Roberta Gambarini - So In Love (2009)[FLAC] 
Roberta Gambarini - So In Love (2009)[FLAC]
Artist.....: Roberta Gambarini
Album......: So In Love
Released...: Mar 10, 2009
Location...: Torino, Italy
Label......: Emarcy
Language...: English
Genre......: Jazz
Style......: Standards / female singer / swing
Format.....: FLAC
Bitrate....: Lossless
Size.......: 376 Mb
Length.....: 68:36 min
Produced by: Larry Clothier
Executive Producer: Jacques Muyal
Recorded by: Al Schmitt at Capitol Studios LA, California – June 13 & 18, 2008; and October 18, 2008
You Must Believe In Spring & Medley from Cinema Paradiso recorded by Phil Edwards at Al Jardine’s Red Barn Studio, Big Sur, CA – Sept 22nd, 2001
INTRODUCTION:
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Roberta Gambarini built her reputation the old-fashioned way. A true road-warrior, she’s toured/performed with the likes of Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath and Toots Thielman, just to name a few.
The native of Italy, who now calls the United States home, has one GRAMMY nomination under her belt, and has been dubbed by the great pianist Hank Jones as the “best singer to emerge in over 60 years” (WOW)
SO in LOVE is a CD of compassion and passion of Roberta's love of life, her fellow musicians, her audiences, and her love of music! Each of us will have our favorite tracks as my tastes will likely differ from yours; however I believe we will agree that this CD is likely to be one of the best vocal albums of 2008. 2009, and one of the finest vocal CD's of all time.
Tracks listing:
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01. So In Love
02. Day In, Day Out
03. Get Out Of Town
04. Crazy
05. That Old Black Magic
06. Estate
07. Beatles Medley: Golden Slumbers / Here, There And Everywhere
08. I See Your Face Before Me
09. From This Moment On
10. You Must Believe In Spring
11. This Is Always
12. You Ain't Nothing But A J.A.M.F.
13. Medley From "Cinema Paradiso": Main Theme / Song For Elena
14. Over The Rainbow
Link
Line-up:
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Featuring:
James Moody – Tenor Sax
Roy Hargrove – Trumpet & Flugelhorn
And an amazing cast of musicians:
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Tamir Hendelman – Piano
Eric Gunnison – Piano
Gerald Clayton – Piano
Chuck Berghofer – Bass
Neil Swainson – Bass
George Mraz – Bass
Jake Hanna – Drums
Al Foster – Drums
Montez Coleman – Drums
Jeff Hamilton – Drums
Biography:
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In his book The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide, music writer Scott Yanow presents a list of the 30 most important jazz singers. One name most likely to join that group, Yanow believes, is that of Roberta Gambarini. Very quickly, this talented Italian singer has established herself as an artist to be considered seriously in the same manner that Anthony Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, is considered.
Born in Torino, Italy, Gambarini came to the United States in 1998 and that same year competed with Jane Monheit and Tierney Sutton for that year's Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Vocal prize.
But lets step back a little....
Born in Torino, Italy, into a family where jazz was much loved and appreciated, she began listening to this music as a child and started taking clarinet lessons when she was twelve years old. By the time she was 17, she began singing and performing in jazz clubs around Northern Italy and at the age of 18, she decided to move to Milan to pursue a career as a jazz singer.
Soon after her move to Milan, Roberta took third place in a national jazz radio competition on TV, leading to performance opportunities at jazz festivals throughout Italy. She performed on Jazz broadcasts on Italian radio and TV channels and in 1986 began recording both under her own name and as a guest. In 1997, she worked with French Hammond organ player Emmanuel Bex, touring jazz clubs throughout Italy.
In 1998 she moved to the United States with a scholarship from the New England Conservatory in Boston. Two weeks later, Roberta stunned many in the jazz world with a third place finish in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition.
Gambarini is no stranger to recording, having digitally waxed previously well received You Are There and Easy to Love. In these recordings, Gambarini concentrates on standards. It's a dicey proposition considering how the jazz vocal market is clotted with such recordings, many of them good but not exceptional. So what makes Gambarini different? Gambarini's gift is the most illusive: a perfect, or at the very least, a near-perfect vocal instrument that currently has no peer.
So In Love continues Gambarini's survey of the standards with a couple of near surprises. Gambarini's influences are so legion, perhaps the better way to consider her singing is what elements from past singers she chooses to color her performances. "Day In Day Out" recalls Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. "Crazy" suggests Patsy Cline, with a glass of wine, possibly a vintage Sangiovese (joined by Roy Hargrove on flugelhorn). "Estate" finds Gambarini firmly in her element, displaying her perfect instrument from the low to the high ends.
Joined by the likes of Hargrove, James Moody, George Mraz, Al Foster and Jeff Hamilton, Gambarini lives up to her Scott Yanow billing as the next important jazz singer. Gambarini emerges as one recalls what well-conceived and well-executed jazz singing can be.
