Recently, I have been receiving more new albums than I can fit into the space allocated for my “Other Views” column in Jersey Jazz. Many of them are by vocalists, so here is a collection of reviews of recent albums featuring vocalists.
Sway (self-produced) is released under the name of saxophonist Justin Pierce also featuring pianist Michael Giddings, bassist Young Heo, and drummer Matt Young plus vocals on seven of the 10 tracks by Ashley Pierce. The selections with vocals are “Sway,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Meglio Stasera,” “Alone Together,” “Moon River,” Just the Two of Us” and “L-O-V-E.” “Jody Grind,” “All Blues” and “In a Sentimental Mood” are the instrumental tracks. Pierce’s sax stylings are straight ahead and swinging, nicely complemented by his rhythm section with Gidings showing fine solo chops. Pierce has a pleasant voice that sits well in the context of the instrumentalists. She is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has been leading groups for about 15 years, but this is his recording debut as a leader, one that portends more exciting music in the future. (justinpiercemusic.com)
Two releases inspired by the nation’s 250th anniversary are Of the People by the Visions Jazz Ensemble and This Is by vocalist Judy Whitmore.
Indianapolis-based Trumpeter Sam Butler and alto saxophonist Garrett Fasig have their octet, Visions Jazz Ensemble, performing a dozen songs on Of the People (self-produced) that in the words of David Brent Johnson, who wrote the enlightening liner notes, “summon a vision of America that is at once majestic and common, full of promise and pathos, united and diverse, aware of its past and attuned to its present, and always yearning to be free in a land for you and me.” Aiding them in this journey is vocalist April Varner, a jazz-oriented singer who, on this occasion, gives straightforward and emotional renditions of “Simple Gifts,” “Take Me Home Country Roads,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “Not a Bad Man,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Going Home,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” “Deep River,” “God Bless America,” “Revolutionary Tea” “America the Beautiful” and “Hard Times.” The arrangements by Butler and Fasig are imaginative and appropriate for the material and are well executed by the band. Of the People offers much food for thought as we reflect on our special nation. Varner will be performing at the New Jersey Jazz Society’s Jersey Jazz LIVE! concert on Sunday, December 6, in Madison, NJ. (visionsjazzensemble.com)
Vocalist Judy Whitmore was moved to record a 250th tribute to the United States of America by her family’s service in the nation’s armed forces. The result is This Is Home (Arden House Music – 202607), a 19-minute, six-track recording backed by the 40-piece Chris Walden Orchestra. Whitmore opens with a selection made famous in a film short featuring Frank Sinatra, “The House I Live In.” Following are two popular patriotic anthems, “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America.” Then there are three medleys, “America Medley: Anchors Away/The Caissons Go Rolling Along/The Marine’s Hymn/The Wild Blue Yonder;” “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee/Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor;” and “Over There/You’re a Grand Old Flag.” Whitmore has a strong voice and impeccable articulation and performs this program with obvious commitment and patriotic fervor. Her charts are perfectly suited to this material. (www.,judywhitmore.com)
For her third release as a vocal soloist, Lisanne Lyons has a definite winner with May I Come In (OA2 Records – 22248). Lyons had a varied career: singing with an Air Force Band for six years right out of high school; getting a degree from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music; performing in musical theater; singing with a variety of big bands such as Harry James, Artie Shaw and Maynard Ferguson; being a member of vocal groups like Mad Romance and the Uptown Jazz Quartet; and serving as a jazz educator. She has put her impressive credentials on full display for this 10-tune program. Backed by a big band arranged and conducted by Mike Lewis, the selections include “The Song Is You,” “This Is Always,” “Baubles, Bangles & Beads,” and “Tulip or Turnip,” No matter the tempo, Lyons nails each number. In addition to her strong vocalizing, she has exquisite taste in her song selection, including many songs that are generally under the radar like “Moonlight,” “May I Come In,” “Unless It’s You,” “There’ll Be Another Spring” and “Waiter, Make Mine the Blues,” a rarely recorded song from the Anita O’Day catalog. When I listened to this album, it made me think, “Why is she not a household name?” (www.originarts.com)
Occasionally I catch up with an album that had escaped my attention when it was released. One such recording is the eponymous, self-produced 2023 album by vocalist Vanessa Vacanti. She calls Buffalo her home and has been performing primarily in upstate New York. Her band includes musicians from the area, such as Dave Solazzo on piano, Joe Ferlo on guitar, Cecilia Vacanti on violin, Matthew Vacanti on bass, and Joe Cortini or Bill D’Agostino on drums. Vacanti knows how to select songs that are suited to her hip jazz approach. You can hear it right away on “Devil May Care,” a song written by Bob Dorough. The balance of the program has such songs as “Lullaby of the Leaves,” Sting’s “Englishman in New York,” “Àgua de Beber,” and “Pure Imagination,” among others. The band is swinging with Solazzo particularly notable. It seems inevitable that Vanessa Vacanti is a name to be reckoned with in the coming years. (www.vanessavacanti.com)
