Leslie Vincent: “About Last Night” (2023) CD Review

Leslie Vincent is a jazz vocalist and composer based in Minnesota. She released her first album, These Foolish Things, in 2020, and has now followed that with About Last Night. This album features mostly covers, along with a couple of original compositions. Joining her on this album are Ted Godbout on piano, Matt McIntyre on bass, Ben Ehrlich on drums, Mitch Van Laar on trumpet, Tommy Boynton on guitar and backing vocals, Tony Balluff on clarinet, Mary Alice Hutton on violin, Stephanie Skor on violin, Niloofar Sohi on viola, and Rosa Thompson-Vieira on cello.

The album opens with an original composition, “Psychedelics With You,” and even before Leslie Vincent comes in, this track is a delight. That great, raw beat and the horn get things off to a delicious start. And when Leslie does come in, things are truly in motion, as she sings about a time that might have been, about enjoying hallucinogens with a friend. “There’s so much beauty in this world to cry about/My eyes grow big as the room grows small/My phone rings, but I won’t take that call/Because, ooh yeah, I’ve just done psychedelics with you.” Though apparently Leslie Vincent in actuality did not partake, this song completely rings true, like that line about her eyes growing big, and it is causing all sorts of memories to play through my brain. This is a fantastic track, wonderfully playful, and that instrumental section has a glorious power and energy. I love that trumpet. Halfway through, suddenly there is a shift, as will sometimes happen during a trip. You know those serious introspective and sad tangents that you sometimes go on. Here she sings about how their paths led the two friends apart. The song’s great drumbeat leads back into the main vibe of the song, and by the end it is a party, no question about it, with a New Orleans kind of vibe, and the band jams. Well, if you know psychedelics, you know a good jam is always appreciated. The clarinet, trumpet and drums are urging that the fun continue indefinitely. This is one of my favorite tracks.

The album then goes in a very different direction with a beautiful cover of “What’ll I Do,” written by Irving Berlin. “What’ll I do/When I am wondering who/Who is kissing you/What’ll I do.” Wow, what a gorgeous and moving vocal performance she delivers in this opening section, supported by some warm, thoughtful work on piano. And then nearly two minutes in, the song kicks in, and her vocal approach changes. Now there is power and attitude in her delivery. A strong and vibrant voice. There is soon a cool lead on bass, and the track also includes a drum solo near the end. Yes, this track has everything I could want, leading listeners through several different emotions in response to its varied approach. “If I Were A Bell” begins with the piano imitating the sound of a bell, and when the song kicks in, gently swinging. Leslie Vincent’s voice has a joyful power, as she gives us a delightful performance. The horn backs her up, matching her energy. I also love this track’s rhythm. There is some absolutely wonderful work on drums.

“Icetown Blues” is an original composition, this one co-written by Ted Olsen. The trumpet helps set the tone at the beginning.  Leslie Vincent delivers another wonderful vocal performance, with some delightful and unexpected phrasing, reminding me at times a bit of Norah Jones. Check out these lines: “Why does the bleakest season have to overstay/Bringing us those icetown blues/Burning dinner as the sun goes down/The smell of leaves turning mercilessly brown/Even the bluebirds want to get out of town.” This song has an easygoing groove. Leslie Vincent’s original numbers are among the best tracks on this album. I hope she continues to write and her next album has more original material. “Icetown Blues” is followed by “No Moon At All,” written by David Mann and Redd Evans. This rendition begins on bass, sounding wonderfully deep, wonderfully low. And her voice comes in, for the first several lines supported by just bass, which is delicious. This is a sexy and excellent rendition, each of the instruments adding to that atmosphere. There is a nice lead on trumpet in the middle. And as the track began, so it ends, with the bass. Ah, so good. This is another of the disc’s highlights.

