The Arrangement is Named One of the Top 15 Jazz Vocal Albums of 2017 by the 39th Annual Jazz Radio Awards
Sylvia Brooks – The Arrangement (SBM Music, 2017)
Pintando sus interpretaciones con una pátina oscura y un sonido exquisito de clásico talento vocal La atractiva y seductora voz de Sylvia Books cantando siempre en perfecta y armónica sintonía.
Interview with Sylvia Brooks: The Arrangement – to use the colors of my voice in different ways to tell different parts of the story
Jazz interview with jazz singer Sylvia Brooks.
[vc_tta_accordion shape=”square” gap=”2″ active_section=”1″ no_fill=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”JazzBluesNews.Space: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music?” tab_id=”1494581908137-9674f7ee-4a70″][vc_column_text]Sylvia Brooks: – I grew up in Miami in a musical household- My dad was a first call Jazz pianist and arranger, and my mom was an Opera Singer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What got you interested in picking up the jazz vocal?” tab_id=”1494581907385-661d4e58-d183″][vc_column_text]SB: – Originally, I wanted to be a classical actress- so I went to a Classical Theatre School. But, when my dad died, and I was looking through his music, something awoke in me, and I decided to start working on some of the music that I grew up listening to as a child.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the level of playing you have today? What made you choose the jazz vocal?” tab_id=”1494581906726-59b747e9-ca26″][vc_column_text]SB: – I started working in Los Angeles with a wonderful pianist named Tom Garvin and he helped me begin to understand this music. He’s passed away since, but he was really my mentor and my friend. He said something to me that really helped me understand artistry. He said, don’t try to decide who you want to be, just let it reveal itself to you. He also told me to not listen to other vocalists on a song that I was working on, because it would influence my delivery. He said; find it yourself, in your own voice.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – How did your sound evolve over time? What did you do to find and develop your sound? ” tab_id=”1494581906040-9a061d69-b256″][vc_column_text]SB: – I learned to trust the story of the song, and to use my voice more selectively- to use the colors of my voice in different ways to tell different parts of the story. Being in the recording studio was a huge help- there is nowhere to hide there. Also, to work with less vibrato and incorporate more straight tone- I’ve studied voice for years, so it really becomes a matter of what you decide to do when-[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability especially pertaining to rhythm?” tab_id=”1494581904676-33143dc9-02ea”][vc_column_text]SB: – I work a lot on my upper register to keep the range in my voice- also; I have worked a lot on learning to swing. A friend of mine, Cathy Segal Garcia said something interesting to me, she said, everyone swings differently- everyone feels it differently- that really opened things up for me.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – Which harmonies and harmonic patterns do you prefer now?” tab_id=”1494581900959-634942b2-d0da”][vc_column_text]SB: – I like the use of melodic counterpoint- which is why I wanted to use horns and reeds on The Arrangement. I consider myself more of a Classic Jazz artist- so, to me, it’s more about harmonies and how they are used to create the structure and mood of the composition.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What do you love most about your new album: , how it was formed and what you are working on today. Next year your fans like we can wait for a new album?” tab_id=”1494582134951-0e282c52-9c6f”][vc_column_text]SB: – I’m very proud of the Arrangement. I wanted to make a record that was musically rich, and somewhat unpredictable. Christian Jacob, Otmaro Ruiz, Jeff Colella, Kim Richmond and Quinn Johnson all have very different musical styles- and so we ended up with an album full of diversity. And yet, it’s very cohesive at the same time. I also included three original compositions- so my next album will have more original material on it- and I’m thinking about making it a little grittier through a different combination of instruments, which I will hold close to the vest until it comes out![/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – Many aspiring musicians are always looking for advice when navigating thru the music business. Is there any piece of advice you can offer to aspiring students or even your peers that you believe will help them succeed and stay positive in this business? ” tab_id=”1494582167062-0e8bf1f5-dda2″][vc_column_text]SB: – There is no doubt about it that this is a very difficult business…and that is a very important part of it, it is a business, and a lot of people lose sight of that. In talking to students, I would say stay true to yourself, learn your craft, (really important!) and have the courage of your convictions. For peers, we are all in very different places. I try to support the people that I believe in.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – Аnd furthermore, can jazz be a business today or someday?” tab_id=”1494582206906-131e1895-4aa1″][vc_column_text]SB: – Absolutely! I personally think that we are in a very exciting time. But I do believe that we all need to open our minds, and allow more voices in- perhaps they don’t always fit the preconceived notions of what Jazz is, but perhaps, the new voices can breathe some new life into the art form and in doing so, make it more accessible to younger people.