Thirteen Female Jazz Vocalists You Need to Hear | The Absolute Sound
Jeff Wilson
Tribute to Burt Bacharach
Much of Burt Bacharach’s oeuvre can be described as romantic, seductive bedroom music, but it’s not all sweetness and light, and sometimes the bitter and the sweet are so intertwined it’s hard to separate the two. On Whistling in the Dark: The Music of Burt Bacharach, Denise Donatelli explores the dark side of Bacharach’s musical universe. Working with arranger, bassist, and producer Larry Klein, Donatelli has a sensuous voice that vividly conveys the heartbreak and insecurity described in these songs. Highlights include “A House is Not A Home,” “Walk on By,” “In Between the Heartaches,” and two compositions from the Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach collaboration Painted from Memory (“Toledo” and “In the Darkest Place”). Best of all is a performance of “Anyone Who Had a Heart” that’s worth the price of the album. The CD was mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, and the recording has a silky, layered, full-bodied sound. Whistling comes recommended to audiophiles, fans of female jazz vocalists, Bacharach devotees, and everyone who likes ballads that make you hurt a little.