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Liner Notes For In the Company
of Friends
OK all you wannabe jazz vocalists! Move
it over ladies! There is a new boss on the scene and she is
not one of those scooby-dooby newbie beauties. Denise Donatelli
is a musician’s singer and here she is teamed up with
one of my favorite musicians, Tom Garvin, and the results
are exquisite, to say the least. The lady does it all, but
not all at once. Each tune is given a personal reading that
reflects the composer, lyricist, arranger and accompanist's
intent while retaining her own individuality and identity!
I haven't heard such vocal artistry since Irene Kral.
Tom Garvin is perhaps the most respected
musician on any coast but these days he performs and writes
mainly on the west side of the lower 48. We are old friends
and when he asked me to do these notes I asked him "who’s
Denise Donatelli?" Tom’s observations are worthy
of inclusion here. Tom writes-"Here's a little of my
history with Denise and this CD. I met her on a duo gig at
some little joint about 3 years ago. I was subbing and had
never heard of her. The first time I saw her, she was on her
hands and knees hooking up mike cords to a PA under the piano
bench. What really impressed me was that here was this "chick
singer" who didn't mind getting her hands dirty ... and
on top of that she could really sing!
We struck up a friendship that led to her
asking me, about a year ago, to produce this CD for her. Denise's
only music experience had been a nightly gig singing with
a jazz trio in an Atlanta hotel lounge while working full
time in marketing at TBS. We started the usual ‘searching
for material’ thing. She had no technical music training
and I didn't really know her capabilities or limitations,
so I just started throwing stuff at her. The first was Sleepin’
Bee. I didn't know if she'd be able to hear it with my
re-harmonization or whether she'd even like it. I played it
through once then she sang it, grinned happily, and said "What's
next?" And that's the way it went...she could hear anything
I wrote.
I balked when she wanted to do Green
Dolphin; I thought it had been done to death.I was fiddling
around at the piano one night and came up with that little
'5/4' idea. I played it for her without mentioning the time
signature. She just sang it. I don't know if she knew it was
in '5' or not.
This was becoming a challenge, so after
we had worked out This Is New, I wrote that unison
section in the middle, played it on piano, and gave her a
cassette. Between you and me, I was thinking something like,
'okay...see if you can sing this!' The next day, she did!"
To say I was intrigued would be an understatement.
Tom is not prone to hyperbole and this was a rave as far as
I was concerned. So I sharpened up a fresh Blackwing #2 pencil,
got my notepad, put the CD in the machine, pulled out my leather
recliner and got in the writing mode. Green Dolphin
in "5" was the first track. I listened but did not
write, could not write a word until the last tune was over.
It was a Eureka moment! I had just heard the perfect marriage
between an arranger/pianist, band and singer. Each tune was
set with a diamond cutter's precision utilizing a unique approach
to the accompaniment, some with just a trio, others with tenor/trombone
or trumpet/tenor or flute and trombone, some with added percussion,
some with flute but all were carefully sculpted to show off
the brilliant voice that is Miss Donatelli’s. Every
instrumental solo spot was chosen with great care and played
with verve and skill, the rhythm section was perfect, the
recording, ditto and the CD easily wins the Guinness record
for modulatory prowess. Highlights;
1. Dolphin’s skillful 5/4
and Tom G’s re-harmonization and Bob Sheppard’s
solo.
2. Thrill’s funky vernacular and Tom’s
sparse but effective writing; Denise gets down and stretches!
3. Her on-the-money pitch on verse to Midnight and
Clay Jenkins’ very tasty muted solo.
4. Intriguing rhythm approach on You Don’t Know
What Love Is
5. Sleepin’ Bee’s all around swinging
perfection! Garvin the magician!
6. Trio’s work on Clowns along with Tom’s
re-harmonization. (Better than original changes!)
7. Denise’s ensemble scat with horns on This Is
New.
8. Nice to hear the bridge used as a verse on If You Could
See Me Now. And Denise’s flawless pronunciation/enunciation
on everything!
9. Dream Dancing is a groovy samba with flute and
piano intro and singer’s rhythmic compassion. She can
do it all! Elis anyone?
10. Intros use of tenor and trombone in seconds and general
funkiness by all concerned. Really nasty stuff! Love it! Rhythm
section churns butter on this one and coda has hip rap and
neat fade.
11. When Summer Turns to Snow puts a pretty ribbon
on the whole package and you realize you have just heard one
hell of a project. This is probably too good a record to win
anything but if there is any justice it should.
Graham Carter has done it again! I am biased
because I work for the company but believe me that man is
a warrior for good music and this is good, no, great music!
Bravo Denise! Bravo Tom! And kudos to all
the cats who played their asses off on this superb CD.
-Phil Woods
January 25, 2005
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