KRISTEN LEE SERGEANT
– INSIDE/OUT
With
Inside/Out, Kristen Lee Sergeant emerges onto the crowded scene of jazz
vocalists with a fresh, distinctive voice full of soul, authenticity and the gift
of great storytelling. The title
reflects the uality of each song’s lyrics and placement, creating a cycle of
emotions ranging from rapture to introspection to reality, bringing what is
inside, out. Fun and fearlessness pervade this debut release as Kristen also
turns 80s pop classics into adventurous jazz romps with the promise of even
more exciting things to come. The
restless, creative spirit that inspires her is evident on this recording and
deeply impacts the music and her listeners. Radio host,
Jay Edwards of WCLK-FM’s “Jazz Tones,” calls her “an effervescent spirit whose
superb vocals and phrasing inject the lyrics with new life.” Illustrating how influences from early
on-stage work palpably serve this recording.
Inspired by Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn and Rosemary Clooney, Sergeant
finds the swing and intimacy of each tine in every context. This release is a portrait of an artist
coalescing all her influences, and those of her musicians, to a nuanced
reinvention of standards and pop classics under the jazz canopy of swing and
contemporary music.
FELIX
CAVALIERE – CASTLES IN THE AIR
Felix
Cavaliere may be best known to some for his work in the Rascals – but years
later, he stepped out as a solo act on his own – with a sound that nicely drew
from all of his early work on Atlantic Records! The sound here is kind of a
late 70s update of the blue-eyed mode that Felix had with his earlier group –
given a bit more of an AOR spin in the production, through use of a top-shelf
array of jazz fusion players in the backings. Despite the pianos on the cover,
Cavaliere mostly plays Fender Rhodes and organ next to his vocals – on titles
that include "Only A Lonely Heart Sees", "All Or Nothing",
"People Got To Be Free", "Outside Your Window", "Love
Is The First Day Of Spring", "You Turned Me Around", and
"Good To Have Love Back". (Part of the great AOR City series from
Japan!) ~ Dusty Groove
LAURIN
TALESE – GORGEOUS CHAOS
A jazz
vocalist with a great blend of classic roots and contemporary soul – working
here in a mix of her own original tunes and some well-chosen standards!
Laurin's sense of lyric is very personal – spun out with a richness that's
immediately apparent, and underscored by some warm acoustic jazz currents – but
with energy that's very electric in the way the instrumentation comes together!
Some tunes have a gentle glow, others have a more contemporary crackle – but
the instrumentation throughout is very classic – and includes some especially
nice tones and colors from the horns. Robert Glasper guests on one track,
singer Vivian Green is on another, and Christan McBride plays bass on a few
more tracks. Titles include "This Love", "My Husband",
"Trenchcoat", "Love Poems", "Same Mistakes",
"Forgive & Forget", "Kissing A Fool", and "Tick
Tock". ~ Dusty Groove
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