René Marie - How Can I Keep From Singing? (2000)

"How Can I Keep From Singing?" asks the title of Rene Marie's new album. But after a childhood of performing in Warrenton and Roanoke, Va., she didn't sing in public during 20 years of marriage and child-raising. It was only in 1994, at age 38, that she took the stage again, first under her married name of Rene Croan in Roanoke and more recently as Rene Marie in Richmond. The long years of practicing at home, far from the conformist pressures of the music industry, allowed her to develop a distinctive style of her own. As her new album demonstrates, that style features eclectic song choices (three originals, a country oldie, a new-age ballad, a Nina Simone protest song and a folk spiritual as well as familiar standards associated with Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday), a crisp focus on the lyrics, the flexibility to handle rhythms other than swing and a down-to-earth delivery that turns every song into a kitchen-table conversation. She is backed by an all-star band that features pianist Mulgrew Miller, saxophonist Sam Newsome and two members of Cassandra Wilson's band (guitarist Marvin Sewell and percussionist Jeffrey Haynes). Marie's voice is a key part of that band on tunes such as Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," where she pushes along the Cuban rhythm and extends the harmonies with her scatting. Even better are the ballads, like the original "Hurry Sundown," where she sounds disarmingly casual without sacrificing a bit of musicality. ~ by Geoffrey Himes, washingtonpost.com. 

MAXJAZZ, MXJ 109, 2000
Recorded 13th-14th January, 2000 at Sound On Sound, New York 

Musicians:
René Marie - Vocals, Arranger
Sam Newsome - Soprano Saxophone (#7,12)
Mulgrew Miller - Piano (#1,2,5-11) Fender Rhodes (#3,4)
Marvin Sewell - Guitar (#2-4,11,12)
Ugonna Okegwo - Bass
Gerald Cleaver - Drums (#1-11)
Jeff Haynes - Percussion (#3,7,11,12) 

Tracks:
01. What A Difference A Day Makes {Stanley Adams, María Mendez Grever} (3:42)
02. Tennessee Waltz {Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart} (6:44)
03. Motherless Child {Traditional} (1:29)
04. Four Women {Nina Simone} (6:10)
05. The Very Thought Of You {Ray Noble} (5:00)
06. I Like You {René Marie} (4:04)
07. Afro Blue {Oscar Brown, Jr., Mongo Santamaría} (6:45)
08. A Sleepin' Bee {Harold Arlen, Truman Capote} (6:22)
09. Hurry Sundown {René Marie} (6:03)
10. God Bless The Child {Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog, Jr.} (5:07)
11. Take My Breath Away {Bab Hallahan, René Marie} (5:24)
12. How Can I Keep From Singing? {Enya, Nicky Ryan} (5:42) 

Total Time: 62:32 

Credits:
Producer, Arranger - Bruce Barth
Engineer - David Baker
Assistant Engineer - Zach Wind
Mastering - Katsuhiko Naito
Photography - Jimmy Katz
Liner Notes - Mary Ellen Sullivan 

How Can I Keep From Singing?

Carla Cook - Simply Natural (2002)

"Simply Natural." The song's title describes what Carla Cook is all about and what makes her such a thrilling vocalist. She's genuine. Both her scat singing and her lyric interpretations result in a relaxed atmosphere where everyone can sit back and enjoy being a part of it. Accompanists Bruce Barth and Cyrus Chestnut are in fine form. The program's song selection offers a wide variety that allows Cook's natural beauty to shine through. She's crossed generations by combining classics such as "Tulip or Turnip" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" with "Scarborough Fair," "Watermelon Man" and Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Strong Man." The combination of scat singing with soulful lyric interpretations makes Cook's natural delivery take control. I find this album atop my ten-best list for the year. Must a jazz singer scat? I think so. It's like asking, "Should a jazz singer use E-flat, E, F, F-sharp and G?" Carla Cook sings accurately, with a natural swing, and creatively. What places her session above most others, is the natural manner she brings to the performance. This is straight-ahead jazz that everyone can turn to when they need to hear a friendly smile. ~ by Jim Santella, AAJ. 

MAXJAZZ, MXJ 115, 2002
Recorded 20th & 21st June, 2002 at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Carla Cook - Vocals
Cyrus Chestnut - Piano (#1,3,6,7,9,11), Fender Rhodes (#2,4,9,10)
Bruce Barth - Piano (#2,5,8)
Kenny Davis - Acoustic Bass (#1-3,5-9,11), Electric Bass (#4,10)
Billy Kilson - Drums
Steve Kroon - Percussion (#1,4,7) 

Tracks:
01. Simply Natural {Carla Cook} (4:53)
02. Tulip Or Turnip {Duke Ellington, Don George} (4:55)
03. Weak For The Man {Jeanne Burns} (7:02)
04. Watermelon Man {Herbie Hancock, Gloria Lynne} (6:27)
05. Strong Man {Oscar Brown Jr.} (4:37)
06. Something 'Bout Believing {Duke Ellington} (5:25)
07. Scarborough Fair {Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel} (5:20)
08. Are You With Me {Herb Levin, Des Robinson} (3:55)
09. Summer [Estaté] {Bruno Brighetti, Bruno Martino, Joel E. Siegel} (5:15)
10. Still Gotta Thing For You {Carla Cook} (6:00)
11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love {Dorothy fields, Jimmy McHugh} (4:57) 

