THE ROYAL BOPSTERS - Party Of Four
Motema MTM0372
Amy London, Holli Ross; Pete McGuiness, Dylan Pramuk (v) Steve Schmidt (p); Cameron Brown (b); Steve Williams (d); Steven Kroon (pc)
Recorded New Jersey June 2017 to June 2019
It is called Party Of Four but really this release is a party of eight. The Royal Bopsters are a vocal group of soprano, alto, tenor and bass and they are accompanied gracefully here by the trio of Schmidt, Brown, Williams and Kroon on piano, bass, drums and percussion, respectively. The Bopsters have been enjoying great success in the past few years with their previous, acclaimed CD and at the Newport Jazz Festival. All accolades are richly deserved if this record is anything to go by. The four voices combine smoothly to produce some startlingly rich and fluid jazz singing. They kick off with But Not For Me, all four blending together in close harmony supported by tasteful rhythm backing from the instrumental quartet. Soprano Amy London gets to sing the solo part on Tadd Dameron’s evergreen On A Misty Night with the other three supplying warm harmonies around her. Bass voice Dylan Pramuk steps forward next to sing the solo parts on How I Love You and he receives the same joyous backing from his colleagues and the rhythm section. Lucky To Be Me is a special treat with solo voice from Sheila Jordan, one of three special guests. Sheila is still bopping and scatting merrily at the age of 91 and here excels with some straight singing along with some improvised lines and scatting like a good one. Cuando Te Vea has a sprightly solo by alto voice Holli Ross.
Day- Dream by Billy Strayhorn is well handled by the four vocalists and Baby You Should Know It has veteran composer and vocalist Bob Dorough singing the solo part. Pramuk returns as soloist on Rusty Dusty Blues, a solid twelve bar by Jon Hendricks, another jazz vocal magician. The recital ends with Wayne Shorter’s tasty ballad Infant Eyes and, lastly My Shining Hour. If you like vocal jazz by some of the best voices to be heard today, this one is for you. Come to think of it anybody that likes good jazz should enjoy this session.
On a sad note alto Holli Ross died soon after the masters for this CD were completed and Bob Dorough also left us in 2018. This CD is a fine memorial to them both.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
Motema MTM0372
Amy London, Holli Ross; Pete McGuiness, Dylan Pramuk (v) Steve Schmidt (p); Cameron Brown (b); Steve Williams (d); Steven Kroon (pc)
Recorded New Jersey June 2017 to June 2019
It is called Party Of Four but really this release is a party of eight. The Royal Bopsters are a vocal group of soprano, alto, tenor and bass and they are accompanied gracefully here by the trio of Schmidt, Brown, Williams and Kroon on piano, bass, drums and percussion, respectively. The Bopsters have been enjoying great success in the past few years with their previous, acclaimed CD and at the Newport Jazz Festival. All accolades are richly deserved if this record is anything to go by. The four voices combine smoothly to produce some startlingly rich and fluid jazz singing. They kick off with But Not For Me, all four blending together in close harmony supported by tasteful rhythm backing from the instrumental quartet. Soprano Amy London gets to sing the solo part on Tadd Dameron’s evergreen On A Misty Night with the other three supplying warm harmonies around her. Bass voice Dylan Pramuk steps forward next to sing the solo parts on How I Love You and he receives the same joyous backing from his colleagues and the rhythm section. Lucky To Be Me is a special treat with solo voice from Sheila Jordan, one of three special guests. Sheila is still bopping and scatting merrily at the age of 91 and here excels with some straight singing along with some improvised lines and scatting like a good one. Cuando Te Vea has a sprightly solo by alto voice Holli Ross.
Day- Dream by Billy Strayhorn is well handled by the four vocalists and Baby You Should Know It has veteran composer and vocalist Bob Dorough singing the solo part. Pramuk returns as soloist on Rusty Dusty Blues, a solid twelve bar by Jon Hendricks, another jazz vocal magician. The recital ends with Wayne Shorter’s tasty ballad Infant Eyes and, lastly My Shining Hour. If you like vocal jazz by some of the best voices to be heard today, this one is for you. Come to think of it anybody that likes good jazz should enjoy this session.
On a sad note alto Holli Ross died soon after the masters for this CD were completed and Bob Dorough also left us in 2018. This CD is a fine memorial to them both.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
