Belinda Underwood - Underwood Uncurling

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:57
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Born To Be Blue
(5:00)  2. Uncurling
(6:34)  3. Trees
(3:00)  4. Later Baby
(4:04)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(4:17)  6. World Peace Blues
(4:07)  7. Say My Name
(4:04)  8. You're Everything
(5:19)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:38) 10. Unspoken Thought
(5:36) 11. Invitation
(3:28) 12. There Will Never Be Another You

Portland, Oregon-based vocalist/bassist Belinda Underwood opens her debut with Mel Torme's "Born To Be Blue," employing a vocal style that seems a curious mixture of coy guilelessness and sultry sensuality. Not bad for someone who started as an instrumentalist bass, violin, baritone ukulele, piano, harp and then started singing late in the game because she couldn't make her bass play the sounds she was thinking, forcing her resort to her voice. Underwood Uncurling features six of Underwood's own compositions, the highlight perhaps the title tune, which has a very Joni Mitchell vibe. She also tackles a couple of familiar standards Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean," featuring some marvelous phrasing in front of a vibrant arrangement; and "You Don't Know What Love Is," a loving nod to Billie Holiday infused with Underwood's own style.  Underwood is a talented lady. The mix of standards and originals here, played with understated but tasteful accompaniment, makes for an engaging listen in the singer/songwriter category leaning toward jazz on the standards and looking in the pop/songstress direction (Joni Mitchell style) on her originals. "Invitation" (B.F. Kaper/P.F. Webster), featuring a backdrop of gently bubbling percussion, makes me think she'd sound wonderful with that touch of hush that creeps into her voice at times on a bossa nova set. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/underwood-uncurling-belinda-underwood-cosmik-muse-rekords-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Belinda Underwood--voice, bass, baritone ukulele;John Gross--tenor saxophone; Clay Giberson--piano; Phil Baker--bass; Martin Zarzar--drums and percussion; Dan Balmer--guitar; David Friesen--Hamage bass; Airto Moreira--drums and percussion; Chad Wagner--piano; Jason Levis--drums

Underwood Uncurling

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Belinda Underwood - Greenspace

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:18
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Bass Blues
(4:17)  2. The Secret Life Of Plants
(3:43)  3. No Moon At All
(4:11)  4. Seeing Red
(4:50)  5. Blue Gardenia
(5:02)  6. Estate
(4:54)  7. Polar Blue
(4:25)  8. Midnight Snatcher
(4:07)  9. Limitless
(4:34) 10. Odd Meter Blues
(5:16) 11. The Oasis
(5:05) 12. Once Upon A Summertime

Following her acclaimed 2005 debut, Underwood Uncurling, vocalist/bassist Belinda Underwood is back with her new release, Greenspace, which features pianist Benny Green (Betty Carter, Art Blakey, Ray Brown), bassist Phil Baker (Diane Schuur, Diana Ross, Pink Martini), percussionist Martin Zarzar (Al Andalus, Pink Martini), and Grammy nominated vocalist Nancy King. In this uniquely inspired work, Underwood summons fresh interpretations of classic songs by John Coltrane, Johnny Mercer, Stevie Wonder and other greats while also showcasing her gifts as a talented song-writer. Her instrumental piece, \"Seeing Red,\" is reminiscent of a Blue Note boogaloo while Underwood\'s \"The Oasis\" incorporates musical elements she discovered while studying in Egypt. Greenspace, a cohesion of seasoned musicians with Belinda\'s lush emotive vocals and poignant compositions, swings hard enough to conjure a jazz-of-old feeling while revealing a sweet sensitivity. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/belindau2

Greenspace

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