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Claire Daly: VuVu for Frances
ByIn deference to Ballantyne, Daly and Garzone have chosen half a dozen standards from the Great American Songbook, interlacing them amidst jazz themes by Charles Lloyd, Miles Davis and Steve Kuhn and affixing a trio of touchstones by Duke Ellington ("Mood Indigo" and a medley of "Warm Valley" and "What Am I Here For?"). Besides playing superb baritone, Daly sings (quite well, actually) on Kuhn's "Hold Out Your Hand" and has the spotlight to herself on Ray Noble's radiant ballad, "The Very Thought of You," as does pianist Jon Davisfor the first two minutes, that ison the even-flowing finale, Rodgers and Hart's "Manhattan."
Daly and Garzone raise the curtain with the Frank Sinatra staple, Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen's "All the Way," before harnessing Lloyd's prancing original, "Sweet Georgia Bright" (a.k.a. "Brown"). Johnny Mercer's plaintive "Fools Rush In" is next, followed by a spirited reading of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "People Will Say We're in Love" from Oklahoma! Daly and Garzone engage in some unseemly screeching and howling on a second Rodgers and Hammerstein theme, "The Lonely Goatherd" (from The Sound of Music). Purists may wish to skip that number and move forward to Ellington's "Mood Indigo."
The Ellington triad precedes "Hold Out Your Hand," Davis' lively and alluring "Half Nelson" and Earle Hagen's soulful "Harlem Nocturne." Another of Kuhn's delightful themes, "The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers," is sandwiched between "The Very Thought of You" and "Manhattan." Although it is hard to outmaneuver Daly or Garzone when it comes to resourceful adlibbing, Davis delivers a number of commendable solos, as do bassist Dave Hofstra and drummer David F. Gibson, who also keep the rhythm sharp and vigorous.
While the definition of VuVu remains nebulous, what is entirely clear is that Daly and Garzone comprise an admirable team who should do this more often. Their VuVu for Frances is an album that should enliven and please almost any earnest partisan of contemporary jazz.
Track Listing
All the Way; Sweet Georgia Bright; Fools Rush In; People Will Say We’re in Love; The Lonely Goatherd; Mood Indigo; Warm Valley/What Am I Here For?; Hold Out Your Hand; Half Nelson; Harlem Nocturne; The Very Thought of You; The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers; Manhattan.
Personnel
Claire Daly
saxophone, baritoneGeorge Garzone
saxophone, tenorJon Davis
pianoDave Hofstra
bassDavid F. Gibson
drumsAdditional Instrumentation
Daly: vocals (8); Davis: keyboards (12).
Album information
Title: VuVu for Frances | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Daly Bread
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About Claire Daly
Instrument: Saxophone, baritone
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