Southern California vocalist Lyn Stanley has produced this, the first of two volumes that is directed not simply at jazz enthusiasts but also audiophiles with SACD, hi resolution downloads, high end 45 RPM vinyl editions and even 15ips reel to reel tapes. She certainly has assembled a stellar cast of players for this recording session: pianists Mike Garson, Christian Jacob and Tamir Hendelman, guitarist John Chiodini, bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Joe La Barbara, percussionist Luis Conte, harmonica maestro Hendrik Meurkens, tenor-saxophonist Rickey Woodard, and trumpeter/trombone player Chuck Findley. Garson, Hendelman, Jacob, Chiodini and Doug Walter provided the arrangements on the standards and adaptations of pop songs.

Stanley is a marvelous song stylist as opposed to a scatting jazz vocalist who delivers a program "All or Nothing at All," "My Funny Valentine," "Embraceable You," "Why Don't You Do Right," "Crazy," "Close Your Eyes," and "In the Wee Small Hours," with a soft, sultry voice and direct, clean articulation of the lyrics. Her natural phrasing and delivery also contributes to the wonderful performances, along with the marvelous musicians such as Findlay's trumpet on the opening "All or Nothing at All," with wonderful piano and the brassy horn riffs. Woodard's tenor sax adds his magic to "Willow Weep For Me," as he embroiders her vocal with guitarist Chiodini adding chords and fills. Meurkens adds his harmonica to a Brazilian tinged treatment of "Close Your Eyes," while harmonica, and Chiodini's guitar to the lament, "How Insensitive, " that she sings in a heartfelt fashion.

One here's a definite Peggy Lee influence on her rendition of "Why Don't You Do Right?' that opens with finger-snapping, bass and guitar before La Barbara lightly uses brushes with Berghofer taking a solo. The choice of the Willie Nelson penned Patsy Cline hit, "Crazy," is an inspired choice with Berghofer opening playing the opening line before the band comes in with a juke joint feel and Findlay and the horns contribute extra spice. Another softly sung late night lament, "In the Wee Wee Hours," with Meurkens' harmonica complemented by Chiodini's guitar accompaniment and La Barbara's brushes providing the right atmosphere for this marvelous closing performance on a wonderfully sung, played, and recorded album of sophisticated jazz vocals.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 374). Here is Lyn Stanley performing live.

Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band ¡Intenso!

Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
¡Intenso!
lavo Records

Four years after the passing of Clare Fischer we have another posthumous recording prepared and produced by his son Brent. Brent states that working his father they planned and prepared to release his music and he captured his father with a small group at home in his last years so that other musicians could be added one day. The latest project is this Latin jazz big band album with a number of special guests and featuring Roberta Gambarini, Sheila E, Luis Conte, Scott Whitfield, Don Shelton, and others, with Brent sometimes cresting new arrangements based on his father's original ones.

The album opens with a terrific "Algo Bueno (Something Good)," which is a spirited salsa reworking of Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody 'N' You," with a standout solo from Don Shelton. Fisher's own "Gaviota (Seagull)" is one of two selections with Ms. Gambarini adding her lovely vocal with a dreamy Fischer keyboard solo and a serpentine soprano sax weaving in around Gambarini towards the end of this. The Ellington classic "Rockin' in Rhythm," is reimagined with an Afro-Cuban 6/8 groove with a Rob Hardt tenor sax solo set against the imaginative orchestration here. Sheila E. adds her percussion to "Solar Patrol," with its funky feel and Adam Budman's sax solo while Gambarini returns for the lively, breezy "The Butterfly Samba," singing and scatting at the brisk tempo, with trombonist Whitfield joining her as they scat through the changes with the horns trading fours with them.

The breath of Fischer's compositions and arrangements is displayed with "Renacimiento." The title means Renaissance in Spanish and opens with medieval melodies before shifting to quasi-Latin rhythms with Brian Clancy's robust tenor the first of several fine solos. The "Le Mucura" has Clare Fischer's big band arrangement of this traditional Columbia cumbia with noteworthy soprano sax, trumpet solos and keyboard solos. Another adaptation is Osvaldo Farrés' "Tres Palabras," which Clare Fischer had written and refined arrangements for over time and which Brent and Matt Wong have orchestrated for the lovely performance with a alto flute solo.

The closing "Play Time" is, according to Brent, the last song Clare recorded and appears here on a recording here for the first time with a blistering trombone solo from Francesco Torres that fades out as it keeps percolating with its irresistible rhythms. It is a lively close to another fascinating, imaginative and passionate recording that Brent Fischer has brought us as he helps perpetuate his father's amazing legacy.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 370). Here is the Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band in performance.