Various ways for ladies to present jazz at the microphone…
Sinne Eeg has been noted for delivering albums of intimate, small group affairs. This time, the delicate chanteuse is backed by the Danish Radio Big Band, and she even contributes a handful of her own tunes. Her ability to deliver nuance and innuendo is replaced by a more Broadway approach swinging hard with a hip “We’ve Just Begun” and lively along with bassist Kaspar Vadsholt during “Like A Song”. Some Gil Evansy harmonies by the brass and reeds have Eeg in a muted mood for “Talking To Myself” and the sax section goes into a B movie mood as she gets sassy on “Comes Love”. Some 60s soul funk features a buoyant Eeg closing out the new direction for the bold “It’s A New Day”. Eeg gets polished and shiny.
Lois Bruno, on the other hand, sounds completely road travelled and unrefined, and the better for it. Her tone, timing and vibrato is deeply personal and expressive on a riveting “When Sunny Gets Blue” and pleading along with tenor saxist Kenny Shanker on an eye dropping “Somewhere”. The supporting trio of Mike Eckroth/p, Yoshi Waki/b and Brian Fishler/dr is hand in glove with Bruno emoting like a young Peggy Lee on an in-you-face “Cry Me A River” and bluesy on a coy “Feeling Good”. She wisps through “Always On My Mind” and is husky hip bouncing with Waki on “That Old Black Magic”. Who let her off her chain?!?
Somewhere between the two stands Lizzie Thomas, who has a clear but world-wise voice, slinking and bopping with confidence teamed with John Colianni/p, Jay Leonhart-Boots Maleson/b, Russell Malone-Matt Chertkoff/g, Benard Linette/dr, Doug Hendrichs/perc, Omar Daniels ts-fl and Felix Peikli/cl. She struts with boldness with Peikli’s licorice stick, scatting the intro to “Close Your Eyes” and getting vaudevillian on “Fascinating Rhythm”. Sauntering with Hendrichs on a luscious “The Very Thought Of You, she double times and rushes like she’s late for a taxi on “One Note Samba” without dropping a stitch, and wisps into your ear alongside Daniels’ tenor sax for a delightful “In The Still Of the Night’. Malone honky tonks with her on “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” and the two sparkle on “Our Love Is Here To Stay”. Moxie music.
www.lizziethomas.net