Customer Reviews

The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The charming star is in danger of losing her jazz fan base as it's quite a different animal to her previous releases. After dishing up syrupy strings and florid bossa novas on her last album, the vocalist Monheit revisits jazz on this new CD, which features an eclectic mix of contemporary and vintage songs. Corinne Bailey Rae, Paul Simon and Fiona Apple's work sits alongside Cole Porter and Leonard Bernstein. Not to forget Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection".
She says she sang in "millions of rock bands" in high school and college, and she's expressed a taste for Nine Inch Nails ("I used to be totally goth in high school for about five minutes"), and these days says she's "a little obsessed" with Björk's "Vespertine".
"Her way of expressing herself is completely unique and original". And yet, "I always knew I wanted to be a jazz singer. It's sort of what's closest to my heart. If it were a perfect world, I could just mix genres all day long and never categorize myself, but, you know, because of the way things are, you have to focus on just one thing. So obviously, jazz was the answer for me, without even thinking about it".
Jane has a gorgeous, pure, sophisticated voice which lends itself to everything from swinging jazz numbers to big, Barbra Streisand-like ballads and bluesy-pop torch songs - but did she have to do them all on one album?
As said before, she adds songs by Fiona Apple and Corinne Bailey Rae to her repertoire of jazz standards.
"The trouble is that every song sounds as if it was conceived for a supper club in 1955. OK for nostalgics, but anyone with a nodding acquaintance with the 21st century may feel left out".- Timesonline.
Monheit's cloyingly perfect voice and flowery style are undoubtedly in the love-'em-or-loathe-'em category and, with a couple of exceptions, there's little here for jazz fans.
My favourite tracks: "Like A Star", "A Primera Vez" and "Ranbow Connection".
Radio Show

A big fan of Jane Monheit's, I own all her discs and concerts and have seen her perform live -- twice. In our modern day music world of synthesizers and sloppy vocals, Jane normally shines as a superb technician, a fluid-yet-precise improvisor, and a versatile songstress.

Not so in The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me! All 13 tracks are bland, unmemorable, pop-like, indistinctive interpretations. Throughout the disc, Jane's singing is slightly off -- even noticeably flat on several occasions! (Check out 4 minutes 20 seconds into Slow Like Honey; 34 seconds and 3m28s into This Girl's in Love with You; 43s into Ain't Gonna Let You Break..; and 40s into Rainbow Connection.) Jane is normally flawless. What has happened in this recording?

As other reviewers have commented, the tempo of most of these tunes is a bit slow. Jane misses opportunities in This Girl's in Love and other pieces to let it loose. Instrumentation -- normally fully in-synch with her beautiful voice -- is also dull. Where's the sax? Where's the bass? Where's the jazz piano?

In short, if you're new to Jane Monheit, don't waste your money on this one. It will ruin your opinion of someone who, in my opinion, is one of the greatest female vocalists (not only of jazz) of our time. Listen instead to My Foolish Heart, Over the Rainbow, Moon River, Love Has No Pride, Waters of March, They Can't Take That Away from Me, and Comecar de Novo. If they don't blow you away, nothing of hers will.

On this interminable disc, Jane Monheit- who has quite a lovely voice- rewrites (flubs?) the lyrics of Fran Landesman's "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" twice, each time destroying the rhyming structure and rendering the meaning less powerful. This is no tribute- unless you mean in the tax or royalty sense of paying to use the songs. Also, almost all the songs sound the same. I felt I was at a solo accordion concert. Some closer attention to detail, some variation, some nuance would all be appreciated. Except for the lyrical misreadings, this is all as bland as wallpaper paste. A disappointment.

The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me is yet another wonderful CD by Jane Monheit. Jane sings beautifully throughout this album; and I like the choice of songs, too. The artwork is classy and the quality of the sound is excellent. This is definitely a CD for Jane's fans to enjoy! She pays a fine tribute to the songwriters who clearly influenced her greatly.

