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THELONIOUS MONK With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall Album Cover With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall
THELONIOUS MONK
4.90 | 11 ratings
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THELONIOUS MONK Monk's Music Album Cover Monk's Music
THELONIOUS MONK
4.85 | 20 ratings
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CAB CALLOWAY Hi De Hi De Ho Album Cover Hi De Hi De Ho
CAB CALLOWAY
5.00 | 4 ratings
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THELONIOUS MONK Misterioso Album Cover Misterioso
THELONIOUS MONK
4.89 | 7 ratings
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LOUIS ARMSTRONG Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy Album Cover Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
4.86 | 7 ratings
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BUDDY RICH Rich in London (aka Very Alive at Ronnie Scott's aka At Ronnie Scotts) Album Cover Rich in London (aka Very Alive at Ronnie Scott's aka At Ronnie Scotts)
BUDDY RICH
5.00 | 3 ratings
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OLIVER NELSON The Blues and the Abstract Truth Album Cover The Blues and the Abstract Truth
OLIVER NELSON
4.83 | 7 ratings
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DUKE ELLINGTON Ellington At Newport Complete Album Cover Ellington At Newport Complete
DUKE ELLINGTON
4.98 | 3 ratings
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DOC CHEATHAM Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton Album Cover Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
DOC CHEATHAM
4.96 | 3 ratings
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BEN WEBSTER The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster (aka King Of The Tenors) Album Cover The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster (aka King Of The Tenors)
BEN WEBSTER
4.95 | 3 ratings
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ROBERTA FLACK First Take Album Cover First Take
ROBERTA FLACK
4.93 | 3 ratings
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ARTURO SANDOVAL Swingin' Album Cover Swingin'
ARTURO SANDOVAL
4.92 | 3 ratings
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early jazz Music Reviews

HOLLY COLE Blame it on my Youth

Album · 1991 · Vocal Jazz
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Matti P
The first release of the Canadian vocalist HOLLY COLE (b. 1963) was a 4-song EP Christmas Blues (1989), and also a live recording Girl Talk (1990) preceded this proper debut album. The trio bearing her name consists of herself on vocals, pianist Aaron Davis and bassist David Pilch. Often one hardly notices there's no drummer, although I believe a nuanced, elegant percussion would have improved the album. As for Cole's singing, it has both expressive, nearly ballsy power and late-night sensuality. In low notes she slightly reminds me of Lotte Lenya.

The 10-track set consists of already existing songs only, actually more of the rather old ones than contemporary music. Despite that, the whole feels fairly fresh and timeless. 'Trust in Me' originates from the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book; I'm not familiar with the original performance but I would have never guessed from this sensual low-key version that it was a Disney movie song. There are some old musical numbers too, such as 'If I Were a Bell' from Guys and Dolls, or 'On the Street Where You Live' from My Fair Lady. A guest appearance of a bass clarinet adds personality to the latter, while johnny Frigo's violin spices up 'If I Were a Bell' and the Fats Waller standard 'Honeysuckle Rose'. These additions are nice but I'm really pleased of the spacey, thoughtful sound of just vocals, piano and bass.

My least fave song here is 'Smile', partly because the Chaplin song is so endlessly recorded, partly because Holly Cole stretches her vocals a bit too much on it, as she tends to do occasionally. Among the highlights, in addition to the opener 'Trust in Me', is 'Purple Avenue' written by Tom Waits. Four years later Holly Cole recorded a whole album (Temptation) of Waits' songs. A happy choice is also 'Calling You' from the film Bagdad Cafe. It suits very well for Cole's voice. The final song 'I'll Be Seeing You' originates from around 20's/30's but feels fresh.

Three stars is enough for this album. The sense of timelessness could have been easily increased by leaving the most worn-out evergreens out and choosing more of the contemporary pieces suitable for this trio.

GRETCHEN PARLATO In A Dream

Album · 2009 · Vocal Jazz
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Matti P
In my previous review I mentioned the groundbreaking 1963 album Getz/Gilberto [as the starting point of Astrud Gilberto's career]. The American jazz vocalist GRETCHEN PARLATO (b. 1976) has said hearing that album at the age of 13 was a turning point for her. She drew influence from bossa nova in general and João Gilberto's vocal style in particular. She earned a bachelor's degree in ethnomusicology/jazz studies at University of California, L.A., and in 2001 she was accepted into the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance as the first vocalist ever admitted into the program. Parlato has also earned several awards. Especially after her second album In a Dream she was hailed as a rising star.

