CD Review: Kristina Koller, "Walk On By"

Jazz Vocalist, Songwriter, and Arranger Kristina Koller has published her fourth album as leader.  The Album is titled "Walk On By" and it's a tribute to one of the greatest American composers, Burt Bacharach.

Bacharach's compositions are always strong on melodies and fit perfectly with Koller's love of taking popular songs to new places with her arrangements and her free ranging voice that can be soft or strong but always hip.  As I listened to "Walk On By" on "Youtube" I was able to listen to other Albums that Koller has published and they are very impressive.  Her voice and phrasing are very exciting and accessible. She is a true Jazz vocalist in every aspect.  She won a scholarship at the The Hartt School's Jackie MacLean Institute of Jazz where she turned her attention to full-time Jazz.  She then transferred to City College of New York where she earned a Batchelor of Music in Jazz studies.  Koller says, "I love Jazz because it gives you room to take different approaches to music.  You can add funk or R & B to a song but still keep it in the Jazz idiom". 

Joining Koller on "Walk On By" are a group of longtime and talented bandmates including Brooklyn-based Ukrainian Jazz Pianist and Rhodes player Fima Chupakhin.  Koller is an admired and well-known Jazz singer in all the New York Jazz clubs like Smalls, Smoke, Minton's and Mezzrow.  If you love Jazz vocals you must get to know Kristina Koller, she is a real Jazz pro!

I have attached two "YouTube" music videos for you to sample.  The first Bacharach classic, "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and the second is "That's What Friends Are For".  Koller is joined on this song by her long-time friend and Vocalist, Rosemary Minkler.

PLAYERS:

Kristina Koller, Vocals, Arrangements

Fima Chupakhin, Piano & Rhodes

James Robbins, Bass, Arrangements

Cory Cox, Drums

Rosemary Minkler, Vocals (4)

PLAYLIST:

1. I'll Never Fall In Love Again

2. Close To You

3. A House Is Not A Home

4. That's What Friends Are For

5. Say A Little Prayer

6. Don't Make Me Over

7. Walk On By

8. Reach Out For Me

9. Loving Is A Way Of Living

10. What The World Needs Now

                                            

                                                              " I'll Never Fall In Love Again"

                                                                "That's What Friends Are For"

CD Review: David Finck, "BASSically JAZZ"

I know that a lot of followers of the "Musician Blog" are excellent, professional Bass players who probably know all about David Finck, but he was new to me.  I have to confess that the Bass is one of my favorite instruments.  Although the Bass is an integral part of the rhythm section, it can add much more than rhythm to music.  When in the hands of an expertly trained professional, it has its own unique voice.  I have observed while listening to hundreds of Bass players over the years that there is one characteristic that all great Bass players have that might surprise you. . . the passion for melody.  This passion includes an understanding and interpretation of the emotion of the melody. David Finck in his new CD, "BASSically JAZZ" gives us an opportunity to experience the unique voice a Bass which can produce sounds, textures and pictures it can paint without uttering one spoken word.   But most of all, David Finck shows his audience that he understands and loves great melodies.  "These days melody has become a rare commodity in popular music. I miss the richness of real songwriting" says David.  I could not agree with him more.  So much so, that when I listen and evaluate a new Bass player,  my first wish is for the player to perform a classic standard.

David Finck is one of the most versatile Bassists in or out of Jazz.  He has performed with major stars from all genres of music including Dizzy Gillespie, Andre Previn, Rosemary Clooney, George Michael, Phil Woods, Kenny Rankin, Hank Jones, Paquito D'Rivera just to name a few on his rich resume.  David can play all genres of music, he says, " at the end of the day, I still want to play melodically.  Like all my albums, this one is about music the way I want to hear it.  It's not all Jazz but it's basically a Jazz record.  That's why we call it BASSically JAZZ".

Playlist:

Players:
David Finck- Bass
Joe Locke- Vibes
Jim Rudl- Piano
Cliff Almond- Drums
Ali Ryerson- Flute
Bob Mann- Guitar
Kevin Windard- Percussion
Mike Davis- Trombone

It was very hard to pick just two songs to attach to this blog because all 12 cuts on this wonderful CD are so musically pleasing so I picked 3 great standards.  The first YouTube features the entire group with David Finck providing a beautiful, exciting and creative solo on the popular Jazz standard "Old Devil Moon" written by E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and Burton Lane .   It features Joe Locke playing Vibes that bring to mind the George Shearing Quintet. The Second YouTube presents the band playing "Alfie" which David says "is one of the most unusual pop songs of all time-very beautiful and melodic and complicated" as are most of the beautiful songs composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.  The last song "The Summer Knows" written by Michel Legrand and Alan and Marilyn Bergman features the beautiful strong and crystal-clear voice of Linda Eder plus outstanding bow work from David Finck.

                                                                 "Old Devil Moon"

                                                                          "Alfie"

 "The Summer Knows"