Customer Reviews

Avenue of the Americas

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Tom Lillis is a man of many talents as he so well demonstrates on this fine new CD. Not only is he a fine and pungent vocalist, but he also is a strong lyricist, composer and arranger (he also just happens to be proficient on the piano, keyboards, percussion, voice bass, and whistle!). But the full flavor of this collection in the mixture of jazz with Brazilian and popular music comes form Lellis excellent arrangements of songs we thought we knew - until he makes the lyrics his own.

Lellis' voice is a bit of Mel Torme but no further comparisons should be made. His style is easy, relaxed and full of scat and improvisations. He has collaborated on this CD with Toninho Harris guitar, Richard Bona and Tony Mario, bass, Jeremy Steig flute, Kenny Werner and Dave Kikoski and Gary Fisher on piano, and Tommy Campbell and Frank Colon and Cliff Almond and Jorge Amorin on drums and percussion. It is a well tune ensemble and serve Lellis well.

Included on the collection are Norwegian Woods, For Wisdom, Pure Imagination segueing into Waiting for Angela, Ain't no mountain high enough - 11 songs in all. This is one of those recordings for easy listening in the evening watching the sun go down - and the fire come up! Grady Harp, June 06

I bought this CD after hearing this man's voice on jazz excursion radio where he stood out miles apart from all the other singers with his laid back maturity, confident musicianship and fine range. This guy is no crooner, but a well honed instrument at the peak of his powers, who no longer needs to flash his (albeit amazing) technique in your face. His way of singing and his choice of material and arrangement skills are admirably matched and as a musician I feel he has a lot to impart to other musicians in terms of enjoyment of what you do and doing what you enjoy.

Go for it, there is not one track you would want to skip.