Against all that, I feel almost sorry for not being particularily charmed by this album, or Parlato's voice -- which I think is quite similar to Emma Salokoski from Finland, whom I also seem to like less than the critics. Admittedly Parlato has a sensual and disarmingly light way to sing, but to me it also sounds very thin and lacking of depth, especially on higher notes. I guess it's a matter of taste.

Featured musicians are equally young bright hopes such as keyboardist Aaron Parks, bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Kendrick Scott. The album's soundscape is modern, playful, often even quirky, and yet pretty intimate, elegant and gentle. Parlato's butterfly-light vocal stylings are always in front, and the musical backing, even at its quirkiest, mainly stays as her humble servant. The dreamy title track and 'Turning into Blue' are among my favourites (they are also the ones co-written by the vocalist herself), but I'm not fond of some sonic details on several tracks.

The opening track 'Can't Help It' (orig. by Stevie Wonder) features scatting and mouth pops by guitarist Lionel Loueke, and also 'Doralice' is backed by percussive human voices. A couple of pieces, such as basically instrumental 'E.S.P.' (Wayne Shorter), contain sound effects of a little child playing, which I find rather irritating.

Speaking of the album in general, I'd welcome more of a certain jazz groove in the playing, the kind you hear on 'Weak', in which electric piano and drums are deliciously strong. So, even if this album didn't really hit my own taste, I give it 3½ stars for personality and fresh musical approach, and for not being a usual bunch of well-known standards.

LISA EKDAHL When Did You Leave Heaven

Album · 1995 · Vocal Jazz
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Matti P
The Swedish vocalist LISA EKDAHL (b. 1971) has a distinctive child-like voice which I find rather charming. She debuted with an eponymous, Swedish-language album in 1994. Most often she has sung in her native tongue, but there are also recordings in English. She is perhaps more interesting, and certainly more convincing and personal, as a pop singer with jazz leanings than as a jazz singer per se. This is her second album, a collection of more or less well known standard pieces of American Vocal Jazz. As such it's definitely not the most recommendable album from her, but at least we have an opportunity to evaluate how she can compete with the greats like Julie London, Sarah Vaughan or whoever who has recorded these songs earlier.

She's accompanied by The Peter Nordahl Trio (Nordahl is a pianist) plus some tenor sax here and there. Ekdahl and an acoustic jazz trio is a pretty nice combination to start with. If one isn't familiar with the chosen song already, like is the case for me with the opener 'When Did You Leave Heaven?', everything is fine. It's the thoroughly well known classics such as 'Cry Me a River', 'Lush Life' or 'I'm a Fool to want You' that reveal Ekdahl's striking lack of maturity as an interpreter of them. 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' could be thought to fit for a childish voice, but nah... One remembers too well the sinful heat of Marilyn Monroe to be excited by Lisa's lukewarm version.

'Love for Sale' has a joyous feel in its fast tempo, and in it Ekdahl comes closer to her own territory between pop and jazz. But still, I'd rather listen to Swedish-language songs written by/for her. 'Blame It on My Youth' featuring a piano solo is among the album highlights.

Let's go with friendly 2½ stars, mainly for the good trio. Sad to say, Lisa Ekdahl pales in comparison with the glorious past when it comes to the evergreens of the Great American Songbook, and the innocent personality she manages to bring to the table doesn't necessarily fit the songs. But I don't see a reason to be as merciless as All Music Guide's 1½ star review: "[her] thin, girlish, mousy voice might work on bubblegum pop, but it's hardly appropriate for standards..." or "It's most regrettable that RCA Victor chose to record someone who should have stuck to commercial pop".

KARRIN ALLYSON Wild for You

Album · 2004 · Vocal Jazz
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Matti P
KARRIN ALLYSON (b. 1963 in Great Bend, Kansas) is among those numerous female jazz vocalists I've discovered via public library, though I've only listened to this album and Footprints (2006); her debut is from 1993. Wild for You is a 13-song set that mainly covers adult pop oriented tunes of the 70's. Pianist Gil Goldstein has made the rather relaxed and spatial arrangements featuring the dominant piano, acoustic and electric guitars, electric piano, bass and drums.

