SUZANNA ROSS - Is Bewitched (Not Bewildered, Not Bewildered)
suzzanaross.com
Suzanna Ross (v); Gregory Toroian (p); Skip Ward (b); David Silliman (d)
Recorded NYC Summer 2019.
With a fresh, chirpy voice and clear sound, Suzanna Ross glides through fifteen compositions that she claims are some of her favourite songs. It is quite a variety of programming too with jazz, French chansons, movie songs, retro 60s and more. Included in this cosmopolitan mix are two standards, My Favourite Things and Laura. The nineteen forties movie theme Laura is a standout track with Ms Ross singing it slowly, in melancholy, almost ghostly mood, conjuring up the film atmosphere perfectly. Bewitched, as the album title states, is not the classic bothered and bewildered variety but the theme from the 1960s sit com Bewitched, where Elizabeth Montgomery entertained audiences on television as a witch that could cast spells with a twitch of her nose. Here it is sung in smooth jazz mode with strong support from the rhythm section and with a particularly good piano spot by Mr. Toroian.
Suzanna has a deceptively simple approach to jazz singing, giving straight readings mainly but employing a method of putting the lyrics across in a story telling fashion. That ability works very well on Laura particularly but is also effective on Over The Rainbow and Favourite Things. Parlez-moi de lui is sung softly in French and bassist Ward puts down his acoustic instrument on this one to accompany and solo on bass guitar. Suzanna says that these are the songs she has been singing in her club appearances in New York and her delivery and the smooth flow of the rhythm section on all selections suggests that she knows them well. There is a kind of smooth flowing magic about all these pieces, helped on enormously by the lightly swinging flow of the rhythm section and the solo prowess of pianist Toroian. She sings in both English and French on Over The Rainbow but never deviates from a story telling manner. This is a straight ahead, unpretentious set of vocals with rhythm and very enjoyable to listen to.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
suzzanaross.com
Suzanna Ross (v); Gregory Toroian (p); Skip Ward (b); David Silliman (d)
Recorded NYC Summer 2019.
With a fresh, chirpy voice and clear sound, Suzanna Ross glides through fifteen compositions that she claims are some of her favourite songs. It is quite a variety of programming too with jazz, French chansons, movie songs, retro 60s and more. Included in this cosmopolitan mix are two standards, My Favourite Things and Laura. The nineteen forties movie theme Laura is a standout track with Ms Ross singing it slowly, in melancholy, almost ghostly mood, conjuring up the film atmosphere perfectly. Bewitched, as the album title states, is not the classic bothered and bewildered variety but the theme from the 1960s sit com Bewitched, where Elizabeth Montgomery entertained audiences on television as a witch that could cast spells with a twitch of her nose. Here it is sung in smooth jazz mode with strong support from the rhythm section and with a particularly good piano spot by Mr. Toroian.
Suzanna has a deceptively simple approach to jazz singing, giving straight readings mainly but employing a method of putting the lyrics across in a story telling fashion. That ability works very well on Laura particularly but is also effective on Over The Rainbow and Favourite Things. Parlez-moi de lui is sung softly in French and bassist Ward puts down his acoustic instrument on this one to accompany and solo on bass guitar. Suzanna says that these are the songs she has been singing in her club appearances in New York and her delivery and the smooth flow of the rhythm section on all selections suggests that she knows them well. There is a kind of smooth flowing magic about all these pieces, helped on enormously by the lightly swinging flow of the rhythm section and the solo prowess of pianist Toroian. She sings in both English and French on Over The Rainbow but never deviates from a story telling manner. This is a straight ahead, unpretentious set of vocals with rhythm and very enjoyable to listen to.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
