CD Review: Calabria Foti, "In The Still Of The Night"

Writing a music blog requires a lot of time and effort with very little pay.  Come to think of it, isn't that what all my musician friends face every day in their professional lives too?  But the real payment I receive for reviewing new artists and their songs is in the pleasure I receive when I discover a wonderfully-talented musician who I would have most likely missed if not for researching new talent to publish for my followers.  Calabria Foti is no newcomer to the national music scene, but I would bet a lot of my readers have never heard her sing.  I would also bet that you will love her vocal style and impeccable intonation within minutes of first hearing her sing.

Her new album "In The Still Of The Night" contains 11 award-winning songs by the great Cole Porter made new by the wonderful arrangements from Michael Patterson. Patterson is a Grammy and Emmy award-winning composer who has worked across multiple genres and instrumental ensembles including orchestral and chamber music for concert halls, Jazz arrangements and original compositions for big bands and solo artists.  Patterson put together a group of A-listed musicians, including the Clarinet virtuoso, Eddie Daniels, Gene Bertoncini on Guitar, Richard Locker on Cello, Bob McChesney on Trombone, Ike Sturm on Bass and Jared Schonig on Drums.  These guys are as good as you can get.  "Best is breed" as Jim Kramer likes to say.  Eddie Daniels is without question one of the best Jazz/Classical Clarinet players performing today!

What makes Calabria's singing so special?  Her voice is soft and lush and her ability to perform these Cole Porter remarkable melodies and lyrics almost effortlessly is divine!  According to Daniels, "Calabria Foti was the perfect choice, with her tone and musical depth, to bring the delicate sensibilities of Cole Porter's music to life.  I love Cole Porter. His songs are so heartfelt and the sound of Calabria's voice just touches me, I can't help it."  This quote coming from a Clarinet virtuoso tells all that one needs to know about Calabria's wonderful singing!  In case you need more proof of the quality of her singing, Calabria has been called a "Master of improvisation and interpretation".  She is an accomplished Vocalist, Violinist, Composer, Author and Educator.  Now that's what I call doing it all.  Her 2014 single, "Let's Fall in Love" which Calabria recorded with TV's Seth MacFarlane, received a Grammy nomination.

"In The Still Of The Night" was released on July 17, 2017 and you can sample the track "It Was Just One Of Those Things" on: Soundcloud:hhtp://bit.ly/2q 8sxnE.  You can also hear and see Calabria Foti sing and talk about her new CD on the "YouTube" below.

I also attached a second "YouTube" From her CD, "When a Man Love a Women".

PLAYLIST

1. "Just One of Those Things"
2. "Miss Otis Regrets"
3. "Anything Goes"
4. "What Is This Thing Called Love"
5. "Night and Day"
6. "I Concentrate on You"
7. "Every Time We Say Goodbye"
8. "Get Out of Town"
9. "It's All Right With Me"
10. "So In Love"
11. "In the Still of the Night"  

CD Review: "Duke at the Roadhouse Live in Santa Fe" with Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway

Roger Kellaway

Eddie Daniels

Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway are each true major league Jazz masters in their own right, but when you record the two together, it produces musical magic!  "Duke at the Roadhouse Live in Santa Fe" is their third CD duet and it's as good as Jazz can get. These two brilliant musicians have selected five of Ellington's most recognized compositions and two more that are closely associated with the "Duke".  Daniels and Kellaway each contributed one original song for this CD that were dedicated to Duke.  Trying to reduce orchestral works into a duo format is most difficult in itself but then Daniels and Kellaway added a third voice into the mix on four pieces, Cellist James Holland.

This album was recorded live at the benefit concert in New Mexico for a group called "Santa Fe Center for Therapeutic Riding" which utilizes horses to help young people with disabilities. Daniels focuses primarily on the clarinet but also utilizes the sweet sounds of his Tenor perfectly. Roger Kellaway's piano work on this CD is simply brilliant! The virtuosity of both Daniels and Kellaway is simply astonishing and the listener can sense that the members of the audience lucky enough to attend this concert were held captive by the music of Ellington as performed by these two Jazz giants.

This CD was released a few months ago in June of 2013, and I never got a chance to do a review but this CD has kept calling me and I needed to share it with my readers. This CD presents a marvelous Jazz interpretation of the genius of the writing of Duke Ellington that offers the listener a new understanding of the brilliance of his composing.

Roger Kellaway- Piano

Eddie Daniels- Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone

James Holland- Cello

                                  Musical Program

I'm Beginning To See The Light

Creole Love Cal

Perdido

Duke At The Roadhouse

In A Mellow Tone

In A Sentimental Mood

Sophisticated Lady

Duke in Ojai

Mood Indigo

It Don't Mean A Thing