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: 3D Jazz Trio "I Love To See You Smile"

The 3D Jazz Trio is made up of three wonderful musically-talented women, Jackie Warren, Amy Shook and Sherrie Maricle who are also close friends.  The music they make is not hard to love or understand.  It's just great swing American Jazz!  In my opinion, it's what a Jazz trio is all about.  These three musicians play as one strong unit fitting together perfectly to produce beautiful swinging music.   The anchor of the group is pianist Jackie Warren but Bassist Amy Shook and Drummer Sherrie Maricle are towers of musical strength in their own right. 

This trio of musicians has received many awards for their musical skills and work.  Jackie Warren won the Cleveland Jazz Award and is an Educator at Tri-C College.  Amy Shook is a critically acclaimed Jazz Bassist, Clinician, and Composer.  Sherrie Maricle won the Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Lifetime Achievement Award along with the Ovation Award for Best Music Direction.  She was also twice named the New York University Music Department Teacher of the year.  And I am awarding them the Best Swing Jazz Trio Award for 2020!

I have listed below the great playlist they have selected for "I Love To See You Smile".  A wonderful mix of outstanding standards that this trio brings new life to.

Playlist: 

1. I Love to See You Smile

2. Besame Mucho

3. Moonglow

4. B ack at the Chicken Shack

5. Angel Eyes

6. Recado Bossa Nova

7. When You and I Were Young

8. L.O.V.E.

Players:

Jackie Warren- Piano

Amy Shook- Bass

Sherrie Maricle- Drums

I have attached a "YouTube" video of the 3D Jazz Trio playing the Randy Newman composition I am sure many of you will remember, "I Love To See You Smile".

   

"I Love To See You Smile"