Diane Hubka - Goes To The Movies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 137.9 MB
Styles: Post bop, Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[5:06] 2. Double Rainbow
[5:39] 3. The Look Of Love
[5:00] 4. Lovers In New York
[5:25] 5. He's A Tramp
[4:43] 6. The Bad And The Beautiful
[4:51] 7. I'm Old Fashioned
[5:22] 8. The Long Goodbye
[4:19] 9. Close Enough For Love
[4:39] 10. You Only Live Twice
[4:09] 11. Wild Is The Wind
[3:20] 12. Manhã De Carnaval
[4:35] 13. Invitation

Since moving to the West Coast from New York City, jazz vocalist Diane Hubka has worked with a different group of musicians than on earlier CDs. Her first recording since the cross-country move finds her in top form, backed by an outstanding group including pianist/arranger Christian Jacob (who works with both Tierney Sutton and Flora Purim and was with his late father-in-law Maynard Ferguson for a time), trumpeter and flugelhornist Carl Saunders (a leader in his own right and member of various all-star Los Angeles big bands), guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Chris Colangelo and drummer Joe LaBarbera (the late Bill Evans' last drummer). Hubka's subtle vocal style works in her favor, as the cool-toned singer doesn't use a lot of theatrics to get lyrics across, while she occasionally enjoys scatting in unison with her musicians in an engaging way. One of the her strengths has been choosing lesser known or out of favor songs; her theme for this outing consists of works debuted in movies, many of which will surprise the listener. Her modern bop treatment of the decades-old "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," the gently seductive interpretation of "The Look of Love" (with lush backing by Jacob), the playful bossa nova setting of "He's a Tramp" and the hip rendition of "Close Enough for Love" (featuring Koonse and Colangelo) showcase how wide-ranging a musician Hubka is. Perhaps the greatest surprise is "You Only Live Twice," from the James Bond film series; her understated delivery with minimal backing from her rhythm section reveals a great song that was hidden in its movie debut due to an overblown arrangement. Finally, Hubka accompanies herself on acoustic guitar in a masterful performance of "Manhã de Carnaval" (sung in Portuguese). Diane Hubka adds to her impressive résumé as one of the top jazz vocalists of her generation with this all-around excellent disc. ~Ken Dryden

Goes To The Movies

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Diane Hubka - You Inspire Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:46
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Love
(7:12)  2. Moment To Moment
(3:18)  3. Sunday In New York
(3:41)  4. Romance
(5:04)  5. Wave
(4:33)  6. Blue Moon
(6:21)  7. Winter Moon
(4:20)  8. Suddenly
(6:00)  9. Nuages
(3:41) 10. Nothing Like You
(6:00) 11. Inside A Silent Tear
(2:57) 12. You Inspire Me
(3:35) 13. Old New Waltz

Diane Hubka's adventurous spirit continues on her third CD as the singer works with seven different guitarists in a variety of settings, with the occasional addition of bass and drums. She once again leans toward less-familiar songs or those that haven't been recorded quite so often. The sweet-voiced singer is consistently stimulated by the first-rate musicians on every track. The phenomenal Latin guitarist Romero Lubambo provides the pulse beneath Hubka's confident delivery in "Love," with bassist Nilson Matta and drummer Dudua da Fonseca (also known collectively as Trio Da Paz). Bucky Pizzarelli and Frank Vignola mesh beautifully on a swinging "Blue Moon," Django Reinhardt's "Nuages" (with a playful, brand new lyric by Dr. Frank Forte), and the effervescent "Sunday in New York," where Hubka's singing could lift the darkest cloud. 

John Hart, an asset on Hubka's first two releases, is joined by bassist John Hebert and drummer Jeff Hirschfield for the vocalist's haunting interpretation of "Winter Moon" and a freewheeling take of "Nothing Like You." Paul Bollenback is on hand (along with Hebert and Hirschfield) for the snappy "You Inspire Me" and an overlooked gem by Henry Mancini, "Moment to Moment." Jack Wilkins brought along an original, the touching ballad "Romance." But with all of the captivating music within this outstanding CD, it is Hubka's treatment of "The Old New Waltz" (a gorgeous ballad by Michael Moore with bittersweet lyrics by Frank Reilly), with impeccable accompaniment by the matchless Gene Bertoncini, that stands atop this baker's dozen of memorable performances. Jazz singers rarely reach the heights of this outstanding CD. 

~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/you-inspire-me-mw0000324883

Personnel: Diane Hubka (vocals); Frank Vignola, Gene Bertoncini, Frank Wilkins, John Hart , Paul Bollenback, Romero Lubambo, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Duduka Da Fonseca, Jeff Hirschfield (drums).

