Customer Reviews

Dancing in the Dark

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The subtitle of this album is obviously chosen with great care--it's not a "tribute to Frank Sinatra" but "inspired by the music of Frank Sinatra." I can understand the initial disappointment experienced by some listeners, but with repeated playings this album gets better and better. Not only does it become clear that Sutton's is a unique sound--dynamic, alive, warm and enveloping as opposed to the detached coolness and occasional hardness of a Krall or dispassionate indifference of a Julie London--but that this is as sincere and effective a Sinatra tribute as any that's heretofore appeared. The choice of repertory is inspired (not the signature songs of the later Chairman of the Board but the soul-stirring, deeply affecting "lieder" of the earlier concept albums on Capitol), and though the arrangements, harmonies, and rhythms are fresh and reinvented (we're mercifully spared another "impersonation" album), the phrasing and feeling are intimately, faithfully reflective of a performer who has made contact with what is most genuine and essential in the artistry of Old Blue himself. This is the best vocal album I've heard in the new milennium.

After seeing Ms. Sutton's CDs in my local stores, I became curious about her music. I have mixed feelings about the Diana Krall / Jane Moneheit school of vocal jazz, and thankfully, Tierney Sutton is more of a traditionalist. On each of the tracks, her trio is nicely offset by subtle orchestra shadings. The focus is always on the song, searching for nuance, holding a note, letting it fade. If you read reviews of her other CDs you'll see references to scat vocals...once again, a real matter of taste...and thankfully again, it's a style not used on "Dancing In The Dark." The CD was inspired by Frank Sinatra, but not the ring-a-ding-ding "Chairman Of The Board" Frank. This project is drawn from the moody concept albums, the "guy on the outside looking in" Sinatra, the lounge singer at closing time. It's difficult to point out the "best" tracks here, because one of the major strengths of the album is its consistency. There is no "filler," no missteps. The opening track "What'll I Do" let's you know what's in store, and "Fly Me To The Moon" is transcendant. I will say that the 30-second sound clips on Amazon don't do this one justice. If you're "sitting on the fence" regarding a purchase, your best bet is to find a local store that has it featured in their listening stations. If you hear a couple of songs in their entirety (and you're drawn to this type of music), you'll be bringing it home...guaranteed.

I am one of the biggest Tierney Sutton fans in the universe, and it pains me to give one of my heroes "only" four stars. But I have to keep credibility: I gave Jimmy Scott's "All The Way" four stars because, in spite of its tremendous emotion, it was a "one mood" album. And, so is this one--and the same mood. (coincidentally, "All the Way" is on this album) The highlight for me is Christian Jacob's string orchestrations; this is the best album I can remember for having strings accompany a jazz combo, as opposed to overpower and dominate them. Listen to "What'll I Do" and see if you don't agree. I also am really impressed in this one with Trey Henry; for example, listen to his bass licks in "Fly Me to the Moon," and you'll again see what I mean. This album was obviously made with tender, loving care, and I'm cerain if Frank Sinatra were alive, he would enjoy it. He said that Peggy Lee was his favorite singer of all time; and Tierney Sutton and Peggy Lee are/were the coolest singers of their generations. (Tierney Sutton cooler than Diana Krall or Jane Monheit?? You betchya!!) Yet, I can't help but think that if a singer who comes at it with dramatic emotion, such as Jackie Ryan, Kendra Shank, or, well, Jimmy Scott, were to sing these very arrangements, they would be even that much more powerful. I say this with due regard to the fact that Ms. Sutton, ever the professional, has either pitched these songs down from her usual key or deepened the lower part of her register, thus attempting in part to compensate for her "coolness." Regardless, this album is worth purchasing. If this album doesn't put you in the mood for making love to your significant other, then you need viagra/estrogen!!

Gorgeous. Drop dead in your tracks gorgeous. For those of us who have been hanging on to her skirt hem for some time now, the release of a new Tierney Sutton album is the most eagerly awaited musical event of the year. And she has yet to disappoint. This is, of course, a theme album, as were Unsung Heroes and Blue in Green before it. Did Frank Sinatra do theme albums? Of course he did, any number of them. Listen to September of My Years, there isn't a swinging note on the entire album, and yet it works. So does Dancing in the Dark.

