Customer Reviews

No More Blues

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

 

 

This is a great album with widespread roots: several jazz standards, a little Ray Charles, some bossa nova and a Beatles tune. All held together by Johanna's beautiful voice.

The immediate standouts on the disc are Out of This World, which is absolutely fantastic, and the title track No More Blues.

The down-tempo version of Help is naturally instantly recognizable and I actually prefer it to the original.

Another of my favorites is the English-language version of Desafinado. If you're not familiar with the song, also check out the excellent Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz and João Gilberto.

I have had this album for about two months now and it's still in my CD-changer in the car where few discs stay for more than a week straight. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and am looking forward to Johanna's next release.

I don't like to compare arrangements of songs from era to era. If a song works with a certain arrangement, I consider that in itself a great achievement.

These songs all arranged by the singer are each innovative, sensual, relaxing and extraordinarily well performed.

This isn't the usual brand of "jazz" singers in recent years that have wonderful voices but do tired arrangements of Gershwin and other great songs. This CD brings new life to these songs just when you thought the last Monheit, Krall Bentyne etc CD buried the song for another generation.

This CD is one of the coolest of its genre in quite a while. Just wait til you hear the fretless bass solo in "Help". Very cool indeed...

I LOVE JOHANNA GRUSSNER! Her voice is great, her arrangements are tops, her style is superb; but on this album her sound mix is awful. The sound men made the mistake of thinking her sidemen (who are only so-so) are as important as she. They are not.

Johnanna's name is the only name on the album, and it is deservedly above the title. But this album is mixed so badly that the instruments are most of the time as loud/louder than the singer. Unfortunately, I have heard this mistake made so many times, and it sickens me every time I encounter it. Another thing, she doesn't sing enough on the cuts vis a vis her sidemen. I hope that this wasn't her fault.

It seems Ms. Grussner has been mistreated by her engineers, and by her sidemen. I hope she did not have final say on the mix. I would love to hear this album properly mixed and re-released that way. She deserves to be completely front and center on this, and on all her albums.

This was the first time I heard Johanna Grüssner. Nice voice and talented, but while she sings jazz standards (and some pop) she is not really a jazz singer in terms of improvisation and individual expression, even when just singing the head the second time around - it's the same material. Little originality - It's more like a cover or wedding singer. If you want more jazz go for people like Jane Monheit or the masters like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Jimmy Scott, Shirley Horn, Billie Holiday . . .

This is the one of the greatest Jazz albums
that I have heard ever since when I was only
10 years old.But when I started hearing about
Johanna Grussner's "No More Blues",I fell in love
with it.

So Beautiful.Very,Very,Beautiful!

I have always enjoyed listening to jazz singers who can set the mood for jazz music. Johanna rendering of "Touch of Your Lips" and "The Very Thought of You" are superb including the band accompaniment which is well tailored to her voice and style.
Bossa nova rhythm has always been my favourite and their interpretation of "Desafinado" will not disappoint others with similar taste for the rhythm. If you are looking for some variety in jazz, this album is a good choice.