Joey DeFrancesco the jazz organist meets Joey DeFrancesco the Sinatra-style crooner on this, his first vocal outing. The album is rich in contrasts: eight of the 13 cuts feature a big band, with the likes of bassist Ray Brown, tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, and more; the rest are trio pieces featuring the leader, Paul Bollenback, on guitar and Byron Landham on drums. Vocally, DeFrancesco pours it on with beaucoup reverb (producer John Burk and engineer Bernie Kirsh could have backed off a bit), handling swingers like "Mack the Knife" and ballads like "They Say It's Wonderful" with equal poise and conviction. His organ is present on many of the vocal tracks, but it moves to the fore on the three instrumental originals: "Mr. Dennis Houlihan," a fast rhythm changes tune; "Did You Hear Him Holler," a tongue-in-cheek Cajun groove; and "The Sidewalk Is Wild," a sly big band shuffle that features the leader briefly on trumpet. DeFrancesco also gives his voice a rest on the swing classic "One Mint Julep," the penultimate "Danny Boy," done as a powerful trio ballad, and the closing standard, "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." DeFrancesco's vocal affect is quite similar to Sinatra's, especially on songs closely associated with him, like "In the Wee Small Hours," one of the all-around best selections. Some won't be able to get past the hammy aspect of the album, but the fact is that DeFrancesco really can sing, and "if you've got it, flaunt it" is a worthy credo for any performer. You've got to applaud him for taking the plunge. ~ by David R. Adler, AMG.
Concord Records, CCD-4861-2, 2001
Recorded 24th-25th January,
1999 at Capitol Records, Studio B, Hollywood, California
Personnel:
Joey DeFrancesco - Organ
[Hammond B-3], Trumpet, Vocals
Paul "Dukie"
Bollenback - Guitar
Byron "Wookie"
Landham - Drums
Guests:
Mike Howard - Guitar (#7,13)
Paul Leibelshon - Drums (#7)
Dave Cook - Drums (#13)
Frank Capp's Big Band (#1,2,5,6,8-11):
Ray Brown - Bass
Frank Szabo, Wayne J.
Bergeron, Conte Candoli, Carl Saunders - Trumpet
Andy Martin, George Bohanon,
Bob McChesney, Mike Millar - Trombone
Sal Lozano, Don Shelton -
Alto Saxophone
Peter Christlieb, Rickey D.
Woodard - Tenor Saxophone
Jack Nimitz - Baritone
Saxophone
Horace Ott - Arrangements
Strings (#1,3):
Bruce Dukov - Concertmaster
Russ Cantor, Gil Romero,
Rachel Purkin, Horia Moroaica, Debbie Price,
Patricia Johnson, Darius Campo -
Violin
Harry H. Shirinian, Jorge
Moraga - Viola
Vage Ayrikyan, Armen
Ksadjikian - Cello
Frank Capp - Conductor
Tracks:
01. You'd Be So Nice To Come
Home To {Cole Porter} (3:44)
02. Mr. Dennis Houlihan {Joey
DeFrancesco} (3:53)
03. They Say It's Wonderful
{Irving Berlin} (4:36)
04. Did You Hear Him Holler?
{Joey DeFrancesco} (4:41)
05. Mack The Knife {Marc
Blitzstein, Eugene Berthold, Brecht, Kurt Weill} (3:29)
06. One Mint Julep {Rudolph
Toombs} (5:12)
07. In The Wee Small Hours
{Bob Hilliard, David Mann} (5:29)
08. I Thought About You
{Johnny Mercer} (3:38)
09. The Sidewalk Is Wild
{Joey DeFrancesco} (6:03)
10. Let Me Love You Tonight
{Mitchell Parish, Rene Touzet} (3:30)
11. Kansas City {Jerry
Leiber, Mike Stoller} (3:44)
12. Danny Boy {Fred
Weatherly} (6:17)
13. I'm Getting Sentimental
Over You {George Bassman, Ned Washington} (6:28)
Total Time: 60:44
Credits:
Producer - John Burk
Co-Producer - Heather &
Joey DeFrancesco
Executive Producer - Glen
Barros
Recording Engineer - Bernie
Kirsh
Mixing, Assembly &
Mastering - Tim Hunnicutt
Production Manager - Will
Rose
Art Direction - Yalitza
Ferreras
Photography - John Samora
Liner Notes - Joey DeFrancesco
