1. Somewhere In The Hills
2. A Quiet Thing
3. I Can Cook Too
4. Hey Daddy
5. I Got It Bad/Autumn Nocturne
6. Let's Fall In Love
7. I'll Take Romance
8. Look At That Face
9. My Funny Valentine
Collective personnel
Sue Halloran - Vocals
Ken Hitchcock - Soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet
Carlos Franzetti, Mark Soskin - Piano
Gary Versace - B3 organ
Mike Holober - Fender Rhodes
David Finck, Chip Jackson - Bass
Romero Lubambo - Guitar
Ray Marchica, Clint DeGanon - Drums, percussion
Nick Marchione, Jim Hynes - Trumpet
Keith O'Quinn - Trombone
Mike Davis - Trombone, bass trombone
City of Prague Philharmonic (conductor: Richard Hein)
Sue Halloran has appeared as a singer on several albums, including
recordings by vocal trio String of Pearls, but this is her first featured
recording. Ken Hitchcock, her husband of 25 years, leads the supporting
band. I hadn't heard of either of them before but I shall certainly
look out for their names in future, because they are both superb musicians.
Sue Halloran has a pure, clear voice, sometimes tinged with an innocence
that reminds me of Julie Andrews. But she knows how to put across
a jazz performance, particularly in the way she can scat along with
an instrumental backing, matching the notes perfectly. And Ken Hitchcock's
versatility is impressive - just look at the list above of the instruments
he plays! His inventively muscular solos add bite to several tracks.
The accompaniments are varied: from the strings of the City of Prague
Philharmonic backing A Quiet Thing and Let's Fall In
Love to Ken's multi-tracked clarinets as the only escort for
Sue's ditto vocals on My Funny Valentine (two tracks as a
soprano, three as an alto). Although Halloran's diction is impeccable,
some of the backings tend to swamp the vocals, making the lyrics difficult
to hear (for instance, on the title-track - from the film On the
Town).
However, the medley of I've Got It Bad and Autumn Nocturne
is very attractive, with a whole woodwind choir (courtesy of Ken)
supporting the delicate vocals. Let's Fall In Love is another
highlight, with help from strings and multiple woodwind.
As a reviewer, I have been subjected to so many mediocre singers on
disc that I am understandably sceptical about vocalists. But Sue Halloran
really can sing, and Ken Hitchcock helps to provide multi-faceted
accompaniments. They both deserve to be much better known.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
(Self-produced)
