Customer Reviews

Live at the Village Vanguard

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mary Stallings is a wonderful singer. She has pulled together great songs on this album. Her voice is very textured and strong. YOu really hear some powerful influences in her singing -- Nancy Wilson (especially), Carmen McRae, Esther Phillips. Stallings is a little-known gem. She deserves more attention than she receives. Buy this album and enjoy some "real" jazz vocals.

A revelation- If you like Carmen McRae and/or Nancy Wilson, get this CD. This lady is the real thing!

Mary Stallings is a wonderful singer. She has pulled together great songs on this album. Her voice is very textured and strong. YOu really hear some powerful influences in her singing -- Nancy Wilson (especially), Carmen McRae, Esther Phillips. Stallings is a little-known gem. She deserves more attention than she receives. Buy this album and enjoy some "real" jazz vocals.

One of my cardinal personal rules is to avoid reviewing those albums that have already been reviewed by others - particularly when their opinions pretty much track my own. That's the case with Mary Stallings' "Live at the Village Vanguard." BUT, I'm going to make an exception here because, unlike most of the other reviewers, (at least as far as I can tell), I've actually seen Ms Stallings perform live numerous times - starting in about 1963 when I saw her at a club in San Francisco, (maybe the Black Hawk), right up until 2006 when I saw her, backed by Geri Allen and the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, the night she received the SF Jazz Festival's Beacon Award. I say all of this, not to pat myself on the back, but to say that if you want to hear what Ms Stallings' concerts are REALLY like - her relaxed interaction and easy repartee with her band and audience, her humor, her mastery of the art of delivering a song the way the Gods of Jazz intended it to be delivered - in short, if you want to hear one of the best jazz singers singing today - "Live...," gets it right.

"Live...," is a typical Mary Stallings' date: A mix of standards and more obscure gems, each delivered in her inimitable, swinging style. Ms Stallings has an almost four octave range, but you'll seldom find her engaging in the vocal fireworks that many of our younger singers bring to the party - she never shows off - like Carol Sloane, she lets the song do the work - and you'll find that you can't take your ears off her, (if you are one of those odd people who likes to read novels backwards, try listening to the last two cuts on this record first - "Lullaby of the Leaves" and "I Didn't Know About You" - you may never be the same again).

Ms Stallings is joined here by pianist Eric Reed; Ron Blake on tenor; Vicente Archer on bass; and Carl Allen on drums. These gentlemen are first rate and, as Ms Stallings always does with her bands, she lets them shine.

MaxJazz has done an excellent job with the sonics: The record captures the feel of the room and Ms Stallings' voice is front and center. Enjoy....

I have many vocalists recordings, I heard this live recording on the radio and hurried home to listen to more. Definite add to your collection.

I bought this CD, listened to it, and then promptly ordered 5 more copies to send to friends. Mary Stallings is brilliant.

Mary Stallings, backed by versatile side men makes one wonder why she isn't heard from more. The rendition of "A Sunday kind of Love" is worth the price of the CD. The piano artistry is something to behold. Mary has a powerful voice. with an incredible range. For the sincere Jazz lover, Mary Stallings "live at the Village Vanguard" is a must!

if you can only buy one cd this year buy this one! mary stallings sings her heart out and the band is happening. i've been listening to mary since 1958 and she keeps getting better. listen and fall in love.

Mary Stallings has such a range in her voice, taking songs in dozens of directions without disturbing it's integrity. Stallings is accompanied by some of the finest players in the business today, including: Eric Reed (piano), Ron Blake (tenor sax), Vicente Archer (bass) and Carl Allen (drums). Reed has often been a contributer on the Irvin Mayfield Sextets' recordings and plays one mean piano. He is one of the most sought after sidemen in jazz music today.

Mary Stallings' vocals aren't the type that take over a song. Instead she participates and interacts with the music in a way that serves only to enhance the end product. "Sunday Kind of Love" breathes new life into this classic standard, with Stallings weaving her way in and out of the music. Not surprisingly, there are wonderful piano solos on the same track at the hands of Eric Reed. Get ready for a relaxed evening when listening to this album. Music for a warm summer evening with a newly opened bottle of your favorite wine. This album will make a convert out of those who believe they do not like vocal jazz.

I must say that I am impressed with this CD. The sound quality is superb. Max Jazz did a great job with the engineering and production. Mary Stallings really shines; she has a lovely, soulful voice and has surrounded herself with the excellent Eric Reed, on the piano, and Ron Blake, on a sweet, tenor sax. All-in-all, this is a CD without a disappointing track on it.