1. The Nearness of You
2. Summertime
3. It’s All Right with Me
4. Like a Lover
5. Straighten Up and Fly Right
6. Skylark
7. (It’s Gonna Be a) Great Day
8. I Got it Bad (and That Ain’t Good)
9. Bluesette
10. You Don’t Know What Love Is
11. Sabor a Mi
12. A Lazy Afternoon
La Tanya Hall – Vocals
Chuck Wilson, Gary Keller, Dave Mann, Al Regni, Dave Rickenberg – Saxes,
clarinets, flutes
Richard Heckman – Oboe
Glenn Drewes, Don Downs - Trumpets, flugelhorns
Kevin Osborne, George Flynn – Trombones
Barry Finclair, Richard Sortomme, Ann Leathers, Carol Pool, Shinwon
Kim – Violins
Stephanie Cummins, Arthur Fiacco - Cellos
Dave Finck – Bass
Jay Bianchi – Piano
Jay Berliner – Guitar
Ron Zito – Drums
Mauro Refosco – Percussion
Angelo DiPippo – Accordion, conductor, arranger
Recorded in NYC 2006.
La Tanya Hall has held her place in the NYC music scene
for ten years and that alone tells you that she is a class act. In the
world’s most competitive music market only the best survive: there is
no place for anybody who is not of the very best. As you would expect
therefore, this is a top-class album from an excellent singer and the
musical accompaniment arranged and directed by Angelo DiPippo reflects
the talent that is available in NYC.
The tune selection is also excellent, mostly standard
songs from the cream of composers, the earliest being Vincent Youmans’
Great Day from 1925, through to Sergio Mendes' Like a Lover.
The two Hoagy Carmichael songs Skylark and
The Nearness of You are delivered with great sincerity, and the
hard swinging tracks do just that.
La Tanya is a force to be reckoned with; she has a big
range and excellent control of intonation, intensity and vibrato. Angelo
DiPippo’s arrangements are great and his use of the accordion on some
numbers adds yet another dimension to his excellent work.
Another person who must be mentioned is tenor man Dave
Mann, who solos impressively on many of the tracks. He has a super tenor
sound and sufficient technique to enable him to deliver on his excellent
ideas.
This is La Tanya’s first album: I am sure we will hear
a lot more of her. I recommend it to all.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
Bridge
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