ANNE PHILLIPS - Live At The Jazz Bakery
Conawag Records 1014
Anne Phillips (v); Roger Kellaway (p); Bob Kindred (ts); Chuck Berghoffer (b) Jazz Bakery California 2000
Way back in 1959 Ms Phillips made her debut album called Born o Be Blue. She did not make another jazz record under her own name until this, in 2000. So, what has she been doing for the rest of her life? This live session at the popular Jazz Bakery provides some answers as she sings a full programme of songs and chats at length to the audience between some tracks. I’m Gonna Lay My Heart On The Line starts us off, an easy swinger, written by the vocalist and featuring her intimate singing style and the cool tenor sax of husband Bob Kindred. Nest she tackles Mel Torme’s Born To Be Blue and there is a further good blues line on New York Night Time Blues. Watching You Watching Me is another Phillips original which has a strong vocal and free flowing piano from Kellaway. In between Ms Phillips talks about recording her first album with a top New York line up and finding, shortly afterwards that Rock N Roll had burst onto the scene and nobody wanted to hear vocalists interpreting The Great American Songbook anymore. So, she filled her time singing jingles on commercials and writing. Always busy she worked on other people’s albums and even had a short season as a singer at a small NYC club. Whatever happened in her work place she never stopped singing or writing songs.
Two more self -penned tunes follow and Ms Phillips uses her strong voice to good effect on them and her closing selections: Embraceable You and There Will Never Be another you.’ Support throughout is strong with Kellaway backing sensitively and Berghoffer providing a full bass line. Although the skeletal band do a good job it might have been better if she could have booked a drummer and perhaps a trumpet to fill out the sound. Money is tight these days though and we wouldn’t want to wait another 41 years for Ms Phillips’ next CD, now would we? Sound and mastering provide a clear, vivid soundstage.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
Conawag Records 1014
Anne Phillips (v); Roger Kellaway (p); Bob Kindred (ts); Chuck Berghoffer (b) Jazz Bakery California 2000
Way back in 1959 Ms Phillips made her debut album called Born o Be Blue. She did not make another jazz record under her own name until this, in 2000. So, what has she been doing for the rest of her life? This live session at the popular Jazz Bakery provides some answers as she sings a full programme of songs and chats at length to the audience between some tracks. I’m Gonna Lay My Heart On The Line starts us off, an easy swinger, written by the vocalist and featuring her intimate singing style and the cool tenor sax of husband Bob Kindred. Nest she tackles Mel Torme’s Born To Be Blue and there is a further good blues line on New York Night Time Blues. Watching You Watching Me is another Phillips original which has a strong vocal and free flowing piano from Kellaway. In between Ms Phillips talks about recording her first album with a top New York line up and finding, shortly afterwards that Rock N Roll had burst onto the scene and nobody wanted to hear vocalists interpreting The Great American Songbook anymore. So, she filled her time singing jingles on commercials and writing. Always busy she worked on other people’s albums and even had a short season as a singer at a small NYC club. Whatever happened in her work place she never stopped singing or writing songs.
Two more self -penned tunes follow and Ms Phillips uses her strong voice to good effect on them and her closing selections: Embraceable You and There Will Never Be another you.’ Support throughout is strong with Kellaway backing sensitively and Berghoffer providing a full bass line. Although the skeletal band do a good job it might have been better if she could have booked a drummer and perhaps a trumpet to fill out the sound. Money is tight these days though and we wouldn’t want to wait another 41 years for Ms Phillips’ next CD, now would we? Sound and mastering provide a clear, vivid soundstage.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