As another reviewer noted, this is not just about the girl singer. Call it the Tierney Sutton Band, or Tierney Sutton with the Christian Jacob Trio, whatever, this group of four musicians is one of the most innovative and exiting things to happen to jazz in a long, long time. You can't listen to Tierney sing without being aware of what is going on behind her. This album is emotionally deep and mood evoking, and yet sounds fresh and uplifting at the same time.

The New Yorker Magazine, in noting that Tierney was appearing at a club in the city, made mention of this album with the caveat that vocalists take on Frank Sinatra at some risk. All great vocalists take risks, and Tierney is a great vocalist. She sings much of this album in the lowest register of her voice. No pyrotechnics here, she is quite capable of them, but has no need of them on this album. In keeping with the mood, she does do Where or When and Fly Me To The Moon at a somewhat slower tempo than Frank did, in fact he could swing both numbers. No matter. Her voice washes over you, and if you are not moved, to either tears or smiles, than you need someone to chisel the stone off your heart. Dancing in the Dark is, for now, Tierney's signature album, but you get the feeling it will remain so only until the next album is released. She is deeply addictive, but this is one addiction that will never hurt you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tierney Sutton. This is my first introduction to this artist and you can be sure I will be buying everything she has ever done. I bought this one because I love Sinatra. After listening to it I am so glad Sutton did not try to copy his style. These arrangements are nothing short of spectacular. There is so much emotion in this music. There is so much color in this music. The phrasing is among the best I've heard in a long while. The harmonies are interesting and add such lushness that you can't help but heave a contented sigh after each cut, and several times during each. Usually when I listen to a cd that includes no up tempo cuts I tend to long for one, but not here, I just want more.

I bought this cd because Amazon kept recommending it to me, after my purchase of "Careless Love." I had not heard any of her versions of the songs and was a bit hesitant, because I loved the original Frank Sinatra versions, and my experience with jazz is that new versions are either teriffic or horrendous. After all, classics are classics for a reason.

This is a beautiful cd, and I could not be more thrilled with it. Tierney Sutton brings to the songs a slight innovation so that she is able to make them shine with her, but does not change them to the extent that you are unable to recognize them or even sing along.

This is perfect music for ambience with a special person, or for reminiscing alone over the loss of some one special. I have used it for both. Sutton's voice is gentle but full and perfect for serving as a springboard for the emotions that accompany a new love, or to balm a spirit nursing the end of a love.

I think Tierney has a hit on her hands!

She says, growing up, she didn't like Frank Sinatra that much. His Reprise, 70's, rat-pack, ring-a-ding-ding, "Stranger's in the Night", do-be-do-be-do, Las Vegas swinger persona turned her off.

I tend to agree.

My favorite Sinatra is from the early 50's. Like "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" or "Only the Lonely". The first concept albums ever made. The dark, down on his luck, saloon songs were Sinatra singing from his soul after his 40's voice was damaged and his failed love affair with a famous actress (am I allowed to say who?). When Sinatra needed the movie part in "From Here to Eternity" so much, to revive his career, he went to the Godfather and the Godfather made the movie director an offer he couldn't refuse. But I digress.

Tierney sings these torch songs very deep in her singing range (and deeper in her emotional range than I'd heard on previous CD's). Many of the songs are similar tempo and orchestra arrangements to those 50's Sinatra albums. Some songs are with a piano trio only. Her phrasing is like Sinatra's, long drawn out vowels, deep voice, difficult for a woman. Some of the songs are on those early 50's Sinatra albums, some are not. I looked. But all are in the style. "Only the Lonely", "What'll I do", "I'll be Around", "All the Way". They're all good and deeply effective. Not a bad cut on the album.

Dark, warm, smooth, smoky, 'round midnight or later sad saloon songs. Love not returned. Even "Emily", which isn't from that period, is done as if it were.

Arrangment are sparklingly effective yet understated fit her like, hmmm, a silk stocking? Burnished. The bass is particularly effective. A great tribute the the best of Sinatra, and great singing achievement. Clearly the best Jazz vocal of the year, thus far. And Tierney's best work to date. Great Telarc recording. Tierney is able to hit the exact pitch center of every note she sings, never sharp, never flat. Never scoops tones.

