Greta Mattassa Puts On A Master Class In Jazz Vocals at Pete Carlson's

Pre-Show Preparations At Pete Carlson's

Greta Mattassa, Andy Fraga Jr.,  Larry Holloway and Doug McDonald

 

If you are a fan of Jazz vocals and were not at Pete Carlson's Jazz For Jazz Lovers Series last Friday January 26, you missed a spectacular performance by Jazz Vocalist, Greta Matassa.  Greta has been voted best Jazz Vocalist in the Pacific North West four times and has recorded 10 highly successful CDs.  Greta's influences include the best American vocalists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Anita O'Day.  You can also hear the influences of Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, June Christy and Diane Schuur.  It's one thing to have all these vocal giants as your musical heroes but then to perform using everything you have learned from these heroes is a talent that only a few musicians can accomplish.  It is clear to everyone in the standing- room-audience tonight that Greta Matassa has more than proved she can join this illustrious group of vocalists.   Greta's voice can move from sad to joyous, from delicate to strong and her phrasing is fresh and powerful!

Greta also teaches in Jazz camps, festivals, master classes and give clinics and workshops for aspiring singers.  Tonight's performance was a clinic for the audience of what Jazz Vocals are all about.

Supporting Greta tonight was a group of three of the top musicians from the Coachella Valley area.   Larry Holloway on Bass, Andy Fraga Jr on Drums and Doug McDonald on Guitar.  Doug was called in at the last minute because the Guitar player that was scheduled, Bruce Forman came down with the flu.  Doug's performance was outstanding especially considering he never performed with Greta before and he never had time to even review her charts.  Doug is such a Pro, no one could even detect that Doug was not Greta's regular Guitar player! 

I found a "YouTube" of Greta Matassa singing "The Song Is You" that will give you a good sample of Greta's vocal skills.  She is joined by musicians Darin Clendenin on Piano, Clipper Anderson on Bass and Steve Dornes on Drums.

CD Review: Katie Thiroux Debut CD "Introducing Katie Thiroux"

Bassist/Singer/Composer Katie Thiroux released her first CD on February 3, 2015 titled "Introducing Katie Thiroux".  Before I even listened to this CD, I read the liner notes and knew this CD from Katie Thiroux would be terrific.  Soon after I was able to see Katie in person when she performed with the Larry Fuller Trio and Graham Dechter at "Pete Carlson's Jazz For Jazz Lovers Series".  When I first listened to Katie's CD, I was so focused on her beautiful voice and singing style, I somewhat overlooked her great Bass playing.  However, at the Graham Dechter concert,  Katie's Bass brilliance was in full view.  Katie told me that she had always loved Ray Brown and that she had spent some time working with John Clayton.  At the concert, she played a couple of great Ray Brown arrangements,  and if you closed your eyes, you might have thought is was Ray Brown or John Clayton playing.  The audience loved her Bass playing and she received many rounds of applause every time she played a solo riff.

Katie Thiroux is a multi-talented musical threat, she sings with great style as good as any of the best Jazz singers around today and her Bass playing would be welcomed in the best Jazz groups.
Katie studied with the great Jazz Vocalist Tierney Sutton.  So she has had guidance from two Jazz giants, Clayton and Sutton.  The results of her years of study are evident in her Bass playing and her singing, she is one of the best around in both categories.  Here is a quote from John Clayton "Katie has developed into a swinging and "Killer" Base player!  Of course, I heard her talent and advanced abilities when she was younger, but her playing now is something else--It's at another level. I'm talking about the level of playing that allows the groove to feel right, the arrangements well thought out and rehearsed and the performance to be tight".  Quite a compliant from one of the Best Bass players in Jazz history!

True of all the very best musicians, Katie has put together an impressive group of musicians to join her quartet on her debut CD.  Graham Dechter, a celebrated guitarist was at nineteen the youngest member of the acclaimed Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.  In addition, his credits include work with Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, John Pizzarelli, singers Jon Hendrick, Nancy Wilson and Kurt Elling.  Not too bad for someone that is only in his late 20's, don't you think?  Saxophonist, Flutist, Composer, Arranger and Music educator, Roger Neumann added a wonderful warmth to Katie's singing and Bass playing.  Matt Witek a former student of Grammy-winning Drummer, Jeff Hamilton was on Drums, and you can tell he must have been a wonderful student.  His Drum work is excellent, both creative and solid at the same time.

Katie has written three interesting instrumentals for her CD.  "Ray's Kicks" is  dedicated to Ray Brown.  Katie says she was inspired by a pair of Ray's stylish shoes that were gifted to her.  "Rosebird" was written on the framework of Earl Hines's "Rosetta" and Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite". "Can't We Just Pretend" is a beautiful ballad with an Ellington flavor and it's delightful.

This may be Katie Thiroux's first CD but she has already established that she has established place to be among the Jazz giants in years to come!

                Playlist:
1. "There's A Small Hotel"                                         2. "Don't Be On The Outside"
3. "A Beautiful Friendship"                                        4. "Wives and Lovers"
5. "I'm Old Fashioned"                                               6. "Ray's Kicks"
7. "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)"      8. "Rosebud"
9. "Can't We Just Pretend?"                                        10. "Shiny Stockings"
11. "Oh What A Beautiful Morning"

I found a "Youtube" video of Katie singing "Wives and Lovers" for your hearing pleasure.