CD Review: Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, "Mazel Tov Kocktail"

The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine has been performing since 1979 under the guidance of Producer/Conductor and Artistic Director, Ira Liss. The current group of players in this Band are some of the top names in Jazz and have been joined from time to time by Bob Mintzer, Barbara Morrison, Wayne Bergeron, Holly Hofmann and Eric Marienthal.  There are also some really special guests that have joined the Band to contribute to this wonderful Big Band CD:  Nathan East on Bass, Andrew Neu on Tenor Sax, Dan Radlauer on Accordion and Mike Vax on Trumpet.  The Band has two great big band Vocalists, Janet Hammer and Carly Ines.  This is the  Band's 6th recording release and it is packed with new compositions and new arrangements of standards.  Ira states, "The Band is the sum of its parts, and every chair is important. Big Bands need a creative vision to push the music forward, and I like a lot of variety".  Ira delivers on his promise, "Mazel Tov Kocktail" delivers everything any big band fan would be looking for.  The sound is always tight, the Arrangements are fresh and new and the execution by the seasoned members of this Band is perfect.  

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for you to sample.  The first is an up-tempo version of the evergreen "Where or When" that features  Janet Hammer on the Vocal.  This standard was given new life by the Arranger, George Stone.  The second video is a swinging tune, "Gimme That"  Composed and Arranged by special guess, Andrew Neu.  Andrew also plays an outstanding Tenor Sax solo on this song.  I know you will enjoy these cuts!    

PLAYERS:

 PLAYLIST:

1. Gimme That

2. High Wire

3. Key To The City

4. Love You Madly

5. Bass: The Final Frontier

6. You'd Better Love Me While You May

7. Mazel Tov Kocktail

8. I Wish You Love

9. Springtime

10. Joy Spring

11. West Wings

12. Where Or When

                                                                      "Where or When"

                                                                            "Gimme That"

CE Review: Mark Winkler and David Benoit, "Old Friends"

 

Singer/Songwriter/Lyricist Mark Winkler has released a new album that is a tribute to his 37 years of friendship with Pianist/Composer/Arranger David Benoit.  37 years is a long time but I am glad to report that both of these seasoned  musicians are at the very top of their musical game on this CD!  Mark Winkler is not only a remarkable Songwriter and Lyricist, he still is one of the most currently active Vocalists performing today.  He seems to be everywhere in the current music scene, cutting new CDs, producing new CDs for other up and coming younger Vocalists and writing great new music and Lyrics.  Even though Mark is a renowned Vocalist and Composer, I admire his willingness to give back to his industry by helping younger talent break out.

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit has a resume that most musicians would die for.  He has recorded over 35 projects as a leader and has worked with the best in contemporary Jazz performers like the Rippingtons,  Dave Koz, Faith Hill, David Sanborn, CeCe Winans and  Brian McKnight.

The idea for this album was born after Benoit invited Winkler over for dinner, after which the two retired to the living room where Benoit started accompanying Winkler on the piano.  The informal session started with the idea to pick songs and composers who were meaningful to them.  

This CD presents Mark Winkler and David Benoit at the very best of their musical careers.  The bond of friendship and musical communication between these two mega-stars is wonderful to experience.  I Consider Mark Winkler's vocals on this CD his best work to date.  I am already looking forward to "Old Friends II"!

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for your listening pleasure.  Picking just two cuts from this CD was difficult.  So my first pick was a song that in my opinion has been under-appreciated and under-recorded, "Some Other Time".  This song was written by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Greene and it's a classic beauty.  My favorite version of this song is a recording made by Tony Bennett and Bill Evans but Winkler and Benoit version is mighty good also!  My second selection is "In A Quiet Place Kei's Song" a song composed by Benoit with lyric co-written by Winkler and Shelley Nyman.  It's a wonderful love poem!

Players:

Mark Winkler- Vocals

David Benoit- Piano

Clayton Cameron- Drums

Gabe Davis- Bass

Pat Kelley- Guitar

Kevin Wizard- Percussion

Stefanie Fife- Cello

Arrangements- David Benoit

Producer- Barbara Brighton

Playlist:

1. I've Got Just About Everything

2. Sweet Kentucky Ham

3. The Shadow Of Your Smile

4. Better Than Anything

5. Two For The Road

6. Old Friends/Bookends

7. When This Love Affair Is Over

8. I Think It's Going To Rain Today

9. In A Quiet Place (Kei's Song)

10. I Wish I'd Met You

11. Dragonfly

12. Thirty Years (Only Sunshine Days)

13. Some Other Time

                                                              "Some Other Time"

 

                                                             "In A Quite Place (Kei's Song)

CD Review: Roseanna Vitro, "Listen Here"

 

While a reviewer's job is to look for new talents and new material, I find it so satisfying when I uncover a musical gem that I missed.  In this case, it's the reissue of Roseanna Vitro's 1984 debut album, "Listen Here" featuring The Kenny Barron Trio. This wonderful CD launched Vitro's long career as a performer, recording artist, educator and journalist.  Even though this was her first CD, Vitro's performance matches even the most mature Jazz singers.  Singing a playlist of Jazz standards, Vitro applies her own unique touch to these evergreens bringing her own style and sense of swing to each of them.  Esteemed Jazz journalist Neil Tesser had this to say in USA Today: "Roseanna can sing rings around half the vocalists you can name.  Her warm, confident clarity of tone is immediately noticeable, but most startling is her boldness of phrasing."  I couldn't agree more!

What really puts this over the top is the group that accompanied Roseanna on this CD.  To say they were great hardly expressed the level of their musical skills.  The supporting Trio is made up of Kenny Barron on Piano, Buster Williams on Bass, Ben Riley on Drums.  Joining this super Trio is Arnett Cobb on Sax, Duduka Da Fonseca on Percussion, Scott Hardy on Guitar and Bliss Rodriguez on Piano for cut # 3, "Centerpiece".  The arrangements were written by the always remarkable Fred Hersch.  This group of talented musicians along with the remarkable voice and phrasing of Roseanna Vitro have produced a CD that any Jazz fan would love!

I have chosen two songs from this CD for you to enjoy.  The first one is "No More Blues" and the second one is "You Took Advantage of Me".

"No More Blues"

"You Took Advantage of Me"

Playlist:

1. No More Blues

2. You Go To My Head

3. Centerpiece

4. Love You Madly

5. A Time For Love

6. This Happy Madness

7. Listen Here

8. It Could Happen To You

9. Easy Street

10. Sometime Ago

11. You Took Advantage Of Me

12. Black Coffee

Players:

Roseanna Vitro- Vocals

Kenny Barron- Piano

Buster Williams- Bass

Arnett Cobb- Sax #3, 4, 8

Bliss Rodriguez- Piano #3

Scott Hardy- Guitar  #6

Duduka Da Fonseca- Percussion #1, 6

Arrangements: Fred Hersch