If Dreams Come True [Import]

Carolyn Leonhart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Nagel-Heyer Germany
• ASIN: B000VLMTR0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,274 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Her most mature work yet, October 16, 2007

By 

J. Powell (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If Dreams Come True (Audio CD)

I've followed Carolyn's career since her first U.S. release, Steal The Moon, in 2000, and this is her finest, most mature work yet. The influence of her husband Wayne Escoffery is very present here - he is a supremely talented saxophone player as well as musical arranger, and the music here is complex and cerebral. It is a major departure from her last two records, which were more straight ahead and relied on simpler melodies. Carolyn's vocals are sublime as usual - she shows her range here and uses her vocals to supplement the instrumentation, especially on "Not Without You" and "Free to Love" - something I haven't ever heard her do before. The band on this disc is also very skilled. Bassist Hans Glawischig and drummer Jason Brown are a tight rhythm section - and pianist Toru Dodo adds beautiful piano flourishes to the softer songs and plays some amazing riffs on the more uptempo ones. His solos as well as Wayne's are a major highlight of the disc. Overall, an excellent record - 4 1/2 stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a potentially great 21st partnership, November 14, 2007

By 

P. M. Jones "peter_j" (devon, england) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: If Dreams Come True (Audio CD)

I've just been reading about John Dankworth and Cleo Laine. A great 20th century jazz partnership.

This new album by Carolyn Leonhart and Wayne Escoffery shows that the octogenarian Brits aren't the only couple delivering a 1+1=3 effect through their music.

It's a very fine album. It's varied, it contains both reflective pieces and also some high energy playing and singing and playing, it contains a mix of originals and songs by other artists.

The band's great. The cd is stylishly packaged. And it's all eminently listenable - and enjoyable.

Highpoints for me are performances of Benny Carter and Lee Morgan songs. But the originals are impressive too - "Nothing left to say" works particularly well.

Highly recommended. And keep an eye on these two - separately and together

5.0 out of 5 stars Vocal Jazz at its Finast!, March 15, 2011

By 

Carl C. Jackson "Pearl Drummer" (Auburn, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: If Dreams Come True (Audio CD)

I've spent my entire life loving music. I'm a drummer by trade so there's not much I can't listen to or for within the context of a song. My musical tastes are full and varied - Jazz, the many forms of Rock, Southern and Contemporary Gospel, blues and Classical Chamber music pretty much cover it. So, when I say that I absolutely love this recording, believe me - it comes from my heart. Stunning seems to be a good word for me to use when describing the interplay between Wayne's (whom I was already a fan of from hearing the "Intuition" disc some years ago) soprano and Carolyn's voice on the track "Never Too Soon". Absolute sonic poetry. I came across Carolyn accidentally while following a link from Steely Dan's web site where she's listed as a backup singer. Imagine my surprise when I found out Wayne and Carolyn were life partners as well as musical collaborators. To take it another step, I was blown away when I found out that Carolyn is the sister of Jay Leonhart the bassist whim is discovered by chance on the radio playing (and singing) on a track called "Me and Lenny" - Lenny referring to the great Leonard Bernstein. A great musical experience takes you many places and this disc - "If Dreams Come True" is just the ticket for a wonderful ride. Enjoy it.