Just when you think you’ve heard all the singers from the 50s and 60s…
Born in Holland, Rita Reys was dubbed “Europe’s First Lady of Jazz.” She had a voice that was a cross of Chris Connor’s vo-cool and Ertha Kitt’s sass, and actually had an impressive career, but never really caught on in the States, which is to our detriment if you take a listen to these two sets.
The two disc set has her in a variety of settings from 1953-56. With bari saxist Lars Gullin, she sizzles on “Deed I Do” and “Lullaby in Rhythm.” A collection of quintets and sextets of Scandinavian musicians has her sounding vibrant on “It’s All Right with Me” and strong on “I Should Care,” while the band sounds hip on the obscure Jack Monterose “A Dandy Line.” The ringer, though, is her teaming up in May of 1956 with no less than Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers of Donald Byrd/tp, Hank Mobley/ts, Horace Silver/p and Doug Watkins/b for ultra hip reads of “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” and a month later with replacements Wilbur Ware/b and Kenny Drew/p lilting on “My One and Only Love.” Whew!
The single disc finds her in concert during 1961 with the famous drummer Kenny Clarke sitting in with her regular trio of Pim Jacobs/p, Wim Overgaauw/g and Ruud Jacobs. She’s in a swinging mood and handles “Cherokee” like it was a penny candy, while her read of “I Remember Clifford” is colored with wonderful hues. A gig in France without Clarke has her snapping a la the Nat King Cole trio to “Thou Swell” and delivering a saucy “Willow Weep For Me.” The trio bounces like Basie on a studio session from 1960, as she bounces to “Broadway” and gets steamy on “Too Close for Comfort.” If you want to hear a fresh sound from the Ike-Kennedy years, here’s the spot. Who let this lady off her leash?!?!?
Fresh Sound Records