Coniece Washington Shades of Shirley Horn

Coniece Washington
Shades of Shirley Horn
Self-produced

Poet Seth Washington provides a narration that provides an overview of Shirley Horn, a Washington DC musical icon. It opens vocalist Coniece Washington's rendition of "Here's To Life," one of Shirley Horn's most famous songs that opens her tribute to Horn. Horn touched her "the first time I heard Shirley Horn sing, I fell in love with her groove and elegance. Due to my military service I never had the opportunity to attend one of her shows but I always carry her sound in my heart."

While born in New Jersey, Coniece Washington has formed a deep connection to the Washington DC area. After 35 years of military service she has focused on her musical career as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Washington produced this CD. She is former member of the renowned Washington Performing Arts Society Men & Women of the Gospel Choir and can be seen performing at various venues in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, including Blues Alley, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Twins Jazz, Mr. Henry's, and Westminster Presbyterian Church Friday Night Jazz.

For this recording, she has put together a marvelous studio band of some excellent Washington DC musicians that include Vince Evans: piano; Wes Biles: bass; and Jc Jefferson: drums. Also appearing on selected tracks are Kevin Kojo Prince: percussion; Thad Wilson: trumpet; Carl Carrington: flute and David B. Cole: guitar. There is an elegance to Evans' accompaniment to Seth Washington's introduction to "Here's To Life," before Washington enters with a marvelous vocal the hints at Horn's recording. The rhythm section plays a light accompaniment (drummer Jefferson's soft touch is noteworthy).

While Shirley Horn is a dominant influence on Washington, Coniece has through years of performing (while in the military and after) developed a delightful, personal approach displayed in the 12 songs here. Some songs were penned by Horn, while others are others from the American songbook. There is the light swing of "Get Out of Town" with clean, precise phrasing and melodious voice; the breezy samba feel of "How Am I To Know"; and the wistfulness expressed in her cover of Louis Jordan's "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying." Thad Wilson's crying muted trumpet complements the softly delivered vocal on a marvelous blues performance. Wilson also plays a melodic solo on the swinging "I Just Found Out About Love," that closes this recording.

Washington's understated, restrained approach provides certain appeal to the standard, "Our Love Is Here To Stay." She delivers a sultry rendition of Little Willie John's hit "Fever." On Jobim's "Dindi," percussionist Kevin Kojo Prince adds spice to the accompaniment, while flutist Carrington and guitarist Cole add support to another Brazilian flavored performance, "Once I Loved." It is a delight to hear guitarist Cole, best known as a blues artist, playing a thoughtful, precise solo that is followed by a lovely flute solo to enhance Washington's delightful vocal.

With "Shades of Shirley," Coniece Washington has produced not only a wonderful tribute, but a recording that shows her to be a very charming singer with strong backing by Vince Evans and the musicians heard here. She will be celebrating the release of this recording at the Phillips Collection on Saturday, June 1, part of the DC Jazz Festival's Friends & Family Day at the Museum that is located a few blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of her singing "Here's To Life," at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.

Janine Gilbert-Carter At Last

I was at the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival performance by Janine Gilbert-Carter which was recorded and released under the title “At Last." Carter is among a number of wonderful vocalists that can be heard in the Mid-Atlantic region, regularly performing around Washington DC and its suburbs. Carter, has toured internationally and as I write this, about to appear at the Metropolitan Room in New York City. She was mentored by the late Washington vocal legend Ronnie Wells. and brings a background in gospel, blues and jazz together with singing that is full of heart and passion delivered with humor or pathos and with her wonderful intonation and timing. On this self-produced recording, before a packed audience of friends and fans, she is backed by pianist Eric Byrd, bassist Wes ‘Sugah’ Biles, drummer Jeff Neal and saxophonist Brian Lee Settles.

She gets the audience involved in a call and response on a lively “Let the Good Times Roll,” while captures the indigo mood of the Ellington classic, “Don’t Get Around Much More,” with  tenor sax from Settles. This is a set list of favorite songs including a nice “Stormy Monday” (Byrd is outstanding on piano); a  reworking of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”; lovely ballad renditions of “Since I Fell For You” and “My Family Valentine”; and some strong scatting on “How High the Moon.” Much of her interpretation of “Fever” is a duet with bassist Biles followed by a rocking “I Don’t Hurt No More,” (with more outstanding playing from Settles) before closing with “At Last,”  a song that is always being requested by those attending her performances. Eric Byrd takes us to church during his solo here.

The performances that evening were marvelously recorded, mixed and mastered by Bluehouse Productions. Some folk might question the inclusion of so many well-known and familiar songs, but these are the songs that are her bread and butter and favorites of those who came for to see her that night. In her voice, these are not tired standards, but heartfelt renditions of classic songs. All that were at that show received this recording that stands up as more than a souvenir. This is available at cd.baby.com. Her website is http://www.janinecarter.com.

Here is Janine Gilbrt-Carter singing "Stormy Monday" at Westminster Church in Washington DC as part of their weekly Friday night Jazz series.

Janine Gilbert-Carter's "Inside a Silent Tear"

One of the many fine singers around the Washington DC area, Janine Gilbert-Carter “lives at the intersection where jazz, blues and gospel all come together,” according to Jeff Gruber, who engineered Janine’s most recording, Inside a Silent Tear. Recorded at the Historic Blair mansion, she is backed by a terrific quartet comprised of Eric Byrd on keyboards, Wes ‘Sugar’ Biles on bass, Jeff Neal on drums and Brian Lee Settles on tenor sax on a set of some well known standards mixed with less familiar items to showcase her soulful singing.

A solid Ain’t Misbehavin’ opens this performance up with Eric Byrd’s piano providing the proper foil before taking a nice solo showing his touch, technique and restraint. I was not familiar with Bill Withers’ Grandma’s Hands, with its gospel-funk groove set by Wes Biles on an electric bass and Byrd on electronic keyboards showcases another side of Carter’s vocals on this gem of a song. The title song, from Blossom Dearie’s songbook, features some nice tenor sax from Brain Settles caressing Carter’s wistful vocal that displays the wonderful control and tone of her interpretation here. The tempo picks up for a relaxed, swinging All of Me, with a brief section which is almost a duet with bassist Biles. Carter, matched by the gospel-laced piano of Byrd, is quite impassioned here on a solid interpretation of Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come.


Everything Must Change is perhaps her finest performance of the many excellent ones here finding her on a reflective mood and followed by a swinging How High the Moon, with some nice scatting before another fine solo from pianist Bryd. There are nice accents in his playing and the arrangement here brings freshness to her wonderful take on this. Don’t Touch Me, another of the highlights, allows Carter to show her bluesy side, and Byrd’s solo here reminds me of the great Charles Brown. Nice and Easy is enlivened by its light latin groove. Carter gives this classic a more intimate feel than the well-known Sinatra recording. There are some understated tenor sax embellishments on this by Brian Settles. Settles solos with a feathery tone on both Our Love Is Here to Stay, and the closing Teach Me Tonight, in addition to Carter’s heartfelt vocals. 


Inside a Silent Tear shows why so many in the Washington DC area regard Janine Gilbert-Carter as a ‘local’ treasure. Her vocals are honey-toned, yet full of personality and soulfulness and the backing provided by her band is marvelous. Her website is http://www.janinecarter.com/index.php from which this can be purchased and it is also available at cdbaby.com. For those in Washington DC area, she is regularly at LaPorta’s in Alexandria, Virginia.


I purchased this CD.