Customer Reviews

Sentimental Mood

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Jazz singer's debut CD
is all-time masterpiece

In the considered opinion of this listener's long lifetime of listening to the all-time best female jazz singers, "In a Sentimental Mood" is a song that has never been sung to the standard that Kate Reid sets in her first CD, which is named for that Ellington composition.

I heard it just once on an FM jazz station and immediately ordered the CD at amazon.com, because I inutuitively knew that anyone who could sing that song to such a standard would probably create a new standard for everything she sings, though I must admit that is more often than not a disappointing assumption with new singers.

But my educated ear failed me not: the other 11 songs on the CD are sung to the same standard, as judged by the criteria for jazz singers defined by my late friend, legendary composer, critic, author and producer Leonard Feather. Which I will paraphrase in my own words: timber and texture of voice, an innate sense of rhythm and time, the ability to sing as a musician with other musicians, unique and original phrasing, the dramatic ability to translate and project a lyric and the nuances thereof, and consistently impeccible taste in deliverance and choice of material, arrangers and supportive musicians.

Kate Reid rates Leonard's maximum of five stars on every one of those criteria.

Yet the CD, produced in 2008, is not available directly from amazon, only by a couple of its "other sellers;" I bought the last new copy from one of them, at an unusually low price. And there has been but one review of the CD, prior to this one. Which is hard to account for, because as I said at the outset, I immediately recognized it as a masterpiece, which takes in a vast amount of territory: more than 600 CDs of my own and a lifetime of listening to every above-average female jazz singer ever recorded, seeing many of them numerous times in person and knowing several of the most legendary ones. My all-time standard setter is Anita O'Day, whom I supported musically and as her best friend throughout the last 30 years of her life.

One of Kate's most notable attributes is that everything she sings, from selection of material to the most whispered nuance or grace note, is in impeccible taste. You'll never hear her build to an overly dramatic closing, as is standard for the nuanceless yellers and shouters. Taste could be her middle name.

But the proof is in the listening. If you know how to listen and what to listen for. And if you don't, this CD will help make you a discrimating listener because it will set a standard for everything you hear thereafter.

But there are more to sing the praises of than just the singer. Each of the five instrumentalists deserve the same five stars accorded Kate. They, all six, work together like a unit that has been playing together for years. Take special note of drummer Steve Barnes, who so infectiously rides the rythmm and the beat with Kate from start to finish on Out of This World. And then there's Chris Conner on bass, Ron Eschete on guitar and Ernie Watts on tenor, all equally infectious on everything they do to complement Kate. I especially like what Steve Reid (husband or brother?) contributes when his muted trumpet follows Kate at the end of a chorus, an elegant succession of voicings that occurs on several songs that I hope will be continued on future recordings.

In one way, the biggest surprise of the CD is that such a combination of talents could be brought together to produce such an all-time masterpiece in these times when junk music is dominating the "musical" world and market. Which of course makes it all the more applaudable.

But here it is, folks, a debut masterpiece to open up your ears and your soul to the joys of truly great jazz!

Excellent CD of top notch talent from singer/pianist, Kate Reid and support from her wonderful jazz quartet. With special guests Steve Reid (Maynard Ferguson/Brian Setzer Orchestra) on trumpet and jazz legend Ernie Watts on tenor sax.

If you enjoy Diana Krall's style - you will like this even better!