Review:
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The CD opens and closes with just Tamir Hendelman and Roberta playing and singing the lovely notes of SO in LOVE and OVER THE RAINBOW as pure as the snow white cover of the CD and CD jacket. This is a CD of purity of sound and enunciaton from Tamir's first notes to Roberta's last notes in OVER THE RAINBOW. As Duke and Wayne Shorter have both said that there is no beginning and ending in music, it just keeps moving. You'll find that Roberta's first CD'S in America, EASY TO LOVE, YOU ARE THERE, AND NOW SO in LOVE, tell her life's story, and it will continue! Next month June in Toronto, she's showcasing her virtuosity with just bassist NEIL SWAINSON.
SO in LOVE is as perfect a CD as any I've ever heard; however two tracks were recorded after 9/11 in 2001, and Roberta's voice undoubtedly has matured in 8 years. However George Mraz's bass work on those two tracks, YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SPRING and Medley from Cinema Pardiso is outstanding.
Following So In Love, Jake Hanna and Roberta open DAY IN AND DAY OUT, and Roberta appropriately pays tribute to "Jake Hanna's drums" during the tune. The two do an entire chorus before Tamir and Chuck Berghofer come in. Tamir plays a fine solo at a fairly brisk tempo.
Tamir and Roberta do the verse to GET OUT OF TOWN, and Roberta's longtime buddy JAMES MOODY joins them with gorgeous sound and choice of notes. Once in tempo with Chuck and Jake, Roberta is right in the pocket. Roberta often uses this tune to get her rhythm section in the groove during live performances, and the groove is there on the CD. Moody plays beautifully as usual, but I think he was special on this CD, just like his most recent CD with HANK JONES, "OUR DELIGHT".
CRAZY and HERE,THERE AND EVERYWHERE are likely to expand Roberta's audience base. Roy Hargrove's flugelhorn adds to Roberta's wonderful performance of CRAZY as does Jake's brush work.
THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC, one of Roberta's mainstays in live performance featured a driving ERIC GUNNISON on piano, Neil Swainson, bass and Montez Coleman, drums. Gunnison plays the entire piano from one end to the other; Roberta cooks and wails!
ESTATE featured GERALD CLAYTON who played a beautiful solo on ONLY TRUST YOUR HEART. (Roberta's grammy nominated EASY TO LOVE). ESTATE composed by Italian composers BRUNO MARTINO and BRUNO BRIGHETTI; so Roberta does it in Italian, one of the at least 4 languages in which Roberta performs. Once in tempo, Jake plays the drums with just his hands. Gerald's solo, lyrical as usual with a wonderful choice of notes, a young man who tells a very mature story when he plays.
GOLDEN SLUMBERS/HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE, Roberta is singing to the children of the world. You can bet some young ROBERTA GAMBARINIS out there will hear this and follow in Roberta's footsteps. Slumbers seques into the Beatles tune in waltz tempo. The rhythm section of Tamir, Chuck and Jake groove.
I SEE YOUR FACE BEFORE ME. a Schwartz/Dietz gem "screamed for a tenor saxophone solo" in Roberta's mind, and indeed MOODY DID PRODUCE A MIRACLE!
Roberta, Neal Swainson and Montez Coleman kick off FROM THIS MOMENT ON at a tempo of maybe 240. This is the burner of the CD. Eric comes in on the second chorus, and the four blaze away. Split second modulations, Eric shows off his very clean chops. Roberta's forte scatting at fast tempos; (you never want to follow one of Roberta's solos unless you're a FRANK WESS, MOODY OR ROY HARGROVE.)
I actually identify YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SPRING with great versions by PHIL WOODS AND BILL EVANS. Roberta's is GEORGE MRAZ. This tune was a savior for Roberta as she witnessed first hand the horrors of 9/11 from her midtown apartment. On the 15th when commercial flights resumed, Roberta wisely got the hell out of NYC and retreated to the beauty of BIG SUR to record this piece.
JEFF HAMILTON joins Chuck, Tamir, Moody, and Roy Hargrove to help Roberta produce a gorgeous version of THIS IS ALWAYS. The horns trade phrases beautifully and delicately, and no one steps on or gets in the way of the other, lucious closing harmony.
YOU AIN'T NOTHING BUT A JAMF is Roberta's tribute to friend JOHNNY GRIFFIN and the blues! Roberta wrote the lyrics to Griffin's tune and wails and solos as a great laid back blues singer.
The MEDLEY FROM CINEMA PARADISO tells Roberta's story of someone who has had to leave her country for a better life or for greater opportunities.
Hundreds of people have recorded OVER THE RAINBOW, but Roberta's and Tamir's version is as fresh as any considering this tune is 70 years old this year and won the academy award in 1939.
