Roberta Gambarini is a breath of fresh air among female jazz vocalists. Gifted with superb clear diction, a warm engaging voice, and an uncanny ability to bring out the best in each song, Gambarini shines throughout this one-afternoon session, recorded without isolation booths, splicing, or overdubs. Her sole accompanist is the masterful pianist Hank Jones, a veteran who knows something about inspiring great vocalists with his inventive piano playing, having recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Anita O'Day, and Helen Merrill during a career that began over six decades prior to this session. The duo chose a wide-ranging mix of standards, show tunes, and jazz compositions (both familiar and lesser-known), along with some forgotten chestnuts of yesteryear.
"Stardust" is one of the most recorded works of all time, yet Gambarini recognizes the nuances within it and takes her time exploring each chorus, while Jones' elegant backing and delicious solo are flawless. Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" is one of the most demanding jazz compositions, a melancholy ballad with an unusual structure that trips up many vocalists, but Gambarini takes her time with a deliberate interpretation. Their magical rendition of the sentimental ballad "You Are There" (music by Johnny Mandel, lyrics by Dave Frishberg) seems like it would be a natural choice for a film soundtrack. "Deep Purple" may have fallen out of favor in modern jazz, but Gambarini and Jones reveal its timeless quality This exceptional vocal/piano duo recording is clearly one for the ages as well.
Gambarini moved to the United States from her native Italy in 1998 after having established an impressive Cv in her homeland with mulitiple competition awards and touring Europe with many Jazz musicians. She surprised many and finished with a third place berth in the 1998 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition. Since then, she has performed with the late Michael Brecker, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Hank Jones, Christian McBride, and Toots Thielemans, among many others. In 2004, she started touring with The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and performed with James Moody, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Paquito de Rivera, Roy Hargrove and others. In 2006 and 2007, she toured with her own trio as well as the Hank Jones Trio, who joins her for this formal album.Down Beat (p.74) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Gambarini has a way of singing that seem unaffected by any style of the past 50 years, and Jones roots his style firmly in the era when the songs were written. This is an ideal meeting place for them." JazzTimes (p.125) - "Like so many works of genius, it is deceptively simple: two superlative craftspeople matching wits while igniting one another's imaginations....Gambarini is one of the most refreshing, most proficient vocalists to emerge since Diana Krall..."
Guidelines Remember to focus your comments on Roberta Gambarini - You Are There CD. Check our review guidelines for specific details regarding customer review policy.
To submit your review, please fill out the above form and click "Submit Review." A staff member will then verify your review meets our guidelines. Upon approval, your review will be published within a few days.
Please do not use this form to comment on web site errors or for order related questions. If you have concerns of this nature, please contact customer service by filling out this form.
Share this Product