Total Time: 58:50 

Credits
Producer - Bruce Barth, Carla Cook
Recording & Mastering Engineer - Katsuhiko Naito
Engineer [Assistant] - Max Ross
Design & Art Direction - Pressley Jacobs
Photography - Jimmy & Dena Katz
Liner Notes - Mary Ellen Sullivan

René Marie - Vertigo (2001)

Rene Marie's second CD for MaxJazz is, for the most part, a very enjoyable CD. This extremely gifted singer has a very appealing voice and is a talented arranger as well. Her playful arrangement of "Them There Eyes," with bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, is very refreshing, with some fine scat singing, too. Her unusually deliberate and rather sexy take of "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" adds pianist Mulgrew Miller and also has some fine scat singing, too. Her Latin chart for "I Only Have Eyes for You" proves catchy, with some tasty guitar playing from John Hart. "It's All Right With Me" is slowed to a snail's pace with Chris Potter's noodling bass clarinet and Hurst's brooding bass backing her powerful vocal. "Vertigo," another Marie original, is easily the most exciting piece on the session. The only occasion when she follows anything resembling an expected path is her lush treatment of the ballad "Detour Ahead" in a memorable duet with Miller. There are some weak spots. The original "Don't Look at Me Like That" is monotonous filler; while the Beatles' "Blackbird" is drastically rewritten with a tedious vamp that gives the song a somewhat ominous sound, but it grows tiresome quickly. The medley of "Dixie" (a song reviled by most African-Americans) and "Strange Fruit" (with its dramatic description of lynching) invites controversy. She sings "Dixie" a cappella with a possible touch of sarcasm, then the band is added for the shift into the piece that was first put on the map by Billie Holiday, introduced with almost a funeral march-like cadence. Somehow Rene Marie's lovely voice seems inappropriate for this song, as she doesn't reflect the anguish of its lyrics very consistently. Even with these reservations, this is a highly recommended CD. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

MaxJazz, MXJ 411, 2001
Recorded 22nd & 23rd February, 2001 at Avatar Studios, New York 

Musicians:
René Marie - Vocals, Arranger
Jeremy Pelt - Trumpet (#4,10)
Chris Potter - Bass Clarinet (#6), Tenor Saxophone (#7,9)
Mulgrew Miller - Piano (#2,3,7-10)
John Hart - Guitar (#4,5)
Robert Hurst - Bass (#1-7,9-11)
Jeff "Tain" Watts - Drums (#1-4,7,9-11)
Jeffrey Haynes - Percussion (#4,5,7,11) 

Tracks:
01. Them There Eyes {Doris Tauber, Maceo Pinkard, William Tracey} (5:18)
02. Surrey With The Fringe On Top {Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers} (6:25)
03. I'd Rather Talk About You {René Marie} (4:54)
04. Don't Look At Me Like That {René Marie} (5:15)
05. I Only Have Eyes for You {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (6:38)
06. It's All Right With Me {Cole Porter} (4:01)
07. Vertigo {René Marie} (7:57)
08. Detour Ahead {Herb Ellis, John Frigo, Lou Carter} (5:32)
09. Moonray {Arthur Quenzer, Artie Shaw, Nat Madison} (7:34)
10. Dixie/Strange Fruit (7:00)
11. Blackbird {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (6:22) 

Total Time: 66:56 

Credits:
Producer - Bruce Barth, Arranger
Executive Producer - MAXJAZZ
Engineer, Mixing & Mastering - Katsuhiko Naito
Mastering - Katsuhiko Naito
Photography - Jimmy & Dena Katz
Liner Notes - Mary Ellen Sullivan

Dena DeRose - A Walk In The Park (2005)

Equally talented as a pianist and singer, Dena DeRose performs a wide range of material on A Walk in the Park. Possibly the biggest surprise is the obscure and touching Al Jolson ballad "All My Love." Other highlights include a swinging "How Deep Is the Ocean," her revival of Duke Ellington's obscure "The Lonely Ones," and a fine rendition of "I Concentrate On You." A couple burners would have added variety to this generally satisfying effort, which finds Dena DeRose in subtle but expressive form while accompanied by tasteful playing from bassist Martin Wind and drummer Matt Wilson. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

MAXJAZZ, MXJ 502, 2005
Recorded 25th-26th September, 2004 At Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Dena DeRose - Piano, Moog (#11), Vocals
Martin Wind - Bass (#1-9,10,11)
Matt Wilson - Drums (#1-9,10,11) 

Tracks:
01. Meditation {Norman Gimbel, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça} (5:03)
02. All My Love {Al Jolson} (5:55)
03. How Deep Is The Ocean? {Irving Berlin} (5:45)
04. Home [With You] {Dena DeRose} (4:42)
05. All The Way {James Van Heusen, Sammy Kahn} (5:36)
06. The Lonely Ones {Duke Ellington} (6:08)
07. In The Glow Of The Moon {Dena DeRose, Meredith D'Ambrosio} (6:08)
08. Imagine {John Lennon} (6:22)
09. A Walk In The Park [With James] {Dena DeRose} (6:46)
10. I Could've Told You {James Van Heusen, Carl Sigman} (2:33)
11. I Concentrate On You {Cole Porter} (5:08) 

Total Time: 60:06 

Credits:
Producer, Audio Production - Dena DeRose
Associate Producer - Dianna Alden Lang
Art Direction, Design - Pressley Jacobs
Photography - Dena Katz