Customer Reviews

Lightly & Politely

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Although she made nowhere near as amny albums as Ella Fitzgerald or even Billie Holiday, however her talents were on the same level. Here Roche sticks to ballads, although she never sang a song straight through, always an improviser, this former Ellington band singer knows just how to phrase every word and syllible. One of the finest jazz singers ever, and she only made three albums, in the LP era. This one is recomended to show just how many innovating things Roche could do with a dozen ballads. Also recomended are her only other two sessions Take The A Train(with Ellingto nalumni) and Singin' & Swingin' with an organ jazz combo.

Former Duke Ellington vocalist Betty Roche was(aside from Ivie Anderson)perhaphs the finest canarie that ever perched with the great Ellington band, this Riverside session is spectaculer. Roche's unique phrasings, and her constant improvosing are a plus. Most of these songs are ballads, and jazz standards, any jazz vocal fan will love this underrated vocalists, underrated set. Very highly recommended.

I considered myself fortunate to have stumbled upon the "Take The 'A' Train" cd a few years ago. I wasn't aware that she had other cds in print. This one that I acquired very recently is a well chosen selection of standards, a couple of which I hadn't heard by anyone in years, sung by a vocalist who really knew what she was doing. I've always reserved my judgement of a musician or a vocalist until I heard what they could do with a ballad or standard. Its easy listening to this set and imagine a small club venue that would draw an appreciative audience for Betty Roche and her supporting quartet. Every selection is great listening but when she gets into the three Ellington selections, there can't be any doubt why the Duke had her as his vocalist. I particularly enjoy "Rocks In My Bed". Not only does she handle the blues well but she also does a sultry bit of scat singing. Some fine blues guitar and a background piano that reminded me of Avery Parrish doing "After Hours" with Erskine Hawkins back in 1940 really sets up a mood that is all too brief.

Any jazz enthusiast who appreciates a female vocalist with a great style will enjoy this cd. Its very difficult to understand why this kind of talent remained so unknown!