Eyes Wide Open

Sachal Vasandani

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 3, 2007)
• Original Release Date: April 3, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mack Avenue
• ASIN: B000NIIUT2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,714 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
His eyes may be wide open, but handsome 28-year-old newcomer Sachal Vanandani strives for a sleepy-sexy allure with his dark, cushy vocals and seeming inability to break a sweat. If you're waiting for a male Norah Jones to come along, this pop-inflected Indian-American artist may come as close as you're going to get. He too, has a healthy appetite for generic sampling, mixing a Percy Mayfield blues, a Jobim bossa, a Sade confection, a Billy Strayhorn "Flower is a Lovesome Thing," and his own searching ballads. But Vanandani, whose urbane sophistication and Chicago roots link him to Kurt Elling, is a truer jazz artist than Jones, comfortably bonding with a swinging trio headed by pianist Jeb Patton (a young veteran of the Heath Brothers) and guest players including vibraphonist Stefon Harris and trumpeter Marcus Printup. He can scat, too, without overplaying that gambit. Eyes Wide Open, his third album following two self-released titles, gets a bit staid at times, but it exudes promise. --Lloyd Sachs

Product Description
Sachal Vasandani's MACK AVENUE debut release, Eyes Wide Open, showcases this uniquely gifted vocalist and songwriter who combines skillful, diverse writing with a flair for infusing the familiar with the fresh.

The, New York Times tags him "debonair" and critics describes this Thelonious Monk Institute Competition semi-finalist as "Red-hot... the finest young talent on the scene" possessing "a stunning and moving voice." In addition, Vasandani's live performances have generated appreciation and praise from peers worldwide.

Produced by John Clayton and Al Pryor, Eyes Wide Open is an exciting introduction to a young, charismatic artist, who has a clear vision of his musical journey ahead.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air., April 3, 2007

By	Adarsh Amin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Eyes Wide Open" is the 12-song collection of originals and smart covers, the poised first album by Sachal Vasandani, a 28-year-old singer with a cool baritone, eclectic inspirations, and hints of the proverbial old soul.
On first listen,"Eyes Wide Open" impresses with restraint.
Vasandani favors control over ornamentation, and many of the songs own the refined nocturnal hush that comes from unhurried exposition and impeccable piano-trio arrangements.
Vasandani's keen intimacy with his core group -- pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong, and drummer Quincy Davis -- shows throughout, and the guest contributions, particularly from vibraphone master Stefon Harris, are just as fluid and easy.
His selection of material comes from as wide a range as Sade, Jobim, Ellington and even the alt-rock band Iron & Wine.
On all of these selections, and on well of his own compostitions, his voice is warm, friendly, and assured as well as assuring.
His treatment of "Naked as We Came" fits quite well into the hip jazz scene.
The Sinatra associated "September in the Rain" could be in the ipod of either a college coed or Baby Boomer, with Sachal's timber and timing is hip and relaxed.
"Send 'Em Up to Heaven"-- which was partially inspired by the events of September 11 -- is written with a driving rhythm and features a brilliant vibe solo by Stefon Harris. "It's a song about struggling to forgive," says Vasandani.
A semi-finalist in the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition, Vasandani has put together a disc that throws another good fitting hat into the crooners' ring.

5.0 out of 5 stars Swing with a winner , December 16, 2008

By	John Buckingham "Smokey Raku-Potts" (Worcester, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sachal Vasandani's first CD, EYES WIDE OPEN, is everything that a jazz fan hopes to find in a debut offering of a new male vocalist: taste, control, a great sense for phrasing, sensitivity to the lyrics, excellent song selection, terrific backing musicianship and a marvelous sense of swing. Vasandani's rich, resonant voice with its warn tone is extremely inviting; he uses it to great advantage on all the tracks, including the standouts "Please Mr. Ogilvy", "Strange Things Happening", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "September in the Rain", and an absolutely stunning rendition of "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing". With a feeling of maturity beyond his years, Sachal Vasandani creates one of the best jazz debuts in a long time with EYES WIDE OPEN. Do yourself a favor: open your ears to this exciting artist. You might be very happy that you did.

5.0 out of 5 stars jazzbuff, September 15, 2007

By	Urban Designer (Geneva, Illinois, United States) - See all my reviews

This new artist sings with complete authority covering a wide range of songs. His singing is sophisticated and phrasing immaculate. Overall his songs leave an indelible mark and one tends to keep hearing his songs in head again and again. His musicians are top level artists in their own right, and their playing together is flawless. An amazing and beautiful debut album that should take this young singer far.