Jazz / Vocal, Bop, Standards, Vocal Jazz
Carol Sloane - Vocals
Don Sickler Producer
Eric Stephen Jacobs Photography
Grady Tate Drums
Houston Person Sax (Tenor), Guest Appearance
James Gavin Liner Notes
Joe Fields Executive Producer
Katherine Miller Engineer
Keiji Obata Design
Norman Simmons Piano
Paul Bollenback Guitar
Paul E. West Bass
Carol Sloane has made dozens of albums, starting in 1961. Her work is admired by some of the greatest artists in jazz, and by discerning audiences here and in Japan. It always was. She made Whisper Sweet in April 2003, immediately after a six-night engagement at New York's Village Vanguard. In this instance Carol's focus was on the sort of tried-and-true standards on which she can work her own unique style of vocal magic. What resulted is an album of mellow midnight jazz: songs as familiar as old friends, performed by five musicians and a singer who know how expressive quiet can be.
While young female singers tend to catch the eyes and ears of the general public, seasoned jazz musicians, critics, and fans are the ones to appreciate a veteran vocalist like Carol Sloane. With over a half century of professional singing experience, Sloane's voice is still magic as she captures the essence of each of the 11 ballads on this High Note CD. Guitarist Paul Bollenback is the major soloist backing her warm interpretation of the bittersweet "Here's That Rainy Day." Paul West's dancing bass propels her through a magical but playful take of "The Lady's in Love With You." Her bluesy, drawn-out rendition of "This Time the Dream's on Me" (a song usually played at a brisk tempo) is backed by pianist Norman Simmons, one of the late Joe Williams' favorite accompanists. But she pulls out all the stops with her unaccompanied introduction to an emotional "My One and Only Love." She also explores a few older gems, including a polished take of Eubie Blake's "Memories of You" and a surprising bossa nova arrangement of stride master James P. Johnson's forgotten chestnut "Whisper Sweet." Tenor saxophonist Houston Person, who frequently played with the late Etta Jones, is added on several tracks, including a delightful "The Night We Called It a Day." Carol Sloane's magnificent performances throughout this disc will easily stand the test of time. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Carol Sloane
Active Decades: '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s
Born: 1937 in Providence, RI
Genre: Vocal
Styles: Bop, Standards, Vocal Jazz
Singer Carol Sloane started singing professionally when she was 14 and at 18 she toured Germany in a musical comedy. She was with the Les and Larry Elgart orchestra during 1958-1960 and, after appearing at a jazz festival in 1960, she was heard by Jon Hendricks who later sent for her to sub for Annie Ross with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Sloane made a big impression at the 1961 Newport Jazz Festival and soon cut two records for Columbia. Unfortunately, her career never got going and, except for a live set from 1964 released on Honey Dew, Sloane would not record again until 1977, working as a secretary in North Carolina and singing just now and then locally.
However, in the mid-'70s she became more active again, caught on in Japan (where she began to record frequently), and her career finally got on more solid footing. Sloane's releases for Audiophile, Choice, Progressive, Contemporary, and later Concord feature a mature bop-based singer with a sound of her own.
--- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
