1. Something’s Gotta Give
2. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon
3. Night and Day
4. For All We Know
5. You Brought a New Kind of Love
6. Dream
7. Yes, My Darling Daughter
8. Deep in a Dream
9. I’ve Got the World on a String
10. Come Rain or Come Shine
11. The Lamp is Low
12. On the Sunny Side of the Street
Robin McKelle – Vocals
Bernie Dresel– Drums, percussion
Reggie McBride - Bass
Quinn Johnson - Piano
Larry Koonse - Guitar
Wayne Bergeron, Gary Grant, Don Clark, Willie
Murillo – Trumpets
Andy Martin – Bass bone
Charlie Morillis, David Stout – Trombones
Paul Klintworth – French horn
Bob Shepard, Brian Scanlon, Ray Herrmann – Tenor
saxes, clarinets
Mark Visher – Tenor sax
Glen Berger – Baritone sax, clarinet
Pete Christlieb – Tenor sax
Gary Foster – Clarinet
Kathleen Robertson – Concert master
Peggy Baldwin – String contractor
Robbie Wycoff – Vocal on track 5
Only
a few weeks ago I was saying to my wife and
jazz soulmate, that it was such a shame that
nearly all of the great female singers had
either retired or passed on. There are still
great singers around, but they don’t seem
to get the opportunity to make records like
Ella and Sarah made in the company of great
swinging bands and they often feel obliged
to sing second-rate songs in the ‘need for
something new’. Now all of a sudden there
is Robin McKelle, who has a great voice and
can really make the most of a song. She is
an extremely polished performer, who surely
deserves to succeed. This is a most attractive
CD which actively shows off her ability to
perform as a jazz singer. Her work here is
right up with the best and now there is a
genuine contender to the greats of the past.
I hope we shall hear many releases of this
type as soon as possible.
Right
from the first track everything is swinging
and it continues right through the album.
Robin has the ability to work with her superb
backing orchestra to create something really
exciting. Do I have a favourite track? That
is a difficult one. I like them all, but Night
and Day shades it for me: the tempo is
similar to the one Ella used, but the arrangement
is different and Robin has a style that has
hints of all the great singers, whilst remaining
her own person. On For All We Know
there is some fine tenor playing (Pete Christlieb?)
and on The Lamp is Low there is some
excellent clarinet playing (Gary Foster?).
Robin
McKelle's musical pedigree is perfect: the
University of Miami followed by Berklee College,
where she is now a member of the faculty! Let’s
hope that she always stays a jazz singer and
is not side-tracked by some ‘clever’ agent
or manager away from being a jazz artist.
Diana Krall has made it into the big league
without sacrificing her jazz genre and Robin
McKelle can for sure do the same.
The
backing band is terrific, every section is
excellent, but the trumpets are outstanding
and the rhythm section is great.
If
you like great standards, sung by a singer
with a big voice, a real jazz feel, excellent
diction and intonation and with top class
arrangements, played by a swinging Big Band,
don’t miss this one! You are going to hear
a lot more of Robin McKelle!
As
a footnote to Candid Records, your sleeve
notes tell nothing about the artist and, for
someone who will be new to a lot of people,
that seems a shame.
Don
Mather
CD Reviews
Candid
CCD 79996
