CD Review: Beverley Church Hogan "Can't Get Out of This Mood"

Vocalist Beverley Church Hogan was ready to kick-off her singing career at the age of 21when she relocated from Montreal to Los Angeles.  She was offered a recording contract with Capitol Records that required her to tour for 58 weeks.  At this time she was married and had a one-year-old baby.  After much thought and discussion, Beverley surprised everyone including Capitol Records by turning down the contract.  For the next forty years she dedicated her focus on being a mother, a wife and a businesswoman.  It was a decision she never regretted!

Then in 2002, she found her way back to music when she was invited to sing at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.  The night was a huge success and she surprised many of her friends who never knew about her talent for singing.  The Catalina event has since become an annual event with every seat always filled.  She continued singing for the next 12 years and when she turned 83, she decided it was time to make her debut CD.

Beverley enlisted the help of musicians she had the highest respect for and the first one she asked was John Proulx who was asked to arrange, produce and play for the project.  Many readers of this blog know how talented John Proulx is because he has preformed live at Pete Carlson Golf and Jazz Club in Palm Desert many times.  Proulx gathered some of the "Best of the West" for this CD starting with Trumpet and Flugelhorn master Ron Stout.  Ron Stout is joined by the great young guitarist, Graham Decter, Reedman Doug Webb, Bass Player Lyman Medeiros, Drummer Clayton Cameron and Percussionist Kevin Winard.  Beverley also asked Producer Barbara Brighton to help produce her vocals.

The mix of songs on this CD are outstanding.  A few songs from the "Great American Songbook', including one from Bobby Troup, "You're Looking at Me".  Plus some contemporary composers including Chris Caswell, Rene Marie and Stephen Sondheim's famous "Losing My Mind".  Also on the CD is a terrific song composed by John Proulx with Lyrics by K. Lawrence Dunham, "Stuck in a Dream".

Beverly's primary focus is on presenting her own special interpretation of the Lyrics.  "I want to connect to the listener, and I hope the story I'm telling in song evokes memories and emotions that are meaningful to the audience".

Remarkably, at 83, Beverley's voice is strong and clear.  While it is sad that she waited so long to record her first CD,  at the same time, Jazz vocal lovers should rejoice to  have the chance to hear her sing on her CD, "Can't Get Out Of This Mood".  Please keep singing, Beverley,  I can't wait to get to listen to your next CD!

PLAYLIST:
1. "Take My Breath Away"
2. "Losing My Mind"
3. "You're Looking At Me"
4. "Can't Get Out Of This Mood"
5. "Wait Till You See Me"
6. "I Know You By Heart"
7. "I'm Through With Love"
8. "Speak Low"
9.  "Stuck In A Dream"
10. "Time After Time"

I located a "YouTube" of Beverley singing the Stephen Sondheim gem, "Losing My Mind".

CD Review: Joanne Tatham "The Rings of Saturn"

Vocalist Joanne Tatham has released her 4th CD, "The Rings of Saturn" on March 30, 2018 and it's a beautiful musical journey to some great old and new songs combined with some fresh arrangements.  Tatham successfully follows the proven traditions of the great vocalists of past generations: pick only first-class material, write fresh, hip arrangements and ask only the best musicians to join you.  The collection of songs in this CD are so different with unusual arrangements that singing the full playlist could be used as a master class for any Jazz vocalist!  Clearly Joanne Tatham is not afraid to take risks and the result is a beautiful eclectic CD that will please even the toughest Jazz listener.

It was difficult to pick one song from this CD for you to listen to because I liked so many of them, and they are so different.  "Catch Me If You Can" composed by Eli Brueggemann with Lyrics by Mark Winkler is catchy and clever.  Who wouldn't love a Lyric by Mark Winker?  "Jazz 'n Samba" by Antonio Jobim and arranged by Guitarist Marcel Camargo and Tatham is wonderful.  But in the end, I had to give in to my love of standards and I attached a "YouTube"  of Joanne Tatham singing the old chestnut "Love Me Or LeaveMe" as good as you will ever hear this song sung.

Playlist:
1. "Love Me Or Leave Me"
2. "Summer In New York"
3. "Catch Me If You Can"
4. "Poetry Man"
5. The Rings of Saturn"
6. "Can We Still Be Friends?"
7. "If You Never Come To Me"
8. "Anyone Can Whistle"
9. "Nice To Be Around"
10. "Jazz 'n Samba"
11. "It Could Happen to You"

Players:
Joanne Tatham-Vocals
Max Haymer-Piano
Lyman Medeiros-Base
Dan Schnelle-Drums
Marcel Camargo-Guitar
Larry Koonse-Guitar
Kevin Winard-Percussion
Brian Swartz-Trumpet
Bob Sheppard-Sax

Produced by Mark Winkler

CD Review: Joanne Tatham: "Out Of My Dreams"

Gifted singer Joanne Tatham has published her third CD, "Out of My Dreams" and it's terrific!  Joanne has a beautiful, clear voice that she uses in a wonderful way to put life into the lyrics of the songs she selected for this CD.  The songs she selected cover a great musical territory and would be a challenge for even the most experienced singer but Joanne believe's it's worth the risks and it turns out she was right.  In putting this CD together,  Joanne gathered some of the most sought-after musicians in the business today featuring John Clayton, Tamir Hendelman, Peter Erskine and Bob Sheppard.  She also convinced gifted Jazz singer and Songwriter Mark Winkler to produce her CD.  With a supporting cast like this, Joanne's beautiful voice and sense of tempo and eleven handpicked great songs, I was not surprised at the high quality of this CD. This CD and Joanne's two other CDs are available on Amazon,  iTunes, and CDBaby.

           PLAYLISTS
1. "You Taught My Heart To Sing"                          2. "Without Him"
3. "Devil May Care"                                                  4. "Vivo Sonhando"
5. "Cool"                                                                     6. "Double Life"
7. "Detour Ahead"                                                     8. "Too Long In LA"
9. "You're Sensational"                                             10. "In A Lonely Place'
11. "Out Of My Dreams"

           Artist Credits:


Joanne Tatham: Vocals and Background Vocals, Lyrics on #6, Arrangement on #9

Tamir Hendelman: Piano and Arrangements on  #1,5,6,7,10

Jamieson Trotter: Piano and Arrangements on #2,8 Piano only #3,4,11

Peter Erskine: Drums on #2,5,7,10

Bob Sheppard: Sax on #1,10

Lyman Medeiros: Bass on #2,3,4,8,11

Mike Shapiro: Drums and Percussion on 2,3,4,6,8,11

Marcel Camargo: Guitar on #2,4,9

Eli Brueggemann: Arrangements on #3,4

Mark Winkler: Producer

I found a "YouTube" video of Joanne singing "Devil May Care" performed live at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in NYC on 11/14/2011.  Eli Brueggemann on Piano, Steve Doyle on Bass, Steve Harkness on Guitar and Valerie Naranjo on Percussion.