Ginetta's Vendetta Pocketful Of Cool

Ginetta's Vendetta
Pocketful Of Cool
Kickin Wiccan Music

Pocket trumpeter, vocalist, and composer, Ginetta Vendetta, leads a quintet on a solid set that might be superficially labeled 'hard bop.' The title of this CD "Pocketful Of Cool" is a pun on the fact that she plays the compact pocket trumpet, but the music is far from compact. She is joined here by four top-notch players: Danny Walsh: tenor saxophone, Jon Davis: piano, Eric "The Big O" Halvorson: drums, and Belden Bullock: bass. They are heard on seven covers (two also presented in alternate takes) and two originals that evoke such classic bands as Cannonball Adderly, Miles Davis, and Horace Silver.

Ms. Vendetta is a lyrically based trumpet, at times evoking Miles Davis' haunting sound as on her original "All Choke & No Slide." and other places the warmth of Nat Adderly and Clark Terry, as on the Jobim classic, "Corcovado." The and is superb backing her with bassist Bullock providing an anchoring ostinato bass figure for Horace Silver's "African Queen," a number on which Halvorson also shines with his crisp, varying attack. Saxophonist Walsh is a robust post-Coltrane player, whether playing wonderfully in a ballad mode as on the two takes of "Come Rain or Shine" where Vendetta plays with a mute, or in a more energized manner on "African Queen." With Halvorson and Bullock laying down a Latin groove, Vendetta and Walsh (sounding more like Hank Mobley than Coltrane) shine on Charlie Parker's "My Little Suede Shoes." Vendetta's trumpet here has a definite charm with her mix of moans and slurs, while Davis takes a thoughtful, deft, and concise solo.

Perhaps the high point is a dynamic performance of Nat Adderly's "Work Song," which displays more of Walsh's powerful playing and maybe Davis' most potent piano solo. Here, Vendetta quotes "Straight No Chaser" as the horns trade fours with Halvorson. In addition to the charm of Vendetta's trumpet, she impresses as a singer with her arrangement of Little Willie John's classic "Fever." Her adaptation is more influenced by Peggy Lee's rendition, as reflected in her sultry approach and Davis' understated, nimble playing. Walsh takes a short, robust solo on this number and also on the other vocal, "Black Coffee."

"Pocketful Of Cool" is Ginetta Vendetta's 5th album as a leader. With a terrific band and an engaging, varied program, she has put out quite a pocketful of musical gems.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of recording "All Choke & No Slide."