Catherine Sykes - Something Wonderful

Catherine Sykes - Something Wonderful
2011, Catherine Sykes

Catherine Sykes is a vocalist from Yorkshire, England who has quietly become one of the most respected interpreters of American style jazz in Europe.  Performing throughout Europe with The Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, The Manhattan Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Repertory Orchestra, Sykes has built an impressive following.  Her travels have even taken her to a prime residency in Japan.  Sykes' previous album, Singing In, was featured on the UK's Radio 2 and Humphrey Lyttleton's Best Of Jazz radio program.  Sykes rides that momentum into album number two, a collection of updated jazz standards entitled Something Wonderful. 

Sykes opens with George & Ira Gershwin's "I've Got A Crush On You", showing off a sweet and mature alto voice that just melts into your ears.  This is the perfect intro number for Sykes, who sounds like she would have been right at home on an AM radio dial alongside Kay Starr, Jo Stafford and Sarah Vaughan.  "Lean Baby" is a solid number that allows Sykes to shine, although her pianist nearly steals the show with a wicked solo in the breakdown.  Juan Tizol and Irving Mills' "Caravan" is a slinky little Latin Jazz love song that shows off some of the unusual timbre of Sykes' voice.  Stylistically it's a pleasant surprise slipped in here, and musically, Syke's band achieves a moment of perfect in interpretation.

Sykes heads to Broadway with Vernon Dake's "Taking A Chance On Love (Cabin In The Sky), and delivers one of the standout performances on the album.  A stylish vocal line is matched by a distinctive energy in the backing band, creating musical sparks.  Sykes is in fine voice, and manages to create a classic sound in the process of interpreting an underappreciated gem.  "London By Night" is a supper club number that blends a sense of excitement with regretful melancholy.  This isn't Sykes' most memorable effort, but the song is solid throughout.    Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters Of March" gets watered down next in a well-intended but ultimately imperfect effort.  Sykes is in wonderful voice here, and shows a distinctive talent for phrasing, but the emotional impact here is somewhat lackluster.  Stylistic and technically superior, this version just doesn't capture the sense of wonder this song conveys at its best.  

Sykes recovers nicely on Rodgers and Hart's "I Could Write A Book" (Pal Joey), delivering a classic reading of a classic number in dark and dulcet tones.  Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" (Pal Joey), finds Sykes serving up a gorgeous vocal line alongside a vibrant acoustic guitar accompaniment.  This is perhaps the most intimate vocal moment on the album, and Sykes absolutely shines.  "He's Not The Boy I Knew Before" is a cute number that wears thin with its playful, stream of conscious style.  Sykes handles it well vocally, but this song just isn't a great fit for the flow of the album.  Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Something Wonderful" (The King And I) features Sykes delivering her most lovely and lyric vocal line of the album, over a gorgeous piano accompaniment that flows like water.  Sung here as a smooth, sweet love song, Sykes creates a "Wow" moment, where time stops and you can simply get lost in the song.  Something Wonderful winds to a close with "Let's Get Away From It All", a solid number that unfortunately is almost an afterthought in the wake of "Something Wonderful".

Catherine Sykes has a voice that draws you in, sits you down, and impresses on you the need to stay for awhile.  Her interpretations on Something Wonderful are generally right on target, and occasionally pass over the barrier into the sublime.  It's easy to understand why Sykes is so in demand in Europe, and hard to understand why we haven't heard much of her yet on this side of the pond.  But with a voice like the one you'll hear on Something Wonderful, you have to conclude that it's only a matter of time.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Catherine Sykes at www.catherinesykes.com.  Something Wonderful is available as a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.





Todd Beaney - Piano Praise 2

Todd Beaney - Piano Praise 2
2010, Todd Beaney

Todd Beaney is a pianist, composer, arranger and educator.  He has written or arranged for such groups as U.S. Army Blues; New Orleans Brass Quintet, the Billy Graham Crusade, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Truth.  The ASCAP member has four albums under his belt and three volumes of hymn arrangements for piano.  In his spare time, Beaney also serves as a piano adjudicator for the New York State School Music Association and serves as Music Director for Wilton Baptist Church in Wilton, Connecticut.  The Princeton grad, with Master of Music degrees from both McNeese State University and the Eastman School of Music has made music a lifelong passion.  His fourth album, released in 2010, is Piano Praise 2.  It’s a collection of piano-based instrumentals covering classic hymns and modern Praise music.

Beaney opens with “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God”, an intriguing first step for an instrumental album.  Beaney shows a strong left hand presence early on while allowing his right hand free reign to run at will.  Beaney is an active player, not condescending to the passive, new-age evocations of many contemporaries.  Beaney shows a sense of drama and passion in the music.  “Lord, I’m Coming Home” has a soulful feel and shows Beaney’s own sense of internal rhythm.  Beaney lights up the song in an artful and delicate fashion with a sense of confidence that’s part self assurance and part faith.  “Oh, How I Love Jesus” has a pretty, rolling quality that is appealing, even if Beaney’s piano style sounds like that of a secondary school choir director. 

Beaney brings a bit of Gershwin to “At Calvary”, with an arrangement that sounds like it would be right at home somewhere in the middle of ‘Porgy and Bess’.   Fans of Stephen Schwartz will be listening closely to Beaney’s take on “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”.  Beaney imparts the same sense of light and melody that infused Schwartz’ early works for the stage in one of the most inspired performances on the album.  “For All The Saints” sticks with the Broadway feel; an energetic and active take that’s well-played and nicely arranged.  “Brethren, We Have Met To Worship” finds Beaney’s powerful, driven left hand resurfacing.  This is a solid performance, but would benefit greatly from additional instrumentation.    “Walking In Grace” shows a pretty, airy approach.  Beaney creates a majestic feel for the tune, drawing inspiration and energy out of the arrangement in a moment that speaks of glory.  Beaney ponders his way through a wandering jazz interpretation of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”.  The elegant piano-bar style is a bit of a surprise, but is nonetheless enjoyable.  Beaney closes with the classic hymn feel of “The Solid Rock”; a musical return to the roots of praise music.

Todd Beaney shows off a progression of sounds and styles throughout Piano Praise 2 that may be the arc of his own development as a pianist.  Starting with left-hand driven style of the opening track, moving through the somewhat percussive style of a choir director and then into the more refined airs jazz, gospel and show tunes, Beaney explores the representation of faith in music in a multitude of styles that are uniquely American.  This is a niche album, meaning that the market for this material is probably somewhat limited, but Beaney shows enough chops and stylistic flexibility to be of interest to any serious student of the piano in addition to the religious music market. 

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5) 

Learn more about Todd Beaney at http://www.toddbeaney.com/.  Piano Praise 2 is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.