Douyé , a Los Angeles-based, Nigerian born singer, has a new release titled Stay With Me (Baby Blue Music). She performs a program of 10 standards, including “Autumn in New York,” “It’s a Lovely Day,” “Love You Madly,” and “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.” “Days of Wine and Roses,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” “Give Me the Simple Life,” “In My Solitude,” “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and “You Go to My Head.” There are three originals by Douyé and Rufus Bordal, “Stay With Me,” “Where to Be” and “Day to Day.” On the standard songs she is supported by pianist George Cables, bassist Sean Conley, and drummer Jerome Jennings with occasional contributions from saxophonist Craig Handy and trumpeters Joe Magnarelli and John Bailey. For the originals, her support comes from pianist/arranger Mina Choi, bassist Edwin Livingston, drummer Clayton Cameron, saxophonist Barclay Moffitt and, on two tracks, trumpeter Kyle Palmer. Douyé has a rich voice, phrases nicely and handles a variety of tempi with ease. The instrumental backing is superb. Douyé so impressed this listener that I was moved to seek out her two prior jazz outings. (douyemusic.com)
It Could Happen to You (self-produced) is the latest album from trumpeter/vocalist Christine Fawson. Throughout the recording, she demonstrates that she is equally proficient on her instrument and with her voice. She swings, has a warm voice and jazzy approach to vocalizing, plays her trumpet with elan and makes the familiar tunes on her program sound fresh. The selections include “It Could Happen to You,” “It’s All Right With Me,” “Lazybones,” and “What’ll I Do.” The supporting trio is pianist Tim Ray, bassist Dave Zinno, and Drummer Casey Scheuerell. Fawson taught for 14 years at the Berklee College of Music, her alma mater, and still teaches privately. In her brief liner notes, she speaks with passion about teaching, both as a student and as an instructor. The bottom line is that she leads a life devoted to the music that she loves, and her passion come shining through with every note that she plays or sings. (www.christinefawson.com)
The imaginative approaches that vocalist Kay Kostopoulos takes to the eight selections on All This Is Possible (self-produced) makes it evident that she is more than just another jazz singer. Her background includes studies of English, dance and theater. She is joined by Noel Jewkes and Peter Brainin on tenor and soprano saxes, John di Martino on piano, Sean Conly on bass, and Vince Cherico on drums. The program includes “Lover” with Dizzy Gillespie’s contrafact of the song, “Diggin’ for Diz,” used as an instrumental interlude, a heartfelt “Never Let Me Go,” and an uplifting “I’m All Smiles.” She recites the verse to “Mad About the Boy” before singing the song with dramatic intensity, takes Charlie Parker’s “Segment” on a vocalise ride with her own lyrics, and also provides the words for a personal statement in McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace,” arranged with a Middle Eastern feeling. Kostopoulos sings “I Enjoy Being a Girl” with a unique theatricality, and closes with a straightforward reading of “For All We Know.” This carefully planned presentation is an eclectic delight. (blackolivejazz.com)
Dr. Gianni Bianchini shows on A Study in Songbook (self-produced) that he fits right in with the best pianist/singers. A student of the Great American Songbook, he has chosen nine standards that he infuses with his innate sense of swing, developed at Berklee College of Music, New York University and the University of Texas (Austin) from which he earned a Doctorate of Musical Studies. Bianchini has had a dual career as an educator, currently serving as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and performer. With bassist Ross Kratter and drummer Sam Hart, he explores such standards as “East of the Sun,” “I Wish You Love,” “Give Me the Simple Life,” and “I Thought About You.” Bianchini’s relaxed approach to vocalizing is complemented by his imaginative pianism. These performances carry the ambience of an intimate club setting. (https://www.giannibianchini.com/music-page)
Latin Jazz Meets Opera (Zoho – 202601) is a deeply personal album by baritone Christopher Sanchez. He grew up in New York where his Dominican mother played Latin music, and Spanish was spoken in his home. He studied voice at the Eastman School of Music and went on to perform in operas and musical theater, also developing an affection for jazz. On this release, he has selected a program that includes some Latin material, some opera, and a few standards, such as “Unforgettable,” and “The Shadow of Your Smile.” There is an original song, “Un Retoño de Santiago” and the closer is “The Christmas Song.” All of the material is performed with Latin rhythms. Three arias, “Carmen’s Habanera,” “Là ci darem la mano” the seduction duet from Don Giovanni, and “The Flower Duet” from Lakmé are duets with soprano Jazmine Saunders. This challenging program is brought to fruition by Sanchez with elegance and passion, a unique and engaging outing. (www.zohomusic.com)
Laurent Ziliani is primarily known as a composer and arranger. Several years ago, he became interested in the music of Stephen Sondheim. He was originally considering creating a theater piece presenting Sondheim material with jazz arrangements. The show never materialized, but he had put the work in creating arrangements and was pleased with the results. So Ziliani decided to record a collection of Sondheim material as vocalist/pianist with the accompaniment of a large band featuring guest soloists. The result is Anyone Can Whistle: A Sondheim Journey (self-produced). The songs include “Wait,” “Isn’t He Something,” “Pretty Women,” and “Losing My Mind,” among others. Detailing how Ziliani selected and programmed the songs is more complicated than can be explained in this review, but it is a fascinating story that Ziliani covers in an interview that can be heard at https://share.transistor.fm/s/5c5faf61. Ziliani has an approachable voice, and he delivers each lyric with a clear understanding of the words he is singing. Sondheim’s music has not been a source of inspiration for many jazz musicians as most of his compositions are complex; it takes a lot of effort to jazzify them. Ziliani, though, has achieved a unique presentation of Sondheim that can be appreciated by enthusiasts of jazz and/or theater music. (Available for download at Amazon.com or on most streaming services.) -JOE LANG
