Rachelle Ferrell Live At Montreux CD

Personnel includes: Rachelle Ferrell (vocals, piano); Claude Nobs (spoken vocals); George Duke (arranger, keyboards); Eddie Green (piano); Brian Simpson (keyboards); Jonathan Butler (guitar); Tyrone Brown (bass);
Doug Nally (drums).
Recorded live at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland between July 15, 1991 and July 12, 1997. Includes liner notes by Bruce Lundvall and Rachelle Ferrell.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Personnel: Rachelle Ferrell (vocals, piano); Jonathan Butler (guitar); Eddie Green (piano); George Duke, Brian Simpson (keyboards); Doug Nally (drums).
Audio Mixer: George Duke.
Liner Note Authors: Rachelle; Rachelle Ferrell; Bruce Lundvall.
Recording information: Montreux, Switzerland (07/15/1991-07/12/1997).
Editor: George Duke.
Photographer: Edouard Curchod.
Arranger: George Duke.
Although vocalist Rachelle Ferrell is a bizarre singer whose idiosyncratic style is often at odds with her mainstream material, fans of the singer will certainly find much to enjoy on Live at Montreux. The CD collects various performances Ferrell gave at the Swiss music festival from 1991 to 1997. Primarily a jazz singer, Ferrell has also made forays into R&B and often melds the two styles. Prone to showcasing her six-octave range, she often accents songs in odd places, displays myriad vocal stylings in one phrase, and basically over-sings much of the time. Think of her as a combination of Betty Carter and Patti Labelle and you might enjoy yourself. Much of the first set on Live at Montreux features songs off her 1989 debut, First Instrument. Ending that set is "Prayer Dance," which spotlights Ferrell seemingly mimicking the high, laser tones of a theremin. Special guest pianist George Duke also makes an appearance. ~ Matt Collar
Ah, the LIVE AT MONTREUX album, the gold watch of jazz. It seems like once a musician or vocalist has spent a few decades in smoky clubs and roughneck juke joints, they get to fly to Switzerland and make a dignified (read: dull) recording in front of a respectful (read: bored) audience. It's a tradition. That singer Rachelle Ferrell made her LIVE AT MONTREUX album only three albums into her career is surprising. That it's her finest work yet is nothing short of amazing. On early albums like 1989's FIRST INSTRUMENT, Ferrell seemed hesitant to find her own voice, too often relying on familiar phrasing even on original songs.
Perhaps this was just studio nerves, because on stage only two years later (nine of these 12 songs were recorded in 1991 with the Earl Green Trio, with the remainder coming from a 1997 date with a big band), Ferrell reinterprets a fine set of standards and works wonders on her original songs, particularly an excellent version of her signature tune, "I'm Special," with George Duke on keyboards. The three later tracks are even better, as they show the result of several years of vocal experimentation on Ferrell's part; her phrasing is remarkably free, but never as mannered as her contemporary Cassandra Wilson can be at times. Far from being a staid, boring run-through of tired material, Rachelle Ferrell's LIVE AT MONTREUX is a revelation.JazzTimes (7-8/02, pp.96,98) - "...Showcases the dynamic, young Ferrell at her budding best..."