The album kicks off with “I Want To Talk About You,”
written by Billy Eckstine. We could all use a little romance these days, and
this music will certainly set the mood, led by David K. Mathews’ light and
heartfelt work on piano. Vocalist Nicolas Bearde delivers a wonderful
performance here, smooth and passionate and true. And Wayne de Silva’s saxophone
speaks clearly of the woman too, a second voice singing her praises. “Because I love you and I want to talk about
you.” Nicolas Bearde also provides vocals on a sweet and delightful
rendition of “Smile.” “I Want To Talk About You” is followed by “Alfie.” I
still haven’t seen Alfie (the play or
either film version, actually), but I’ve heard several versions of this song
over the years. This one features the touching vocal work of Amikaeyla Gaston
(her own story is incredible, so when you get the chance, look her up). The
production is decidedly somewhat restrained, so that Amikaeyla’s voice is given
the space to shine and really be the focus. Wayne de Silva provides more
excellent work on sax.
Peter Barshay begins this rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Blue
Skies” on bass, setting a cool tone before the rest of the band comes in. The
vocalist on this track is none other than Steve Miller, and it’s great hearing
him deliver a jazz performance. I grew up listening to his 1970s rock
output and enjoying it. I used to play that Greatest
Hits cassette a lot. This track finds him giving a very different
performance, and totally nailing it. I need to look into whether he’s put out
any other jazz material, because I love how he approaches this song. “I should smile/That’s exactly what I’ll do.”
This is an excellent track, with a groovy late-night vibe, and I love Mathews’
work on piano, which is absolutely wonderful. This is certainly one of my
favorite tracks on this CD. That’s followed by “Oh Papa,” which features
another familiar voice working in a realm somewhat different from that for
which she is best known. Maria Muldaur is probably still best known for her hit
“Midnight At The Oasis,” though she has thrived in blues and other genres as
well (I especially love her work with Jerry Garcia Band in the late 1970s). There
is something both sensuous and comforting in her approach to “Oh Papa,” a song
that she actually recorded before, including it on her 1974 album Waitress In A Donut Shop. While I like
that earlier version, I prefer this new rendition. I love the texture of her
performance, and of this track in general. There is some really nice work here.
Maria Muldaur also joins David K. Mathews for “Lover Man,” which she also
recorded before in her career. This track has a cool vibe right from the start,
and features excellent work on piano and a delicious vocal performance,
particularly toward the end.
In “Ruby,” there is the line “They say, Ruby, you’re like a song.” It’s an interesting line, as
women named Ruby seem to only exist in songs. I don’t believe I’ve ever met a
Ruby, but I’ve certainly heard of Ruby in songs like “Ruby, Don’t Take Your
Love To Town,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “Ruby Baby,” “Ruby’s Shoes” “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ruby”
and of course this one, written by Mitchell Parish and Heinz Roemheld. Vocalist
Glenn Walters delivers a somewhat gentle, yet passionate rendition. I like how
this track doesn’t rush into the sax solo. This entire album, actually, is
really good at letting the songs move at their own pace, allowing them to
breathe and grow. This track also features good work on guitar by Jim Nichols.
Glenn Walters also joins David K. Mathews for “Skylark,” a track that begins
with a sweet piano solo. Glenn Walters’ performance has a friendly vibe, both engaging
and comforting. This track also features Wayne de Silva on saxophone.
CD Track List
- I Want To Talk About You
- Alfie
- Blue Skies
- Oh Papa
- Ruby
- Smile
- When Sunny Gets Blue
- Lover Man
- Lush Life
- The More I See You
- We’ll Be Together Again
- Skylark
- In The Wee Small Hours Of Morning
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