A mix of pop, gospel and homespun pleasures are produced by singer/songwriter Jennifer Porter. Along with being supported by the legendary session drummer Bernard Purdie, she’s backed by a mix and match team of Miho Nobuzane/key, George Naha/g, Cindy Cashdollar/ps, Angelo Savino/b and Tom Timko/sax. There’s a gospel flavor to a number of the tracks, with Porter’s girl next door voice working well on “I’ll Be There” and the smooth “When It’s All Been Said And Done”. The team gets swampy with Timko’s sax on “Stop Your Talkin’” and they take a trip to the Crescent City on “You’re So Easy To Be With”. Her messages are filled with encouragement and hope, something needed these days.
Bohemian voiced Karen Marguth splits this 11 song collection with three bands, which include David Aus-John Burr/p, Matt Finders-Pat Olvera-Richard Giddens-Dan Feiszli/b, Mike Taylor/g Brian Hadama-Kelly Zanan Fasman-Nathan Guzman/dr, Erick Jekabson-Gilbert castellanos/tp and Omar Ledezma-George Ramirez/perc. She’s tensile with the nylon strings on the title track, crystalline with a Satie-esque piano working of “Old Friends/Bookends” and a bit of a troubadour on “Twistable Turnable Man”. Mike Taylor’s guitar chirps on the graceful “Hearts and Bones” while an intimate meeting with Aus results in a delicate read of “Days of Wine and Roses”. Personal permutations.
Under the direction of pianist Oscar Rossignoli, vocalist and composer Carmela Rappazzo continues to create a strong songbook of her own, also supported by bassist Martin Masakowski and drummer Doug Belote. There are a couple of covers, including an impressionistically rich read of BillY Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” and a tango-like dramatic take of Cole Porter’s “So In Love” and a clear and conversational “Skylark”. She produces on her own a cleverly Monkish “Keep Your Distance” a soulfully pulsed “Heartbeat” guided by Masakowski and a effluently poetic “Cicadas”. Her voice and delivery is quite personal, making you feel like you’re having a musical dialogue with her. It’s an easy listen.