“Stars Fell On Alabama” begins with the string section, that work quickly becoming dramatic, fitting with the song’s first line, “We lived our little drama.” I love the cymbals under her vocals as she starts. This is a compelling and engaging rendition, unlike other versions I’ve heard. Seriously, check out her version. It will give you a fresh look at this familiar number. That’s followed by “Laura,” which begins softly on piano, the theme played tentatively, almost delicately for a moment. It then becomes more certain, and more somber and intense, supported by that drum work as Leslie’s vocals come in. Her vocal approach is striking. This track also features dramatic work on strings. This is such an interesting rendition. Her final line, “But she’s only a dream,” leads back to the beginning, with that soft touch on piano for just a moment, like a passing dream. Leslie Vincent then gets bluesy with “Black Coffee,” written by Sonny Burke and Paul Francis Webster, delivering another tremendous vocal performance. I love the way she varies her vocal delivery, belting out some lines, then giving a couple almost as spoken word. This track also features another great lead on bass in the middle.

“How You Loved Me On Mars” was composed by pianist Josh Nelson and Kathleen Grace. Josh Nelson included it on his Exploring Mars album, released in 2015. Leslie Vincent’s rendition features another strong and moving vocal performance, supported by piano. A song of looking back and letting go. “How you loved me on Mars/How you wrapped your arms around me/In the red light of day/Volcanoes of ice and rivers of clay/Became full of fire and raging waters/Underneath the same old stars/How you loved me on Mars.” Leslie Vincent wraps up the album with her version of “This Time The Dream’s On Me,” a song written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. As it begins, her voice is supported by piano. The track then grows as the other instruments come in. “And to see you through/‘Til you’re everything that you want to be.” Oh yes, sometimes we need to hear that. It’s not too late, right? The horn comes in, so warm and sweet, this track being a beautiful ending to an excellent album.

CD Track List

1. Psychedelics With You
2. What’ll I Do
3. If I Were A Bell
4. Icetown Blues
5. No Moon At All
6. Stars Fell On Alabama
7. Laura
8. Black Coffee
9. How You Loved Me On Mars
10. This Time The Dream’s On Me

About Last Night was released on July 27, 2023, and is available on vinyl as well as CD.

Dead Rock West Plays Americana In The Park

Dead Rock West

As many of the summer concert series in Los Angeles come to a close, other outdoor concert series are beginning. The third annual Americana In The Park series began yesterday with Dead Rock West headlining. This series takes place at Gandara Park in Santa Monica, and is put on by the Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Department in partnership with McCabe’s. And these guys do an excellent job. Not only do they hire some great bands, but they organize food trucks and even reserve two parking lots, which, by the way, are free. Yes, free parking in Santa Monica. I’m pretty sure that counts as some kind of major miracle in most religions.

Opening the show yesterday afternoon was the duo Eleni & Milo, a married couple who played some beautiful original material. As they began their set just after 4 p.m., Eleni said: “It’s just beautiful out. And we’re happy to be here.” And indeed, it was a gorgeous day. The weather forecast had at one point included rain, but there was not a single cloud in the sky. It was warm, and a nice breeze kept it from being too hot in the sun. Eleni Mandell did most of the talking during the set, and at one point Milo Jones admitted he didn’t talk too much, likening himself to “the guy in Sparks.” Their set included “Lemon Tree,” “It Wasn’t The Time, It Was The Color,” “Man On Fire,” “Evelyn,” and “I Belong To You.” My personal favorite was one of Eleni’s older songs, “Dreamboat,” which at moments reminded my girlfriend and me of Julie Delpy’s song at the end of Before Sunset (the way she delivered certain lines). They wrapped up their set with “Little White Car.” The set ended at 4:55 p.m.

Dead Rock West took the stage at 5:12 p.m., kicking off the set with the title track from More Love, the band’s 2017 release. The band focused on material from that album, following “More Love” with “Boundless, Fearless Love,” “Radio Silence,” “Nail Gun,” “Darkness Never Tells” into “Bleeding Blue,” “Singing On The Telephone” and a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me.” Yes, the first eight songs of the day were from that album, with Cindy Wasserman mentioning that it was produced by John Doe of X. The energy was high, and Cindy was rocking some red sparkly shoes. DJ Bonebrake was not behind the drum kit for this show, because he is on tour with X at the moment. Sitting in for him was Matt Lynott. One of the early highlights of the set for me was “Darkness Never Tells” into “Bleeding Blue,” with Phil Parlapiano playing both accordion and keyboard. I also love the bass line from David J. Carpenter. The first song not from More Love was “God Don’t Ever Change,” from Bright Morning Stars, and that was another of the set’s highlights. It featured a cool drum beat, some nice touches on harmonica by Frankie Lee Drennen, and a fantastic power.

