Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Dena DeRose: Another World

155

Dena DeRose: Another World

By

Sign in to view read count
Dena DeRose: Another World
The story goes that Dena DeRose took up singing when a hand injury kept her from playing the piano for two years. Today she probably looks on that injury as a blessing, since she has developed into one of the hottest young singer-pianists in jazz.

Like the best jazz singers, from Anita O'Day to Betty Carter to Cassandra Wilson, DeRose is not just a voice on top of a band — she's a fully integrated member of the ensemble; a musician whose instrument, or in DeRose's case, one of her instruments, is her voice. More a stylist than a big-voiced belter, she sings with a musician's appreciation for nuance and timing. She exhibits the same skills as a pianist, using the piano to augment and expand her vocals, and to lend support to her first-rate band.

DeRose puts her personal imprint on every song she sings, even the well-worn chestnuts covered here. She's equally adept at ballads (like the haunting solo version, just piano and voice, of "You've Changed") and high-speed swingers (like the closing cut, "A Beautiful Friendship"). The arrangments leave plenty of room for expressive soloing from saxophonist Steve Wilson, trombonist Steve Davis, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, as well as DeRose herself.

Though the obvious comparison is to Diana Krall, Another World proves that Dena DeRose is really in a class of her own.

Personnel

Dena DeRose
vocals

Album information

Title: Another World | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Sharp Nine Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.