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January's Index
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DEBBIE ORTA  - Child’s Play

Bass-ic Music, Inc. PR


Email: info@debbieorta.com

Collective personnel:
Camilo Valencia ( alto / tnr / bar ) Ed Main ( sax / flute / alto flute ) Julio Diaz ( fl. Horn ) Robbie Rivero ( fl.horn / tpt ) Claudio Spiewak ( gtr )Mike Orta ( pno / keyboard ) Nicky Orta
( el. Synth. )Jamie Ousley ( acoustic bass ) Carlomagno ( drs / hand perc. ) Othello Molineaux ( steel drum )
Background vocals: Dee Dee Wilde, Donna Allen, Jackson King, Luz Manna Salazar & Debbie Orta
Mad Romance: Lisanne Lyons, Rick Harris, Wendy Pedersen & Greg Diaz ( vocals )
Recorded Miami probably 2013

Debbie Orta was born in New York but raised in Miami where her career progressed through a number of differing stages. She studied flute at Miami Dale College, she then went on to the Univeersity of Miami where she studied music theory and theatre.

Debbie Orta toured as a background singer all over South America, Europe and Central America. In 2007 she formed the Debbie Orta Jazz Group and in 2010 she became a founder member of the Miami Jazz Cooperative a non profit organisation promoting jazz performances and education in South Florida.

This is Debbie Orta’s first album which includes four originals in which Debbie Orta was involved the balance of the tracks are new and old standards but there is a lack of imagination about their choice as all are well worn and over recorded.

The opening track “The way you look tonight” is rather frantic and does nothing to draw out the finer aspects of the song. “Your mine you” is much better and there is a hint of feeling in the performance.

I am not sure the medley of “I’m thru with love” and “Down with love” are two compatible songs as they are widely different in mood and clash rather than meld.

Leon Russell’s “Song for you” works quite well and perhaps the more contemporary songbook is a more suitable area for the singer to concentrate on. Joni Mitchell’s “Both sides now” also turns out well for the same reason.

The notes on the CD give little information apart from the thanks to all concerned including all the family and of course we must not forget the complete lyrics to all the songs. The back of the album states “file under jazz vocal", but I am not sure that‘s an entirely correct description of the contents of the album.

Reviewed by Roy Booth


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ECM celebrates 50 years of music production with the Touchstones series of re-issues