by dynamite | May 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
The arrangers on the new CD by vocalist SYLVIA BROOKS, The Arrangement had a dream assignment. Brooks selected 14 songs for the disc, and she asked each of the five gents doing the charts, Otmaro Ruiz, Quinn Johnson, Jeff Colella, Kim Richmond and Christian Jacob to write the arrangements using both brass and reeds. They were free to select the musicians for the sessions from the wealth of possibilities on the Los Angeles scene.
Well this arrangement worked out extremely well. After concentrating on noirish material on her first two albums, Brooks has expanded her horizons to opt for more eclectic programming. She chose a mix of standards like “Body and Soul” “Night and Day” and “Never let Me Go”; a couple of Latin numbers, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” and Besame Mucho;” a country tune, “Cold, Cold Heart;” one Beatles song, “Eleanor Rigby;” and three songs with her own lyrics.
Brooks is a strong stylist who took naturally to the charts written for her. She is a confident singer with a pleasing voice who has absorbed the rich treasure of influences from the pop/jazz field, and it is evident throughout the album that she has learned her lessons well. This is a solid outing that feels comfortable from the opening selection, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps,” to the last, “Angel Eyes.”
– Joe Lang- JERSEY JAZZ
by dynamite | May 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
The queen of jazz noir changes her look and sound a bit but the cover shot still smacks of a femme fatale slinking down a hotel hallway. Corralling the crème of LA’s jazzbo community to assist at all levels of the game, she writes a little more, digs some different sounds, but never loses sight of her laser focus as being a top jazz singer that understands her lyrics and knows how to make them new. Chops like this are practically one of a kind and are not to be missed. The reigning queen reigns on.
– Chris Spector- Midwest Record
by dynamite | May 22, 2017 | Uncategorized
SYLVIA BROOKS/Restless: Utterly smoking jazz noir, Brooks takes smoky after hours jazz into realms only hinted at in movies like “Body Heat”. I don’t know where she’s pulling this from but Brooks is one dame that understands what it is to be a femme fatale. Hitting under used classics and mixing them in with some recent vintage, equally off beat stuff, this is a mickey served by a dangerous broad with something up her sleeveless sleeve. Finding cores in songs like “Round Midnight”, “I’m a Fool to Want You” and “Blues in the Night” that the writers didn’t put there even in their darkest moments, this just ain’t kid stuff. This is one mind blowingly, killer adult jazz vocal date that would make other vocalists call it a day if they could come half as close. Check it out.
Chris Spector – Midwest Record Review –
by dynamite | Apr 30, 2017 | Uncategorized
KRFC FT COLLINS ~ 88.9FM The Most Alarmin’ Version Of “‘Round Midnight” That I’ve Ever Heard ~ Jazz Anthem Of Thelonious Monk/Bernie Hanighan/Cootie Williams ~
by dynamite | Apr 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
Just received Restless from Lisa. ..first rate! Bob Collins/Jazz Producer/WRHU
