Judy Wexler Crowded Heart

Judy Wexler
Crowded Heart
Jewel City Jazz

This is the fifth album by Judy Wexler and is an effort to present "jazz standards for the 21st century," an anthology of ten timeless modern jazz compositions by contemporary songwriters. The album is arranged by piano great Alan Pasqua (who co-produced this with Wexler). It features a band comprised of some of the finest, first-call musicians in Southern California including Alan Pasqua piano, melodica, whistling; Larry Koonse guitar; Josh Johnson alto sax; Bob Sheppard alto flute; Darek Oles bass; Steve Hass drums; Aaron Serfaty percussion; and Stefanie Fife cello.

When Wexler first conceived of this project, she reached out to jazz historian Ted Gioia, author of "The Jazz Standards," for advice. He told her that jazz stays alive and becomes more than a history lesson or museum piece when a modern composition is embraced and recorded by many vocalists. Gioia himself states that this recording is a joy to listen to and commends "their astuteness in finding and featuring outstanding songs by current-day jazz composers." Some of these composers are Luciana Souza, Larry Klein and David Batteau; Richard Galliano; Kurt Elling; Gregory Porter; Fred Hersch; Norma Winstone; Alan Broadbent; Georgia Mancio; René Marie; Enrico Pieranunzi, Lorraine Feather; Larry Goldings, and Alan Pasqua.

Wexler has a delightful, sometimes dreamy voice that conveys joy and heartbreak with her swing, phrasing, clear diction, and sweet-tone. This is clear on the opening "Circus Life" (from Sousa, Klein, and Batteau), with the supple backing, including Koonse's guitar, which adds a samba-tinge, Pasqua's understated support, and whistling, and Wexler's overdubbed second vocal part. Then there is the charm of her vocal that expresses the longing inherent in Galliano and Elling's "Parisian Heartbreak." Pasqua's melodica solo adds to the allure of this performance. Then there is her rendition of the title track about a relationship ending as she realizes it is time to part which is delivered with style.

While I enjoy Wexler's interpretation of Gregory Porter's "Painted on Canvas" with Josh Jackson's sonorous alto sax, and Pasqua's ingenious arrangement, her mellifluous vocal is overshadowed by Porter's original. Bob Sheppard's alto flute adds to the allure of "The Last Goodbye," another song of remembrance and longing. Then there is Wexler's unabashed romanticism singing René Marie's "Take My Breath Away," with a stunning Koonse acoustic guitar solo. In a program of mostly ballads, the gentle swing of "I Took Your Hand," is a nice change of pace.

Pasqua collaborated with Kirk Elling and Philip Edward Galdston in writing "And We Will Fly" with the dreaming vocal supported by the lovely backing with Fife's cello adding color along with another choice acoustic guitar solo. It closes a beautiful, first-rate vocal jazz recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "The Last Goodbye" from this CD.