The Joni Mitchell songs 'All I Want' and 'Help Me' suit extremely well for Allyson's natural, warm and flexible vocal style. I like the slight smokey element in her voice. I don't remember hearing James Taylor's 'Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight' but this slow jazz version with a late night feel reminiscent of Sinatra's 'One for My Baby and One More for the Road' sounds just right.

Allyson has no trouble at all interpreting familiar songs such as the Cat Stevens evergreen 'Wild World' or Elton John's sad ballad 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word' as sincerely herself, and Goldstein's elegant arrangements rely on the power of the songs themselves, without trying to make them scream jazz all over the place. A more demanding listener with a fondness for complex time signatures and unpredictability might find this album a bit too lame. But for example 'Help Me' contains a long, improvisatory piano solo in the finest jazz spirit. This is a solid (if very gentle) jazz album, not a plain pop cover album. For its moods it is oriented to gentleness and intimacy, well demonstrated in Jim Webb's 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress'. The album title should be taken sensually -- compare the cover photo --, without expecting wild musical expression.

The few faster tracks such as 'Feel Like Makin' Love' give the needed dynamics while staying within an accessible territory. Ewan MacColl's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' has gained lovely interpretations from e.g. Roberta Flack and George Michael, and this version is among my own Top Three.

3½ stars for this pleasant album, but as the YouTube is now playing me other finely arranged tunes from this artist, I believe that All Music Guide is right about not rating this one among Allyson's strongest albums. A good starting point nevertheless.

JULIE LONDON Around Midnight

Album · 1960 · Vocal Jazz
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Matti P
As a music listener I have a soft spot for vocal jazz/entertainment/chanson/crooner kind of stuff, preferably orchestrated, dating from the 50's, 60's or the 70's, depending on the artists. In general, if the non-classical music that I listen to predates the year 1967, it's most likely NOT pop/rock (except e.g. Simon & Garfunkel), quite rarely it's instrumental jazz either, it is this particular area I'm talking about. Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett are IMHO the greatest male artists in this field, and the female entertainment vocalists I have enjoyed include e.g. Dusty Springfield, Astrud Gilberto, Doris Day -- and definitely Julie London whose sensual and sultry "cigarettes-after-sex" voice is a pleasure in itself.

London's career as a vocalist (she was also an actress) started big time in 1955 with the major hit 'Cry Me a River', after which she released albums in a steady pace til the late 60's. Around Midnight is among her best albums, a very rewarding set of orchestrated songs celebrating London's seductive voice.

The Thelonius Monk evergreen 'Round Midnight' sets the tone for this album perfectly. The second track 'Lonely Night in Paris' uses lots of brass and a faster tempo, as if to underline that the album leaning loosely towards the nocturnal theme is not entirely about introspective and moody delicacy. The arrangement in Erroll Garner's classic 'Misty' gives a special role for flute and other woodwind instruments. This must be my favourite interpretation of this famous tune. 'Black Coffee' has been covered by many newer artists too such as Sinead O'Connor (r.i.p.), but the song feels like tailor-made for Julie London. Perhaps it was, I don't know. I like the sensitive saxophone but would prefer to have less of the sharp-sounding brass.

Songs like 'Lush Life' and 'In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning' (the title track of Sinatra's 1955 album) are obvious choices and pleasantly orchestrated here. 'Don't Smoke in Bed' is another heartaching song you couldn't imagine being better performed than by London. The 12-track set of evergreens covers also Irving Berlin and George Gershwin ('But Not for Me'), and closes suitably with 'The Party's Over'.

I have a 2-in-1 CD featuring also Julie... At Home (1959) with intimate arrangements for a small jazz combo, thus being a good pair for this orchestral album.

early jazz movie reviews

JONI MITCHELL Shadows And Light

Movie · 1980 · Vocal Jazz
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Slartibartfast
Joni Mitchell meets The Pat Metheny Group.

What can I say? This was my real introduction into the music of Joni and what a place to start! She had really entered a new phase and the tracks offered span from Court And Spark up to Mingus (and of course, the song Shadows And Light, exclusive to the live album).

The concert was an outdoors affair at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. The liner notes say that "this concert catches Joni at the height of her artistic excellence." Having explored her albums after and before this era, I can wholeheartedly agree with that. Jaco Pastorius, who had a reputation at that point of being erratic in live situations, seems to be in a good mode. The camera work is good and the concert is now available on DVD with 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio all of which make for a show worthy of revisiting from time to time.

Artists with Early Jazz release(s)

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
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