In 2015, Dead Rock West released an album of Everly Brothers songs titled It’s Everly Time! and yesterday they performed some songs from it, including “(Why Am I) Chained To A Memory,” “Cathy’s Clown” and “Gone, Gone, Gone.” And later in the set they covered “Long Time Gone,” which they included on Glitter & Gold. The band also played a new song (I’m not sure of its title), which had a great energy. Before playing that one, Cindy thanked McCabe’s, saying it’s their favorite place to play. It’s also one of the best places in the Los Angeles area to see a show. The sound is always excellent there, and the audience is attentive. It’s a great listening room. Then Phil Parlapiano switched to guitar for “Sunflower,” and Geoff Pearlman switched to lap steel. And yes, that was yet another highlight of the set. They concluded their set with “Burning House Of Love,” an X song that Dead Rock West recorded and released on Honey And Salt. The show ended at 6:26 p.m. After the show I picked up a copy of It’s Everly Time! and a T-shirt. I had to get that album in part because of the guest musicians who play on it, Rob Wasserman (Cindy’s brother, who I saw play with Bob Weir several times), Elliot Easton (of The Cars) and Dave Alvin. I’m looking forward to listening to this album.

The next show in the Americana In The Park concert series is on September 10th, and features Mara Kaye, New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band, and Dr. Soundgood featuring Doug Legacy. That is going to be a fun show.

Here are a few photos from yesterday’s concert:

Eleni & Milo

Eleni & Milo

Dead Rock West

Dead Rock West

Dead Rock West

Dead Rock West

Dead Rock West

Dead Rock West

We Are The West at 701 Santa Monica Blvd., 9-2-23 Concert Review

We Are The West performing "Sea Of Light"

Yesterday we all woke to the news of Jimmy Buffett’s death, something that cast a cloud over the day. But one thing that is certain to raise our spirits is seeing some live music, and last night We Are The West returned to their parking garage in Santa Monica. Yes, I think of it as their parking garage, since I’ve only ever been in there to see them perform. They’ve played more than a hundred concerts there, regularly turning what is normally a cold, heartless structure into a place of warmth and magic. Last night was garage show number 103. Usually part of the warmth is created by artwork which is put up on the walls behind the band, showcasing a different artist each time. However, last night the artist was unable to make it, so it was entirely up to the music to create that transformation. No problem. No problem at all. The DJ, Gerard Lollie, was playing some excellent songs as folks arrived, helping to set the right tone.

Steven Van Betten opened the show, taking the stage at 8:25 p.m. The first line of his first song was, “Sing me a song that you learned in heaven.” Yeah, it was one of those days when death seemed to be keeping a watchful eye. In the morning, my girlfriend and I had gone out for a late breakfast, using money from my dad, money that my mom found while going through his things. Not sure how happy our server was to be paid in mostly ones, but no matter. Steven Van Betten immediately had the audience’s full attention. “I’m playing mostly new songs tonight,” he said. Often when an artist says that, he or she means songs written in the last year or so. But Steven Van Betten apparently wrote most of the songs of his set in July, while traveling around the Pacific Northwest. May we all have such productive and fun months. It was a beautiful, captivating set. “Life goes on, but I don’t know how,” he sang toward the end of his set, and there was a relatively somber tone to much of his material. But then he wrapped things up with a funny song about going to the beach, which provided a wonderful release. I hope he records all these songs soon and releases them on a CD or record. He is definitely someone to keep an ear out for. His set ended at 8:57 p.m.

