Born in Australia, schooled at Berklee and recently moved to Paris, pianist-singer-songwriter and arranger will delight listeners on this new release, her second for Impulse! Records. The backing musicians include vibraphonist Warren Wolf, guitarist Mark Whitfield, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Gregory Hutchinson, trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, flutist Jamie Baum, alto saxophonist Scott Robinson, tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, and guitarist Romero Lubambo in various combinations. While the press materials suggest this album be viewed as sort of a travelogue with performances including her original title track, Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh's "When in Rome," and her closing "Road Chops," the pleasures of this recording do not depend on such thematic considerations.
What is evident from the opening "Tea For Two," is the clarity and freshness of her arrangement provides as well as her lyrical piano and her delightful vocals on a bright, breezy performance. The horns sit out the title track, a celebration of the city of lights with her wonderful singing in French and English. Her vocals standout with her clean articulation, sense of timing, and her nuanced phrasing whether singing in an intimate or coquettish fashion. On the bluesy "One Jealous Moon," Ralph Moore takes a strong tenor solo and then at the close exchanges fours with McKenzie.
The moody Rogers and Hart ballad "Little Girl Blue," is followed by the perky rendition of Kern & Mercer's "I'm Old Fashioned," with a choice Scott Robinson solo. A rendition of Jobim's "Trieste," with Romero Lubambo's guitar, lovely flute from Baum and some jaunty scatting, is followed by an enchanting "Embraceable You," with McKenzie's lovely vocal backed only by Whitfield's guitar played in a spare manner. Kenny Rankin's "In the Name of Love," is another lively Brazilian flavored performance with Lubambo taking a solo against the nicely laid down rhythm, followed by a pensive rendition of her ballad, "Don't Be a Fool" with some lovely vibes by Wolf accompanying the vocal as well as in his solo.
A spirited instrumental "Road Chops," with controlled fire from Farinacci and Moore before McKenzie takes a blues-inflected solo closes this recording in a wonderful fashion. Sarah McKenzie impresses with this lyrical and enchanting performances on a terrific album.
I received a download for review from a publicist. Here is a video for "Paris in the Rain."
The Brazilians comprising Trio Da Paz (Romero Lubambo (Acoustic & Electric Guitars), Nilson Matta (Acoustic Bass), and Duduka Da Fonseca (Drums)) first came together three decades ago, accounting for the title of their new album "30." In the ensuing three decades they have developed into a dazzling ensemble as the incorporate elements of samba and bossa nova with bebop, and other sounds that is on display on the ten performances here, nine of which were penned by members of the trio.
Matta's brisk "Sampa 67" (named after his home town of Såo Paolo) gives all three a chance to display not only the interplay between them, but their marvelous instrumental skills with the composer's own solos followed by sizzling exchanges between Lubambo gypsy-accented guitar and Da Fonseca's propulsive percussion. The afoxé rhythms on Lubambo's bright "For Donato" (for pianist Joåo Donato) lends a invigorating feel along with the writer's own fleet playing mixing single note runs with series of chords while Da Fonseca brilliantly adds color and Matta provides a steady foundation for the trio. Da Fonseca uses brushes for the breezy, and romantic rendition of "Autumn," Lubambo's bossa nova.
There is plenty of charm in De Fonseca's "Alana" (named after his daughter, with the trio's nimble and buoyant handling of the tempo changes, while Lubambo's "Luisa," named after his daughter, has a sedate lilt in its 3/4 tempo. The breakneck tempo of Baden Powell's "Samba Trieste," belies the title on this spirited performance. Plenty of thought went in sequencing the tunes here as shown by Matta's charming ballad "Åguas Brasileiras" following. The exhilarating "Sweeping the Chimney" (by Lubambo) was inspired by workers at De Fonseca's home, and the composer's fretwork dazzles again while De Fonseca's peppery use on brushes lends the feel of someone playing shakers. De Fonseca's "Flying Over Rio" is another lovely bossa nova.
The closing "LVM/ Direto AO Assunto," opens in a reflective fashion with Matta's solo bridging the performances torrid close, again display the virtuosity of the three and the empathy they have for each other. it is an exciting conclusion to this superb album.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared originally in the March-April 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 365). Here from 2007 they perform "Wave."
Vocalist Lauren Kinhan is best known as a member of the vocal group, The NY Voices, as well as two other vocal ensembles, Moss, and JaLaLa. With JaLaLa, she was part of the memorable tribute to Johnny Mercer, "That Old Mercer Magic." She has just issued her second solo recording, "Avalon," (E1 Music), which displays her talents as a songwriter, and not simply a singer.
She has done this with some of her closest friends who happen to be some of New York’s finest musicians, including drummer and percussionist, who co-produced this with Lauren, and bassist Peter Nowinski who is on most of this. Peter Eldridge, fellow New York Voices band mate, plays piano and co-pens some songs. Jonatha Brooke joins her on “Here After” while Romero Lubambo guests on “Until You’re Mine” and “Here’s My Avalon” and Donny McAslin and Joel Frahm add their signature horn handiwork. Andy Ezrin is also featured on piano and B3 organ.
There is plenty of Brazilian accents heard throughout this as on the opening “Until You’re Mine,” with its light rhythms, and the marvelous song “Here’s My Avalon,” with a bit more fervent rhythm and some terrific horns (Joel Frahm’s alto sax is very impressive throughout as is Romero Lubambo’s guitar) on a love song she wrote for her daughter while away from home.while her scatting dances along with the band as the song rides out. “Here After,” is a dreamy pop number wonderfully sung with Jonatha Brook’s duet vocal, while “Move Over Sunshine,” has an uptown, bluesy flavor with brassy horns as she belts out the lyric in a most graceful manner.
An engrossing rhythm drives “Hide the Moon and Stars,” with lovely flute from Aaron Heick and a hint of flamenco in this romantic song. “Screaming Savoir Faire,” co-written with Andy Ezrin who plays piano as she sings, somewhat disconsolately, about her lover leaving and not keeping the promises he made. On a song like this one appreciates how she avoids coming off as maudlin, with her timing and phrasing of the lyric being enchanting. A bit of funk in the groove with some slide guitar accents on “Writing on the Wall,” as she effortlessly glides from whispering to trumpeting the lyric with vocal chorus support and Ezrin soloing on Fender Rhodes. “Savor the Wine,” is a rock styled number with Ben Butler setting the tone with his guitar against Eldridge’s piano, while the rhythm on “Dory and a Single Oar,” struts with Denny McCaslin adds some atmospheric tenor sax. The next two performances, “As If,” and “There Alone Go I,” have a bit more intimate backing and more lovely singing.
As she has showed over the past two decades, Lauren Kinham is a marvelous singer, able to handle pop and rock flavored material as effortlessly and heart fully as Brazilian sambas and Johnny Mercer standards. With the seamless backing and wonderful playing by the musicians behind her, she delights and enchants throughout with her songs and vocals on “Avalon.”
This review originally appeared in the June 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 326) at pp.16-17 (www.jazz-blues.com). The review copy was supplied by a distributor for the recording label.
Posts