What makes this album have immediate appeal is that Tierney holds back some of her prodigious technique, avoids flash and cleverness and really gets to the heart of the songs.

Both this and "Something Cool" are great albums, for opposite reasons. They are NOT alike.

Highly Recommended.

Well, it's here. I've been listening to some of the tracks on the Jonathan Schwartz show and waiting to see if the rest of the CD is as good as the snippets I've heard. It is.

The most notable thing about this band (and I think of Tierney Sutton as a band with a girl singer, not a girl singer with a band, if that makes any sense) is that their technical brilliance isn't jammed up in front of the music, it's somehow slyly and arfully incorporated into every note they play, sort of like a "trip to the moon on gossamer wings", (to quote a Cole Porter song that they haven't recorded).

Ray Brinker is one of those rare, musical drummers who could probably carry an entire number (or twelve) entirely on his own and you would almost not even notice that he was doing a solo without the whole band. But again, he doesn't show off his gifts, he just tingles your nerve endings lightly, here and there with a brush stroke or a complex snare figure or two, and then "disappears" back into the music.

Trey Henry, the bassist, is the same way. Tune after tune you'll hear him play the most interesting, flavorful, and "just right" bass lines on tunes you've heard a million times before and if you stop to think about it, you kind of have to say to yourself, "that feels so right, so how come nobody ever played those notes before?" But again, it's not showy. It just fits.

Then there's Christian Jacob: He not only plays exquisite, quiet, rarified jazz piano (as always), he led the orchestra on the CD, and has done such a masterful job of it; again, without being showy. For instance, there's this moment on the title tune, where he plays a certain three note figure with his left hand (and how come nobody ever played those three notes exactly like that before? the song almost doesn't seem "right" without them!), then has the orchestra echo those notes later on. And it's done so quietly and tastefully that I had to listen several times to be sure that it actually was the string section (or just the cellos, what do I know) playing that figure. I'm still not 100% sure about it. And his solos on "Emily" (a little known Johnny Mercer gem, with a great line about "seeing images in the firelight") and "I Could Have Told You" are impeccable, brilliant, and even thrilling in a quiet, Bill Evans kind of way (it that hasn't become a cliche whenever you're talking about any "quiet" jazz pianist).

Then there's the girl singer. She does quite a few unexpected, and perhaps risky things on this album. For one thing she sings a few songs in the lowest registers of her voice, using only her throat, not bothering with her diaphragm or her head voice, in a kind of homage (I think) to Frank's tender but aching baritone. And it's fabulous. She still has that crisp, ringing soprano always at hand, but has mixed in a little soft, honeyed plangency that makes for a few goosebumps and some kind of flutter in the stomach or somewhere else that makes you want to pour yourself (and your sweetie) another glass of wine, then makes you realize you're already feeling quite relaxed and maybe a little tipsy, thank-you-very-much. But again (I know, I keep saying those two words), it's not like she's exploding the cork on a bottle of champagne with her singing (i.e., showing off, which she certainly could do). She's just making the bubbles tickle your nose. Oh, yeah, and on a couple of songs she's not a jazz singer at all; just a saloon singer like Frank always claimed to be.

Well, anyway, I recommend it. If you're anything like me, it'll have you seeing images in the firelight, I guarantee it.

Writing a review on a jazz vocalist isn't the norm for me. First, let me say that I'm in love with Tierney Sutton's voice. Historically speaking, when it comes to vocal jazz, I could take it or leave it. Michael Franks is the only exception to my rule. Norah Jones and Diana Krall, don't excite me much. I can actually listen to Tierney without falling asleep. Personally, her music allows me to reflect on past and present situations in my life. Although "Dancing in the dark" is a well produced cd, tracks 1,3,4, and 11 are my absolute favorites. Overall, I'd say that she's a hidden treasure worthy of more publicity that others such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones receive. Got cash? Get the cd

What a voice, what songs, WOW! Get this cd, play it while you have a garden party, hide the little outdoor speakers behind some garden stones and you are setting the scene for some major atmosphere. Everyone is sure to ask "Who's that singer??!"

I like how she dares to sing the songs the way she wants to sing them, and when you listen to the more popular tunes on this cd you completely forget about any other singer who's ever sang them, these songs are HERS! She is not afraid to command that with her own voice, her own timing, her own music sounds. The instruments are great too.