The CD starts with Jane singing "Like a Star" by Corrine Bailey Rae with all her heart and soul. The melody is very pretty; and Jane handles the tempo and key modulations like the pro she always is. "Like A Star" makes a fine starting number for this album There's also the June Christy classic pop vocal number entitled "Something Cool;" this type of romantic ballad features Jane squarely front and center--right where she belongs! I also really like "Slow Like Honey;" I'm sure Fiona would be proud! "Slow Like Honey" enchants me with a certain type of beauty that I rarely hear or enjoy; and I'm very impressed.

"This Girl's in Love with You" gets a very sensitive treatment that would make Burt Bacharach so happy; Jane Monheit performs this with panache and her excellent diction bolsters her performance all the more. The music that goes along with Jane Monheit on "This Girl's in Love with You" fits in perfectly with her vocals; and that's grand. "Get Out Of Town" sounds great with that percussion; Jane gives blood to make this quite a memorable tune.

Listen also for "I Do It For Your Love;" Jane Monheit handles this very sweetly and we next get a beautiful song called "I Ain't Gonna Let You Break My Heart." "I Ain't Gonna Let You Break My Heart" has Jane singing closer to the top of her vocal range and it is delightful to hear. "Lucky to Be Me" gets the royal treatment as Jane and the musicians take their time to make this ballad so very special-and I especially like that fine arrangement for the piano.

"A Primeira Vez" has Jane singing a great Latin number and the CD even ends strong with Jane Monheit performing "Rainbow Connection" which, believe it or not, comes from The Muppet Movie released back in 1979. "Rainbow Connection" is a very sweet ballad and I think you'll like this closing tune.

Overall, Jane Monheit scores a big hit with her latest album, The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me. I highly recommend this for Jane's fans (as if they hadn't pre-ordered this and received it already) and people who like love songs and even some classic pop vocals will also want this album.

For some unknown reason I downloaded this album when it first came out and never got around to popping it onto my iPod. But after buying and disliking Diana Krall's latest -- the turgid "Quiet Nights" -- recently, it occurred to me, "I have the new Monheit somewhere, right?" -- and finally got around to it. Wow, what I've been missing! This is the album the Krall disc wishes it were: a smooth, easy (but not Easy Listening) gem, with fantastic arrangements of an eclectic, interesting mix of songs, and some of the most beautiful traditional pop vocals you're going to hear anywhere these days. I won't join the argument about whether or not Monheit's a jazz singer or not; frankly I don't care. When an artist gives me this much pleasure, when the sheer sound of her voice is enough to calm and transport me to a better place, I don't worry about genres. I love Jane Monheit, I love this album. Not much more to say.

I heard this Fabulous Female Jazz Vocalist in Birdland whilst on holiday in Manhattan back in October 2008. 1st Class Presentation and Arrangements,which are reflected on this CD. You have got to listen to the Track "Lucky To Be Me" Track 11. The range an Dynamics in her voice are outstanding. Great CD,,...

As most other reviewers have mentioned, this is just boring. Especially after Surrender, this is another example of a wonderful voice not showing its gifts. A major disappointment.

Take it off, please! I listened a second time to be sure it wasn't just me being in a foul mood, but this recording is an insult to anyone who appreciates good songs. Peter Cincotti (Rainbow Connection), Corinne Bailey Rae (Like a Star), Anita O'Day (Ballad of the Sad Young Men), and June Christy (Something Cool)--those who recorded the definitive versions of those songs remain untouched. How can 'Lucky to be Me' sound like a sad song? Listen to this dirge-like version. Puzzling that both Scott Colley and Gil Goldstein contributed to this yet were also part of the team that backed Boz Scaggs on his new 'Speak Low' recording of standards to which I've just assigned five stars. Is Ms Monheit so impressed with the quality of her vocal abilities that she ignores the qualities of the songs?

Jane Monheit is a miracle. The minute you hear her you cannot believe that this woman is actually alive...she does sound exactly as an angel would sound. Pure perfection!

While Jane Monheit is actually one of my favorite vocalists, this release seems to be a disconnected selection of material, spanning from Cole Porter, to Paul Simon, to Sesame Street, to Portugese Love Songs. I would have rather she select a genre, and stick with it, rather than be "all over the place". As usual, the vocals, the arrangements, and the selections are all top notch and unexpected, I just wish there was a bit of continuity here in this release. I give it a 7 out of a possible 10.