Customer Reviews

Dreams & Shadows (Jewl)

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I love Judy's latest CD: Dreams and Shadows, this song has been one of my favorites and she does a superb job of capturing the feeling. There are turning points in everyone's life. When I grew up in the Valley in the 50s and 60s I thought jazz was only Dixieland. Then I found KBCA on the radio (1966) and my whole world changed. I remember hearing Dinah Washington on the radio for the first time, Carmen McRae singing "Midnight Sun" and Nina Simone singing "Four Women". Hearing Judy Wexler sing, "Love is A Necessary Evil" [on her first CD] was one of those special moments. This band really shines and brings out the best of her talent. Ms. Wexler understands Jazz and captures all the musicality that the human voice can demonstrate and she is quite possibly the greatest living Jazz singer of today

Heard a profile of Judy Wexler on NPR a couple of weeks ago and just had to have this CD, if only for her take on "If I Only Had a Brain." The very musical teenaged boys around here waltzed in this afternoon while I was listening and were totally blown away by her rendition.

This CD is a nice blend of up-tempo and more contemplative things. My husband and I like to put on jazz CDs, grab a glass (or two) of wine, and listen before and after dinner. This is a perfect CD for doing just that. And as an aging baby-boomer, I'm loving her take on "Spooky"!

Highly recommended! I will be looking into Judy's other CDs as well.

Earlier this year, I reviewed another terrific little c.d., Kelly Eisenhour's "Seek and Find," and I made a point most appropos to Judy Wexler's "Dreams & Shadows":

In the universe of professional jazz singers, you have four categories, in order of increasing population: 1) Those who have made it; 2) Those who will never make it; 3) Those who are underrated; 4) Those who are ridiculously, criminally underrated.

Both Kelly Eisenhour and Judy Wexler are in category 4), and deserve to be in category 3).

This c.d. is a delightful, pleasant surprise. Ms. Wexler is a jazz singer's jazz singer. She sings with a warm, focussed straight tone; and when she hits sustained notes, she does little swells like a great fluegelhorn player.

This c.d. is a mix of standards, jazz standards, pop tunes, and the title track, written by Ms. Wexler's husband, Alan. The whole thing is solidly, professionally done. But there are four absolute gems in this program:

1) "Pent Up House": This vocalesed version of an old Sonny Rollins tune shows Ms. Wexler's ability to ghost, chain, and sing crisply at 100 m.p.h. It's probably the most impressive cut on the disc.

2) "Don't Be On the Outside": This is the swingingest, catchiest tune of the set, and one I'm most prone to repeat.

3) "Life's a Lesson": This Ben Sidran original is a gorgeous ballad, and a most worthy set-ender.

4) the title track: a slow swing, this works - especially on the heels of a frenetic rendition of "Comes Love."

The instrumentalists are excellent throughout. I'm especially taken by Gilbert Castellanos' trumpet; and Tollak Ollestad blows the best harmonica on "Life's a Lesson" I've heard since Toots Thielemann.

This is one of those c.d.'s you may find in the bargain bin, and you feel like you've discovered a golden nugget that all the other miners overlooked. I highly recommend this disc: or, even better, I highly recommend you go to I-Tunes and download the above-mentioned four tracks. RC

I heard Judy interviewed on a PBS radio show and was SO impressed that I came home and ordered the CD right away! Every track is a pleasure! It stays in my car so the "driving is easy"!!

Judy is a new artist to me, I'm very happy I found out about her. This album is a winner. Not a single dud track in the bunch.