Calabria Foti In the Still of the Night

Calabria Foti
In the Still of the Night
MoCo Records

It has been almost a decade since Calabria Foti last had a recording under her name. A singer who has the likes of Johnny Mathis and Johnny Mandel boosting her, her album “A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening,” was a treasure of romanticism and sensuousness as she brought her own voice to the American songbook. The present release is certainly welcome and turns her voice to the wonderful works of Cole Porter. On this, she is backed by Michael Patterson, piano; Eddie Daniels, clarinet; Gene Bertoncini, guitar; Richard Locker, cello; Bob McChesney, trombone; Ike Sturm, bass; and Jared Schonig, drums in various combinations.

Like her last recording, Foti brings a mix of sensuousness and romanticism. The clarity in her delivery, her use of vocal dynamics, phrasing, pitch, and timing plus her voice’s own quality help make for some wonderful renditions of these classic American songs with the sublime, imaginative and understated backing. Bertoncini’s guitar and Daniels’ clarinet embellish the opening “Just One of Those Things,” Locker’s cello adds unusual coloring to her wistful performance of “Miss Otis Regrets,” while McChesney’s gruff trombone complements the slow tempo treatment of “Anything Goes” with her deliberate phasing matched by the uncluttered backing.

Patterson’s accompaniments are a significant additional factor underlying the sublime music here such as his solo accompaniment that opens “What Is This Thing Called Love” with Sturm’s firm bass and Schonig’s adroit use of brushes backing her wonderful handling of this ballad with Daniels providing a clarinet solo, and his obligatos on a relaxed “Night and Day,” add to its charm which also includes some unison vocalizing by Foti with Daniels, while the presence of cello and guitar contribute to the poignancy of the delivery of “Every Time We Say Goodbye.” “Its Alright With Me” is perhaps the liveliest of vocals here with a smoky, twisting clarinet solo. The romanticism she can bring to a lyric is most evident on “i.”

Her superb heartfelt rendition of the title track with Locker’s cello establishing the mood closes this superb, engrossing tribute to one of the 20th Century’s greatest songwriters. Hopefully, we will not have to wait almost a decade for Calabria Foti’s next recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 376).  She has a new release, "Prelude to a Kiss" which I will post a review of shortly. Here is a video of Calabria Foti backed by guitarist John Fox performing Duke Ellington's "In a Mellow Tone."