We Are The West took the stage at 9:20 p.m. Brett Hool welcomed everyone to the garage, telling the audience: “We shifted into a seasonal schedule. We used to be lunar.” And, yes, these parking garage shows (known as The Underground Series) used to occur every month, but since the one hundredth show last November, there has been one a season. And then, speaking of seasons, the band opened the show with “Summer,” a song that was the lead track on the 2021 album Only One Us. One of the many things I love about this band is the vocal work, and this is a song that really highlights their beautiful voices. The band at its core is the duo of Brett Hool on vocals and guitar and John Kibler on bass and vocals. For this first song, they were joined only by Mathias Kunzli on drums. “Summer” is a good choice for set opener, and it’s the song they opened with the last time I saw them, back in February. That was followed by “The Golden Shore,” the title track from the band’s 2018 album. John Kibler took out his bow for the beginning of this song. And Sylvain Carton joined the group on clarinet, and Paul Cox joined on keyboard, and they would remain for the rest of the set. I particularly enjoyed the clarinet work on this song. Sylvain Carton then switched to saxophone for “A New Haven,” the band delivering an excellent rendition. I love the way it built at the beginning, swelling. And Mathias Kunzli’s work on drums was fantastic.

Sylvain Carton switched back to clarinet for “Ah, Light!,” another song from Only One Us. They played several songs from that record last night, following “Ah, Light!” with “Unwind Your Mind,” this time with Sylvain on flute. And then the audience was treated to a new song, “I Feel Good Today,” which Brett mentioned is one the band has not yet recorded. I hope it finds a spot on their next album. It had a sweet, easygoing vibe at first, with some catchy elements, particularly on clarinet and keyboard, and then developed into a good jam. That was followed by “Good Luck (And All That Stuff),” with Sylvain on saxophone. Sylvain then switched to mandolin for “Only One Us,” a song that made me smile the moment it began. This was a particularly good rendition, another highlight of the set, and featured some nice work on keys. And that was followed by “Steps To Nowhere,” also from Only One Us, and then “Sea Of Light (Dirty Ditty),” from The Golden Shore. For that one, John switched from upright bass to electric bass. And he remained on electric bass for the rest of the set. “Time Knows No Distance” is a relatively new song, one I first saw them perform at that special one hundredth garage show. They wished an audience member a happy birthday before wrapping up the night with “Hey God, I’m Alive!” The show ended at 10:25 p.m. The set was just over an hour, but felt shorter, everything moving at a relatively quick pace. I’m looking forward to the next garage show, and I hope these guys go back to their lunar cycle at some point. Everything is better when we can get a regular dose of this band’s magic and humanity.

Set List

1. Summer
2. The Golden Shore
3. A New Haven
4. Ah, Light!
5. Unwind Your Mind
6. I Feel Good Today
7. Good Luck (And All That Stuff)
8. Only One Us
9. Steps To Nowhere
10. Sea Of Light (Dirty Ditty)
11. Time Knows No Distance
12. Hey God, I’m Alive!

Here are a few photos from the night:

Steven Van Betten

"A New Haven"

"Only One Us"

"Only One Us"

"Hey God, I'm Alive!"

Jason Kao Hwang/Critical Response: “Book Of Stories” (2023) CD Review

Jason Kao Hwang is a violinist and composer with one ear in the present and the other bent toward (or perhaps already in) the future, his compositions moving in interesting and unexpected directions. There is often a strong narrative sense to his material, and so the title of his new album, Book Of Stories, seems apt. And most of the tracks on this release are of such length necessary to tell compelling and full stories. Critical Response is the trio of Jason Kao Hwang on electric violin, Anders Nilsson on electric guitar, and Michael T.A. Thompson on drums, all skilled at improvisation. You might know Anders Nilsson from his work in Fulminate Trio and his new band, Hesa Gun, and you might know Michael T.A. Thompson from his work with Patrick Brennan and several other artists.

