Marlene Ver Planck: Ballads…Mostly

Vocalist Marlene Ver  Planck searches through the Songbooks of Cy Coleman and Harry Coleman on this outing with impressive results. With her two trios of Tedd Firth-Mike Renzi/p, Jayu Leonhart-Boots Maleson/b and Ron Vincent/dr, she delivers clever and updated versions of better known material like “I Only Have Eyes For You” and “Baby Dream Your Dream” while with the glowing tenor of Houston Person she caresses “Witchcraft” with a magic wand. Claudio Roditi contributes his warm trumpet to “I Wish I Knew” and the lovely “Love Dance” by Ivan Linz. A few obscurities pop in, and they are quite welcome, such as Coleman’s “It Amazes Me” and “I Walk A Little Faster,” but that’s the purpose of an outing like this. Ver Planck’s deliver is timed like a 9^th inning closer, changing the speed and direction like a bullpen queen. Nice outing!

GHB Jazz Foundation

www.marleneverplanck.com