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of the standard tunes are half a century old?” tab_id=”1494582237752-2aaaf9a0-152d”][vc_column_text]SB: – Just what I said above! You read my mind![/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – John Coltrane said that music was his spirit. How do you understand the spirit and the meaning of life?” tab_id=”1494582276168-1c958959-ed3f”][vc_column_text]SB: – Oh boy, that’s a big question! I have a very zen belief- I believe that we are all on this journey for a reason, that we were put here to do something- and sometimes you can’t always understand why it doesn’t always go the way you think it should- but that’s the beauty of it- it goes exactly as it’s meant to go. It’s important to stay true to your voice- and contribute as much value as possible while you are on this earth- and it will go the way it goes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What are your expectations of the future? What brings you fear or anxiety?” tab_id=”1494582310111-2c751ac3-f841″][vc_column_text]SB: – I’m really not sure- life to me is like an onion, you just keep peeling back the layers. I just hope that when something presents itself to me, that I am smart enough and wise enough to see it. I suppose that is my greatest fear- not being tuned in-.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – What’s the next musical frontier for you?” tab_id=”1494582343323-09f54b65-1778″][vc_column_text]SB: – Writing more songs – writing deeper stories-[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – Are there any similarities between jazz and world music, including folk music?” tab_id=”1494582367558-d221e793-5a98″][vc_column_text]SB: – All good music is similar, because it’s so primal. If it makes the listener feel something, then it’s doing its job.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”JBN.S: – Who do you find yourself listening to these days?” tab_id=”1494582422837-79ac4fda-3de9″][vc_column_text]SB: – I just listened to Cheryl Bentynes’ new album ReArranging Shadows- where she deconstructs the music of Stephen Sondheim- really remarkable piece of work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_column_text]Interview by : Simon Sargsyan[/vc_column_text]
The Arrangement: Woodrow Wilkins- The Jazzwriter
With music, sometimes it’s the songwriting that makes a difference. Other times, the voices and instruments and how they execute are key. But then there’s that time when a reworking of what’s written is the focal point. That’s where vocalist Sylvia Brooks comes in, hiring several Los Angeles-based arrangers for her third album, The Arrangement (2017).
The lineup varies from song to song. Collectively, the players are: Otmaro Ruiz, piano; Sezin Ahmet Turkmenoglu, bass; Aaron Serfaty, drums and percussion; Kim Richmond, alto sax; Bob Sheppard, tenor sax; Francisco Torres, trombone; Juliane Gralle, bass trombone; Brian Swartz, trumpet; Ron Stout, flugelhorn; Will Brahm, guitar; Quinn Johnson, piano; Trey Henry, bass; Tom Brechtlein, drums; Michael Stever, trumpet; Jeff Driskill, sax; Jeff Colella, piano; Kendall Kay, drums; Chris Colangelo, bass; Bruce Babad, flutes; Larry Koonse, guitar; Christian Jacob, piano and Fender Rhodes; Will Brahm, guitar; David Hughes, bass; Jamey Tate, drums.
Brooks brings warmth and a bit of joy to Hank Williams’ “Cold Cold Heart.” Rather than wallow in the misery of being mistreated by a loved one, Brooks sings it with vigor, as a wronged person turning the situation into a positive, by taking charge. Her scat enhances Driskell’s tenor solo. The horn section gives a swing feel to the song.
Major kudos to Jacob for the arrangement of “Eleanor Rigby.” His approach adds an elegance seldom heard in a cover of this Beatles classic. The flutes and Rhodes provide a haunting quality. Babad’s tenor solo injects a romantic touch. And Brooks’ voice is charming throughout.
I’m not sure what it is about “Besame Mucho” that so many jazz artists interpret it. This is easily one of my favorite renditions. Brooks takes it slow with this Otmaro Ruiz arrangement. The congas give it a Latin feel, appropriate considering the songs origins. The soft horns add a symphonic element.
Other notable tracks include “Body and Soul,” “Maybe I’m a Fool” and “The Tender Trap.”
This project came together with Brooks picking Ruiz, Colella, Jacob and Johnson. She gave them two instructions. First, they must use a combination of brass and reed instruments. Second, they could choose the musicians they felt would best serve the direction of the music. The combination is a perfect match as the arrangements are fresh and engaging, the musicians are rock solid, and Brooks’ soothing, charming voice completes the package.
Brooks is a native of Miami. Her father, pianist/arranger Don Ippolito, was a first-call talent who performed with several jazz heavyweights, among them Stan Getz, Buddy Rich, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie. Brooks’ mother, Johanna Dordick, was a conservatory-trained opera singer. Though influenced by her parents in music, Brooks first took the stage as an actor. After moving to Los Angeles, Brooks returned to her jazz roots.
The Arrangement – LA Jazz Scene – Chris J. Walker – Live Performance review at Catalina Bar & Grill
Sylvia Brooks showcased songs from her third record, The Arrangement, at Catalina Bar and Grill, with a solid group of players. Some featured tunes were: “Night and Day”, a cool and deadly ballad, and “Guess Who I Saw Today”. Jacob took the helm for “Midnight Sun” with Brooks singing passionately, with saxophone embellishing. Joining the headliner, was Cathy Segal Garcia for Jacob’s stylish arrangement of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby”, with an injected saxophone solo. With only piano, she seductively sang “Maybe I’m A Fool”- an original, and united with full band was “The Tender Trap” bolstered by piano solo, along with longing “Never Let Me Go”. Concluding the show was sultrily sung “Angel Eyes” with detailed band playing, to draw a standing ovation.