Lyn Stanley: The Moonight Sessions Project, Volume One & Two CD set

Lyn Stanley has wisely repackaged her Moonlight Sessions albums into a solid 2 cd set. Remastered by Bernie Grundman, the collection is a clever high water mark for modern voice.

Volume 1 has wistful vocalist Laura Campisi leading an intuitive team of Ameen Saleem/b, Gianluca Renzi/eb, Greg Hutchinson/-Flavio Li Vigni/dr and various guests through a wide ranging mix of originals, pop tunes and standards. All the while, Campisi and company keep the music abstract and loose, delivering soft pastels on “Chorus Angelorum” and “Ironman” while delivering an edgy read of “Nardis” and a free range vocal on “The More You Know.” Abstract and impressionistic sounds on “I Loves You Porgy” and a spoken intro to a hip-hoppy “Love For Sale” will keep you on your toes, making this album feel like a bohemian night in a beat coffee shop past the midnight hour.

For Volume 2, Stanley came up with   the idea of mixing standards with classical themes, such as “Moonlight Sonata,” “Clare De Lune” and other pieces by the likes of Mozart, Ravel and Chopin.What could have turned into a chintzy gimmick works out as a clever meeting of civilizations, bringing together some of LA’s finest in Mike Garson-Tamir Hendelman/p, Chuck Berghofer/dr, Jo La Barbera-Ray Brinker/dr, John Chiodini/g, Luis Conte/perc, Hendrik Meurkens/harm and others for a sublimely swinging session.
Check out this under-appreciated voice.
www.lynstanley.com

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