Thursday, December 17, 2009

New Music: Julian Yeo




Julian Yeo - Deep Purple Dreams
It's the first 2010 release to hit the mailbox here at TPR and it's another album that I have been listening to since the summer that is finally mastered and out as a finished project. You may have noticed that we have been playing some cuts on The Penthouse ever since Julian handed me the final mixes on a CD-R a while back.

It is (sort of) a concept album, as our artist is a jazz vampire in the 1930s. The back story, included in the packaging, tells the story of Yeo - who takes the job singing at the Bitter Melon run by a pale skin Russian woman named Yelena. It doesn't seem very odd that, as a jazz club owner/manager, she never goes out during the day. Of course, our clever hero starts to put things together in his mind but by that time, he's in love and chances are he'll be dropping into dark, smoky clubs for quite some time to come. You'll have to read the rest of the tale, penned by Andrew Willet, in the CD.

The lineup is somewhat dark and down tempo (following the theme):
No Moon At All
Close Your Eyes
Whatever Lola Wants
How Insensitive
Deep Purple
Love For Sale
Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)
Anything Goes
Let Yourself Go
Too Darn Hot
On A Slow Boat To China
September Song
I'll Wait For You

While this isn't a full review, let me say that Julian loves a retro-jazz sound and his musicians give these standards a new and perhaps somewhat twisted feel. If someone wants to make a "Indiana Jones"-era prequel to the Twilight saga, I think this could serve as a ready-made soundtrack.

Julian's musical director Jesse Gelber leads the band from the piano, Doug Largent is on stand-up bass and Kevin Dorn on drums. Nick Russo (Guitar) and Alan Grubner (Violin) fill out the production. Recorded at Pete Karl Studios in Brooklyn and sounding great, this album really shows the continued growth of Yeo and his band since their wonderful 2008 effort Unusual Passage.

Currently available for pre-order (shipping January 11, 2010) on Amazon.com

http://www.julianyeo.com/

BP

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Sunday, November 29, 2009

New Release: Kelley Suttenfield

Kelley Suttenfield - Where Is Love?

Released on November 3 on Rhombus Records, it's the first CD for a very talented young woman currently playing a number of dates in New York City. The sound is mellow, warm and very inviting.

The twelve cuts range from Stanley Turpentine's "Sugar" that opens the album - (almost typed "side" as it can be pictured playing on vinyl, in a smoky room with a few mixed drinks nearby) - a jazzy redo of the classic tune from The Platters, "Twilight Time" is next and it quickly corrects any notion that the song might not work here. The album goes from Brazil to The Beatles ("Coracao Vagabundo" and "And I Love Her") with stops on the Mancini/Mercer classic "Charade", Betty Carter's "Open The Door" (a rare treat well done), the Ira and George Gershwin penned "My One And Only Love", "I Fall In Love Too Easily" from Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn and Eden Ahbez's "Nature Boy" which is done with India in mind. (Really! It works.)

To say that she works with a talented group of musicians (Michael Cabe: piano, Fender Rhodes, Jesse Lewis: electric guitar, Tony Romano: acoustic guitar, Matt Aronoff: bass and Brian Adler: drums, tablas) doesn't really do them justice.

The weakest spot is "Ode To Billy Joe" but considering my dislike for the original pop hit probably isn't her fault.

Checking her calendar, Kelley just finished shows at the Silverleaf Tavern and Greenwich Village Bistro; both spots that have no cover or drink minimum. My advice? Go see her soon before word gets out and you can't get a seat!

KelleySuttenfield.com

BP

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