CD Review: Mark Winkler: "Rules Don't Apply"

 

If you don't know much about Mark Winkler and you love great Jazz singing, you really need to get to know him.  Mark has been performing in the Los Angeles Jazz scene for years and he has released over 20 albums.  "The Rules Don't Apply" is his 21st album and it will not disappoint you.  In addition to singing, Mark is an accomplished Lyricist whose songs have been recorded or performed by a "Who's Who" of well-known singers including Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Steve Tyrell, Claire Martin, Jackie Ryan, Randy Crawford, Cheryl Bentyne, Kenny Rankin, Jane Monheit, Ben Vereen and Liza Minnelli among others.  

For his newest CD, "The Rules Don't Apply",  Winkler wrote lyrics for eight of the original songs and then added five of his favorite tunes written by Paul Simon, Lennon and McCartney, Eddie Arkin, Randy Newman and Donald Fagen.  He also brought 16 top Musicians who play on his CD in various combinations.  Mark Winkler is a song stylist who loves to bring his own personal feelings to new and old songs that give lyrics a new life for his listeners.  It is so wonderful that a talented vocalist like Mark Winkler can still fill a room every time he has a live performance.  Winkler's appeal to live audiences is his authenticity.  He has stayed the course with his music and he has a strong fan base that proves that he has taken the right direction in his long career.  Mark feels that many older Jazz artists are not getting the attention they deserve and wanted to represent that on this album.  Mark offers "I'm a 74-year old Jewish gay man, and I really feel my creative powers have not diminished in the slightest.  When I listen to the radio or see Spotify playlists, the younger artists are rightly getting the attention they deserve, but I don't think that attention should be at the expense of older artists who are still doing great work".  Wise words indeed Mark Winkler and I agree totally with them.  It's one of the main reasons I started publishing this blog 12 years ago.  I wanted to create a balanced spotlight on brilliant musicians both young and old.  There should always be room for both in the current music environment. 

Mark Winkler is one of only a few "Hip" musicians currently writing and performing today.  Yes, he could fit very comfortably into a picture of a smoky Jazz club in the 1950s, and yet, he still fits perfectly into today's contemporary Jazz scene.

I have attached two "YouTube" videos of two songs on this new CD.  The first is the Lennon and McCartney gem "Got To Get You Into My Life" , one of Mark's favorite tunes.  The second is a New Orleans-inspired song by Randy Newman.  As a fellow singer/songwriter, Winker feels a connection to Randy Newman and this arrangement features Errol Thoden on Tuba.

 

                                                        "Got To Get You Into My Life"

                                                                "Mama Told Me Not To Come"

PLAYERS:

Mark Winkler- Vocals, Arranging, lyrics

Piano: John Beasley, Rich Eames, Greg Gordon Smith, Jamieson Trotter

Bass: Gabe Davis, Dan Lutz

Drums/Percussion: Clayton Cameron, Dan Schnelle, Kevin Winrad

Guitar: George Doering, Grant Geissman

Reeds: Katisse Buckingham, Danny Janklow, Bob Sheppard, Scott Mayo

Brass: Errol Rhoden, Brian Swartz, Scott Whitfield

PLAYLIST:

1. Sunday In LA

2. I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World)

3. The Joy Of Singing

4. In Love In New York

5. Got To Get You Into My Life

6. The Rules Don't Apply

7. Something So Right

8. Just Around The Corner

9. If These Walls Could Talk

10. Jazz Swings

11. Mama Told Me Not To Come

12. Lessons I've Learned

13. Here's To Jazz

     

CD Review: Mark Winkler: "I'm With You"

Singer, Songwriter and Arranger Mark Winkler has recently released a terrific new CD, "I'm With You".  The CD is a tribute to "Mr. Hip" Bobby Troup.  For those of you that don't know much about Bobby Troop, you are in for a treat!  I have no doubt that the term "West Coast Cool" was coined with him in mind. Bobby Troup is best known for his great standard, "Route 66" that is still recorded and performed today as much as when it was first written.  It is a classic song both in Music and Lyric that is still a favorite of Jazz players.  Bobby Troup had a lot more to contribute to contemporary Music than just "Route 66".  Mark Winkler has developed an enduring affinity with Bobby Troup and counts him as one of his Musical heros.  Mark says, "It's easy as pie for me to sing Bobby Troup songs.  Once I choose the tunes I want to create new arrangements for, I approach the songs very easily.  I feel like I understand him.  We've got things in common.  He swings and I love to swing.  He's funny, clever and whimsical,  yet could also write and sing the Blues.  As a songwriter, I am always aspiring to achieve that same range of emotions."  Once you hear the wonderful collection of songs in "I'm With You" I am sure you will fully agree with Mark's comments.

Mark Winkler is a mega-talented Musician who never stops learning from other mega-talented Musicians both young and old.  It feels like I see his musical fingerprints on at least one new CD that I receive every month.  He must never sleep because his musical contributions are non-stop and always at the highest professional level.  His musical tastes in what he decided to do is always guided by the highest Musical standards.  I also know that Mark loves to give back to his industry by helping young talented Musicians break through by sharing his ability as a Producer and Arranger and Teacher.  I applaud Mark for his efforts to help up-and-coming young Musicians.

It is an honor to do a review of a Composer/Lyricist who has had over 250 of his songs recorded    and/or sung by Dianne Reeves, Liza Minnelli, Steve Tyrell, Jane Monheit, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lea DeLaria, Kenny Rankin and Sara Gazarek.  Mark was included in the 2018 "Rising Star Male Jazz Vocalist list in "Downbeat Magazine".   Mark's work as a Lyricist has resulted in six musicals that are playing around the country, including "Naked Boys Singing" which is, at 19 years, the second longest running show in Off Broadway history.  Mark has taught a Lyric writing course, "Crafting Great Lyrics: A Songwriters Workshop" at  "UCLA Extension" for 13 years and at the Los Angeles School of Songwriting.

However,  in Mark's latest CD it is singing skills that come front and center.  Mark has a beautiful silky smooth voice and Sinatra-like phrasing that makes him such an impressive vocalist.  The songs he has chosen are not easy for any singer to perform but Mark makes singing these special songs look easy.  I have attached two Bobby Troup songs from Mark's CD that I think you will enjoy.  My guess is that both of these songs will be new to you.  The first tune is "Please Belong To Me" that was arranged by one of my personal favorite Jazz Piano players, Tamir Hendelman.  The Musicians joining Mark on this track are:

Rich Eames- Piano
Gabe Davis- Bass
Dave Tull- Drums
Grant Geissman- Guitar
Ricky Woodard- Sax

The second tune "It Happened Once Before" is a Vocal-Piano duet with another of my absolute favorite Jazz pianists, Jon Mayer.  Mark's Vocal is dreamy and no one knows how to play a standard better than Jon Mayer!

Playlist:

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.