Here are three varied releases by equally varied vocalists.
Stevie Holland brings a rich and mature sounding vocal on this collection of vintage and modern tunes. The team of Randy Ingram/p, Peter Brendler/b, Jeff Davis/dr and Nicholas Payton/tp creates formidable front, and Holland is up to the challenge as she changes gear and directions three times without knocking over a single hurdle on the tricky yet swinging read of “Skylark” while she bops with Brendler on a clever and coy “Tea For Two.” She delivers material in a semi-Broadway fashion, as if she were advancing a story during “April Snow” and “Life Goes On” and she teams up well with Payton’s horn on the assured cabaret sounding “Not While I’m Around.” A pair of tunes include a string quartet which gives a mature pop feel on “Out of This World” and “99 Miles From L.A.” Strong and sophisticated lady.
Deborah Latz makes the most of a Spartan environment with Alain Jean-Marie/p and Gilles Naturel/b as she does material that ranges from Miles to the Wizard of Oz. She’s intimate and probing on “Love Theme From Sparticus” and gets deeply introspective on “Throw It Away.” Late night hues make for a vulnerable “weep No More” while she shows street smarts on her rapport during “Blue Monk.” Naturel delivers a brooding bowed bass on “Nature Boy” and bops with delight as Latz skips like a stone on “Mr. PC.” The read of “Over The Rainbow” has Latz the optimism of plains state Kansas, and she leans up and breathes frost on the window with Jean-Marie on the delicate “All The Things You Are.” Artistic and clever.
Halie Loren uses her sly and wispy voice to great advantage here with a mix and match team of Daniel Gallo/g, Mark Schneider/b, Brian West/dr and a collection of reeds, horns and strings. She makes bohemia swing easy on tuens like “Yellow Bird” and goes French on the Left Bank cabaret on “I Wish You Love” and creating the same mood in English on “Danger In Loving You.” Percussion undulates sensuously as she whispers in your ear while doing a rhumba cheek to cheek on a steamy read of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” shows she can sway to the bop beat with bari s ax and bass on a suave “Our Love Is Here To Stay.” Slinky horns create a hesitant gait as Loren holds back the beat in an addictive way on a rich read of “Stormy Weather” and she can sound completely conversational as she changes dynamics and range on a wondrous read of “Butterfly.” Swing for those in the know.