Jazz / Vocal, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Jazz
Pamela Luss - Vocals
Houston Person- tenor sax
Aaron Heick- alto sax, flute; Hendrik Meurkens- harmonica; John di Martino/Jon Cowherd- piano; Richie Goods- bass; Greg Hutchinson - drums
Alan Silverman Mastering
Barney McAll Arranger
Joe Fields Executive Producer
John Di Martino Piano, Arranger
Katherine Miller Mixing, Engineer, Producer
Myron Walden Arranger
Todd Barkan Producer
Will Friedwald Liner Notes
In today's snowed under world of vocalists, we tend to ask ourselves who is doing something different. Who is looking at a songbook that is unlike that the next vocalist is looking at and who has the talent to back it up? Look no further than the tracks contained here on the newest disc of Pamela Luss. For this outing, Pamela is backed by a number of New York's top musicians, including HOUSTON PERSON, who knows a little something about backing vocalists, and the piano of JOHN di MARTINO, who also wrote many of the arrangements. An interesting set list, including a never-before-recorded composition by Myron Walden makes this a self-recommending issue.
Pamela Luss' Your Eyes seems to feature two distinctive singers in one. On the midtempo material, Luss shows that she is a superior jazz singer, whether being sensual on "Baby, Don't You Quit Now," finding surprising life in a faster than usual "Over the Rainbow," or swinging on "Our Day Will Come." However, on ballads, her renditions are mostly very straight, closer to cabaret and even light pop than jazz, as if she is fearful of straying from the lyrics and the melody line for more than a moment. Quite a few of the younger jazz-inspired singers have difficulty making ballads their own and finding ways to improvise on slower material while also paying respect to the songwriters' intent. Luss' ballad renditions are listenable but not at all adventurous, and one wonders why "Send in the Clowns" was revived for the umpteenth time. On the plus side are four guest appearances apiece from tenor great Houston Person and altoist Aaron Heick, while Hendrik Meurkens is featured on harmonica on one of the few ballads that works on this set, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Overall, this is a mixed bag. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
