Pianist George Kahn is one of the few guys around who makes jazz both swinging and musical enough for the cognicenti and yet entertaining enough for their dates. The Angeleno does this balancing act by bringing together some of the best locals around, such as Lyman Medeiros/b, MB Gordy/dr, Eric Marienthal/as-ss, Chuck Manning/ts, Pat Kelly/g and Dr. Bobby Rodriguez/tp and having them deliver accessibly driving tunes such as “Afro Blue” and “Cantaloupe Island” in a way that would satisfy either the hipster or Valley Girl.
He does it by incorporating the terrific trio of vocalists Gina Saputo, Crystal Starr and Courtney Lemmon to deliver the lyrics in both lead and backup form in a ways that can veer from cutsie putsy as on the Andrew Sisters-inspired “Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar” the a stomping STAX R&Bish “I’d Rather Go Blind.” The ladies deliver a funky take of the Crescent City classic “Yes We Can Can” while going even deeper down Bourbon Street with Rodriguez’s horn on a growling “Summertime.” Some swampy tenor sax make and grizzled guitar make for hard hitting readings of “Rock Me Baby” and “God Bless The Child” respectively while the choice of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” has the husky toned harem delivering the lyrics with street corner savvy. Each lady has her own delivery and style, from the gal next door Betty’d Lemmon on “Yes We Can Can” to the world wise Veronica’d “Saputo on “Shoo Shoo Boy.” This team should make every vocal group in NYC quiver with fear if they ever decided to leave the land of In N Out Burgers for the land of Lombardi’s. Unique, yet universal.
Playing Records