The disc opens with “The Power Of Many In The Soul Of One,” which begins with a lonely call out into the universe, a wounded cry from the violin, a voice reaching out hopefully in the dark chaos of the world. Then things seem to come into more solid forms from that darkness, and soon the violin is in communication with them, quickly adapting to its new surroundings, to its new companions. There is a relaxed, knowing sense to the guitar and drums, while the violin feels a great tension that needs to be released. Perhaps it is has found the right place to release that tension, a spot where it might be absorbed by the surrounding sounds. Sure, there is always risk involved, but the emotions are so powerful that they might overwhelm any need for calculation, for planning. Things start to relax, and a drum solo emerges from that, with the guitar and violin then offering their own thoughts, markedly different from what came before. There is something tentative as they step into this new area. And the drums again find themselves on their own, Michael T.A. Thompson delivering some fantastic work here. Things go in a more determined direction, and there is something officious in the sound, in the drive, before that power begins to unravel, to spread out in fragments of authority and portions of nerves. We are deep within this thing now, moving along the quieter center, where space has its own dimensions and desires, the track settling into a good groove. The violin returns to a more lonely place near the end, but its sound is different now, like it has found its place, knows its place, but still yearns for something more. Stable, but still in need. The guitar joins the violin in this now-familiar darkness.

As “Upside Circle Down” begins, there is something youthful, playful, among the gadgetry, among the electric voices of the sprites as they dart throughout the house at night, knowing they cannot be caught, for they can escape along any of the wires. As the drums come in, things start to get more wild, more exciting, taking charge of the moment. It’s as if urging us to let loose, enjoy ourselves. There is a good deal of action, and it’s all in the name of seizing the moment. And soon we are treated to a good drum solo. It’s interesting how a drum solo can lead to a more solitary moment, even to a pretty, angelic voice, a striking presence standing still within a great shaft of light. The guitar then, when left on its own, turns inward and outward, and finds beauty in both places, and that seems to determine the direction that the instruments move in together. Memories and old faces line the streets but do not impede forward movement. Whispers of the past, and from the past, evaporate like wisps of smoke, light caresses on our skin. We need not even turn our heads, for we know where we are going now, and so there is no rush. Things have become gentle, and the groove is soothing.

There is a somewhat eerie presence at the start of “A Silent Ghost Follows,” a creature from another realm that is making its way into our world through slight gaps in consciousness, a winged spirit that is soon dancing upon the branches, even upon the leaves, though it doesn’t seem to actually touch them. The guitar reaches out, and that darker, stronger, more cohesive theme is revisited, until the drums take over, rolling in like a subtle storm, carrying with it the spirits, or perhaps something larger. That theme confirms our suspicions, a monster is within. The violin then cries out, the wind behind it having a heartbeat, and we feel that thing is alive. The theme returns, and now it begins to feel like a cue, to turn the page, or to move backward in the story, or it is a reminder of where we are, pulling us back when we stray too far into the outer realms of this fun house. It seems something is about to be revealed to us if we can maintain our focus and not lose ourselves to fear or preconceptions or wishes.

With “Dragon Carved Into Bone,” we are immediately welcomed into a strange and exciting place, where funky denizens offer bright concoctions and shove us along if we are too slow to accept everything being offered. There is so much popping around us that it might be difficult to respond to everything. Just let go and allow yourself to be tossed around, join the others doing the same thing, hurling themselves about without fear of injury. And suddenly a space opens up before us. We know we’re not alone, no matter what certain of our senses tell us. The others might be quiet, but they are nearby. Soon they let out little hints of their locations, and lead us farther into the electronic artery, and we are able to perceive that each movement is part of some larger dance. The drums then try to pull all that together, to organize the steps, to synchronize them, or unify them. And then, bam, creatures burst from the walls and just as quickly disappear. But there is a cool vibe to calm us, a delicious jam. Go ahead, have another drink, settle in, and enjoy the show, it urges us. And we do, and everything seems right, so that when things begin to turn strange, it takes us a moment to realize it. To realize things have changed around us, and maybe that cool place was an illusion, and the darkness and the uncertainty are what are truly real. The album then concludes with “Friends Forever,” which begins in a more bluesy realm, one of memory, of accomplishments in the past, which are acknowledged, appreciated, even loved, but not dwelled upon. For the past is a part of the future, and there is beauty everywhere, if you only look with eyes big enough to take in various times, and listen with ears attuned to the spirits.

CD Track List

1. The Power Of Many In The Soul Of One
2. Upside Circle Down
3. A Silent Ghost Follows
4. Dragon Carved Into Bone
5. Friends Forever

Book Of Stories was released on June 30, 2023 on True Sound Recordings.