Champian Fulton - Speechless

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Day's End
(4:20)  2. Lullaby For Art
(5:31)  3. Somebody Stole My Gal
(5:32)  4. Dark Blue
(4:52)  5. Tea And Tangerines
(4:45)  6. Later Gator
(5:27)  7. Pergola
(5:09)  8. Happy Camper
(6:15)  9. That's Not Your Donut
(4:06) 10. Carondeleto's

Speechless is a date that may be best classified as a centrist statement, but it's far from the norm for Champian Fulton. While many have come to know and admire Fulton for her arresting vocals and piano work, both usually given in service to Great American Songbook classics, she's not conforming to those expectations here. For her eighth album in total, and her debut on the Posi-Tone imprint, Fulton is staying completely mum for the first time, putting her piano playing in the spotlight on a program of originals. Fulton's songs tend to speak with an old-world charm that makes them irresistible. An after-hours vibe is immediately apparent on the opening "Day's End," a low-key swinger with behind the beat ruminations, rippling asides, and stylish plinks. From there it's off to "Lullaby For Art," an ode to Blakey that, while hardly qualifying as a lullaby, could've certainly been a lost Bobby Timmons tune. Then the lone cover comes into view a hyper take on "Somebody Stole My Gal" that has Fulton setting the scene before drummer Ben Zweig steals it with his brush work and things turn "Dark Blue" with a burnished synesthesia ballad contrafact on "Woody 'n' You." Through it all, Fulton impresses by not trying to impress. 

In an age when a lot of albums try to sell you a bill of goods or present false deities, Champian Fulton makes her mark by just being herself. It's a novel concept that shouldn't have to be.  Attractive informality continues to carry the day as Fulton moves forward with a waltzing "Tea And Tangerines," merges a Lou Donaldson blues aesthetic and Herbie Hancock-esque swagger à la "Alligator Boogaloo" melding with "Cantaloupe Island"on "Later Gator," and cedes some well-earned space to bassist Adi Myerson on the mellow "Pergola." Then she heads toward the finish line with "Happy Camper," an animated Latin-swing hybrid built in the image of Horace Silver; a bluesy "That's Not Your Donut," highlighting clear-headed single note piano lines and cheery chording; and a happily hurtling "Carondeleto's," a song that captures the spirit of the late Clark Terry the trumpet titan who called Carondelet, Missouri his home. Not a word is uttered on Speechless, but the music says volumes. Champian Fulton continues to dazzle and delight on this album, demonstrating that her truest voice may very well be found in her piano playing. ~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/speechless-champian-fulton-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Champian Fulton-piano; Adi Meyerson-bass; Ben Zweig-drums

Speechless

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The Puppini Sisters - Betcha bottom dollar

Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Sisters
(2:37)  2. Mr. Sandman
(2:29)  3. Boogie woogie bugle boy
(3:36)  4. Java jive
(2:19)  5. Bei mir bist du schön
(3:37)  6. Wuthering heights
(2:35)  7. Jeepers creepers
(4:04)  8. I will survive
(2:37)  9. Tu vuo fa l'americano
(2:56) 10. Heart of glass
(3:09) 11. Sway
(2:16) 12. Panic
(2:57) 13. Heebie jeebies
(3:11) 14. In the mood

From the first strains of the opening track, "Sisters," it's clear that Betcha Bottom Dollar is not a typical debut album. But then the Puppini Sisters are not a typical pop act, at least not in the 21st century. Their close, three-part harmonies are reminiscent of the vocal groups of the 1930s and 1940s, and particularly the Andrews Sisters. But rather than sounding like an anachronism, the Puppini Sisters merely demonstrate the timelessness of some of these songs. Betcha Bottom Dollar is fresh, fun and vibrant, blowing the dust off of cobwebby classics like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Mr. Sandman". Elsewhere, they also put their own unique stamp on more recent hits, with varying results. 

While Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" fail to get things swinging, Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and the Smiths' "Panic" are both injected with a fresh new (old?) sound. Much credit must also be given to producer Benoit Charest, who manages to employ a whole host of instrumentation and orchestration, whilst never forgetting to put the voices of the Puppini Sisters front and centre. It might be easy to dismiss the Puppini Sisters' debut as another novelty album, but their intentions and love for the style like their voices themselves are crystal clear. ~ Robert Burrow https://www.amazon.com/Betcha-Bottom-Dollar-Puppini-Sisters/dp/B000O1715

Betcha bottom dollar

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