Winning women ways…
Relaxed and smooth, vocalist Chloe Jean gives soft and soulful readings with a mix and match team of David Mathews/key, Ray Obiedo/key-g, Jason Lewis/dr, Dan Feiszli/b, Peter Horvath/key and other cameos. She’s cozy on a tender duet with Mathews on “Blue Skies” and dreamy on “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. Obeido gives some George Benson lines on the title track, and there’s a pop feel to other tunes like the romantic “Where Love 
Begins” and “Black Sheep”, while she shows how to work a room on a concert read of “Crazy” complete with scat and rapport. Wholesome and then some.
Bold and bluesy, Lady Adrena gives autobiographical tunes with a punch on this six song ep filled with energy. She’s churchified with a humming hit hat support on ”Blues Chose Me” and gives a smoky grit to the title track. The saxes are soulful on the shuffling “No Ring No Thang” and she jabs like George Foreman on “Good Girl Gone Bad”. Foot stomping!
Veronika Harcsa is the ethereal vocalist under the guise of trumpet Kornel Jekete-Kovacs along with Vit Kristn/p, Robert Blzar/b Kamil Slezak/dr and guest singer Dan Barta. The music veers between soft ambient sounds between horn and voice as on “The Guest House” while Harcsa hovers over the trudge of “Secret Passage”. Things are poetic around the eerie piano by Kristan on “The Judgement” with Balza featured on the shadowy “The Night”, with things most assertive on the upbeat “Community of the Spirit”. Greys in bold strokes.
Usually noted for his warm tenor playing in small group settings, Harry Allengoes big band in support of vocalist Lucy Yeghiazaryan on this classy collection of originals made for a different era. The reeds are rich supporting Yeghiazaryan’s girl next door voice on “Be The One” and the combo has swagger on “The Maestro”. A couple tunes by Mark Winkler display casual cool with “On My Way” and “With Roses” easy on the ears and rich on the ideas. Allen gets a spotlight on “Diamonds” and “That’s When The Fun Starts”, but the album has the feel of one of those hip nightclubs in a 50s film noir scene. Where’s Gloria Graham?