Helpful votes received on reviews:
95% (18 of 19)
Location: Reno, Nv USA
Birthday: Jun 9 (Saved Remind mePlease RetryPlease Retry)
In My Own Words:
I am a 58-year-old attorney/musician from Reno, Nv. My law practice centers on criminal appeals and writs. To escape the rigors and the horrors of the justice system, I sing in the Nevada Opera (the photo you see is of me in the April, 2009 N.O. production of "La Boheme"); formerly, I also sang in a vocal jazz ensemble known as 'The Reno Exchange', where I wrote some of the group's arrangements… Read moreI am a 58-year-old attorney/musician from Reno, Nv. My law practice centers on criminal appeals and writs. To escape the rigors and the horrors of the justice system, I sing in the Nevada Opera (the photo you see is of me in the April, 2009 N.O. production of "La Boheme"); formerly, I also sang in a vocal jazz ensemble known as 'The Reno Exchange', where I wrote some of the group's arrangements. (So, you could say I'm all about the two 'J's': Jazz and justice!) I'm married with 3 adult kids. I started doing these reviews at the request and suggestion of a friend of mine, who is a jazz singer with some albums listed here. I've decided to stick only with singers, and (with four exceptions, out of 288 as of 1/1/11) review only those c.d.'s that strike me at a 4-star or 5-star level.
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Reviews
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Listening to this album is like watching Barry Bonds play baseball. You will hear (see) some strikeouts; but you will also hear (see) enough "shots into McCovey Cove" to convince you that both deserve to be in their respective Halls of Fame. The most immediately impressive piece is "Ginger Bread Boy." This is the finest meld of free jazz and vocal jazz I've ever heard. The way Elling scats here is just sensational; listening to this made me hear Mingus, Dannie Richmond, Don Pullen and Eric Dolphy--with Elling doing a knock-off of Dolphy. I was also blown away by "Tanya Jean"--a vocalese creation based on a Dexter Gordon tune about a "spiritual… Read more
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I first bought this when it came out, 12 years ago, and was basically neutral about it. What a mistake. What can I say: I was a callow lad back then, a mere 40-years-old, coming out of a midlife crisis or something. This album is truly special. From "Here's to Life" to "Estate", the whole album captures the mood of a late Indian summer day, with full autumn foliage and early evening sun, reflecting off of a pond while two lovers float by in a rowboat. Whatever your image is of quiet perfection, and in the moment life celebration, that's what this album is all about. A big reason for that is Johnny Mandel, that great songwriter-arranger-producer. This album is… Read more
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I would say that Laurie Wheeler and Nash deVille are 1 of the 3 best vocal jazz ensembles in the country, along with New York Voices and Manhattan Transfer. I'd also say that right now, they definitely are #3. When it comes to smokin', scattin' up-tunes, these guys are without peer. You can't listen to stuff like "I Like to Riff", "Gone", "Jeanine", and the album's highlight, "That Cat Is High", and not break out into a big smile. They way these guys harmonize at 100 m.p.h. is totally cool. But the Transfer and the Voices can do that, too. The difference is in the ballads. Nash deVille's harmonies are tight; I think the problem (although it… Read more
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