LINDA LAVIN - Love Notes
CLUB 44 CL44-3103
Linda Lavin (v); Billy Stritch (p); Aaron Weinstein (vln, mandolin); Tom Hubbard (b); Jeff Barone (elg); Dniel Glass (d); Joel Key (bjo)
Recorded NYC 2020.
This is a lively, mainly upbeat, up-tempo performance of 12 standards or at the very least, well known popular songs. Ms Lavin is a consummate actress and vocalist who has starred in Broadway shows and certainly knows how to put material across effectively. Her theatrical approach and delivery, along with an unusual line up of backing instruments makes for an original collection of vocal music. Her voice is part ‘girlie’ and part ‘theatre’ so the end result is that she sounds very distinctive on every selection. With what seems like a smile or even sometimes, a laugh in her voice there are no sombre moments here. Just Squeeze Me, the Duke Ellington piece is the only song she takes at ballad tempo but it feels right with this treatment. Not A Chance In The World segues into Shall We Dance halfway through and later she combines It Don’t Mean A Thing with I Got Rhythm.
Aaron Weinstein shared arranging duties with pianist Billy Stritch and he contributes some swinging violin in the Grappeli manner on some songs and mandolin on others. The unusual inclusion of a banjo in this type of music adds to the novelty aspect and one selection even has a banjo introduction. Not a lot of that about is there? Ace In The Hole benefits from a male singer sharing vocal duties but he is not listed. Most likely the pianist or one of the other musicians on the date. Linda gives a warm, lyrical reading to You Must Believe In Spring, arguably her prime performance here. Overall, though, it is lively, it swings and everybody involved appears to have thoroughly enjoyed recording it.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
CLUB 44 CL44-3103
Linda Lavin (v); Billy Stritch (p); Aaron Weinstein (vln, mandolin); Tom Hubbard (b); Jeff Barone (elg); Dniel Glass (d); Joel Key (bjo)
Recorded NYC 2020.
This is a lively, mainly upbeat, up-tempo performance of 12 standards or at the very least, well known popular songs. Ms Lavin is a consummate actress and vocalist who has starred in Broadway shows and certainly knows how to put material across effectively. Her theatrical approach and delivery, along with an unusual line up of backing instruments makes for an original collection of vocal music. Her voice is part ‘girlie’ and part ‘theatre’ so the end result is that she sounds very distinctive on every selection. With what seems like a smile or even sometimes, a laugh in her voice there are no sombre moments here. Just Squeeze Me, the Duke Ellington piece is the only song she takes at ballad tempo but it feels right with this treatment. Not A Chance In The World segues into Shall We Dance halfway through and later she combines It Don’t Mean A Thing with I Got Rhythm.
Aaron Weinstein shared arranging duties with pianist Billy Stritch and he contributes some swinging violin in the Grappeli manner on some songs and mandolin on others. The unusual inclusion of a banjo in this type of music adds to the novelty aspect and one selection even has a banjo introduction. Not a lot of that about is there? Ace In The Hole benefits from a male singer sharing vocal duties but he is not listed. Most likely the pianist or one of the other musicians on the date. Linda gives a warm, lyrical reading to You Must Believe In Spring, arguably her prime performance here. Overall, though, it is lively, it swings and everybody involved appears to have thoroughly enjoyed recording it.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