You Inspire Me

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Diane Hubka - I Like It Here: Live In Tokyo

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:34
Size: 142,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. I Like It Here
(3:46)  2. Agua De Beber
(5:32)  3. Angel Eyes
(6:13)  4. Faces
(4:45)  5. Get Out Of Town
(4:10)  6. It's Always 4 AM
(5:31)  7. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
(7:11)  8. You Go To My Head
(4:53)  9. Dindi
(3:31) 10. Moonlight In Vermont
(6:26) 11. All My Tomorrows
(5:51) 12. One Note Samba

Cool-toned vocalist Diane Hubka first caught the attention of jazz journalists with her 1999 debut CD Haven't We Met?(Challenge-A) and she has continued to prove herself as an inventive, gifted interpreter of a wide range of material on her subsequent releases. Since leaving New York City for Southern California in 2004, she has played and recorded with a variety of top West Coast musicians.  Hubka faced two challenges for I Like It Here/Live in Tokyo. After being invited to tour Japan by the Sinatra Society of Japan, which asked her to perform songs associated with the legendary singer (which make up most, though not all, of this set), it was arranged to record her in concert, with Japanese musicians (pianist Kiyoshi Morita, bassist Masahiko Taniguchi and drummer Nobuhiko Yamashita) who were new to her and spoke very little English. 

But the language of jazz is universal and everything fell into place during this concert at JZ Brat in Shibuya.  Hubka handles the standards associated with Sinatra very well, as she has likely had most of them in her repertoire for some time. Her subtle take on the bittersweet "Angel Eyes" and slowly savored rendition of "You Go to My Head" (with a beautifully understated solo by Morita) are among the highlights of that portion of the set. Hubka adds her guitar on several sections, including a breezy "Agua de Beber" and the easygoing "Dindi" (both masterpieces by Antonio Carlos Jobim), while scatting up a storm in Ron Anthony's joyful "Faces" and excusing the rhythm section to accompany herself in Anthony's melancholy "It's Always 4 AM." ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-like-it-here-live-in-tokyo-diane-hubka-ssj-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php
 

Personnel: Diane Hubka: vocals, guitar (2, 4, 6, 10); Kiyoshi Morita: piano; Masahiko Taniguchi: bass; Nobuhiko Yamashita: drums.

I Like It Here / Live In Tokyo

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Diane Hubka - Haven't We Met

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 127.4 MB
Styles: Post bop, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Don't You Know Me
[3:28] 2. It's Your Dance
[5:14] 3. Lazy Afternoon
[5:07] 4. Haven't We Met
[4:50] 5. Miss Harper Goes Bizarre
[6:59] 6. Detour Ahead
[3:50] 7. My Kind Of Love
[4:55] 8. Favela
[4:06] 9. Everybody Wants To Be A Cat
[3:34] 10. Thinking Of You
[4:00] 11. Alone Together
[4:59] 12. New Cliches

Neither an innovator nor a clone of anyone, Diane Hubka combines an enthusiasm for the singers of jazz's Cool School (especially Chris Connor and June Christy) with traces of Annie Ross and Sheila Jordan on the tasteful Haven't We Met?. But while Jordan can be aggressive at times, Hubka is a vocalist who thrives on restraint. Not a belter, the Maryland native swings in a relaxed, subtle fashion on tasteful, good-natured interpretations of material ranging from "Alone Together" and "Lazy Afternoon" (which is especially Connor-minded) to Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Favela." To her credit, Hubka doesn't limit her repertoire to obvious choices. "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" hardly falls into the warhorse category, and Johnny Carisi's "Israel" (for which she embraces lyrics by Ray Passman) hasn't been done to death by singers. Joined by alto saxman Lee Konitz (a logical choice given his Cool School membership), pianist Frank Kimbrough, guitarist John Hart, bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Ron Vincent, Hubka makes Haven't We Met? a CD that, although not groundbreaking or fantastic, is generally pleasant and honest. ~Alex Henderson

Haven't We Met

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Diane Hubka - West Coast Strings

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. West Coast Blues (feat. Anthony Wilson & Bobby Pierce)
(4:54)  2. Moondance (feat. Mimi Fox)
(3:18)  3. Brigas Nunca Mais (feat. Peter Sprague)
(4:53)  4. Peace (feat. Larry Koonse)
(3:48)  5. Warming to Spring (feat. David Eastlee & Barry Zweig)
(4:08)  6. It Ain't Necessarily So (feat. Anthony Wilson & Bobby Pierce)
(5:35)  7. Amanacer (feat. John Pisano & Peter Sprague)
(4:04)  8. Never Let Me Go (feat. Larry Koonse)
(4:27)  9. Moon Ray (feat. David Eastlee & Barry Zweig)
(4:22) 10. They Say It's Spring (feat. Ron Eschete & John Pisano)
(3:24) 11. Slow Hot Wind (feat. Ron Eschete)
(5:36) 12. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing (feat. Mimi Fox)
(4:45) 13. Someone Else Is Steppin' In (feat. Anthony Wilson & Bobby Pierce)

This Blue Ridge Mountain-bred artist grew up in Western Maryland in a musical family and learned violin, trombone and guitar from an early age. After college Diane Hubka moved to Washington, DC where she frequented local jazz clubs Blues Alley, One Step Down and Mr. Y's Soul Kitchen, absorbing the sounds of local legends Charlie Byrd and Shirley Horn, hearing national acts, as well as honing her own skills in those rooms. In 1986 she moved to New York City and was awarded a one-year jazz fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts for private study with vocalist Anne Marie Moss. She also studied piano, voice and guitar privately with premier NY jazz artists Barry Harris, Harold Danko, Connie Crothers, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Howard Alden and John Hart. A dynamic member of New York City's jazz scene for two decades, the award-winning vocalist relocated to Los Angeles in 2004. Diane's newest CD, West Coast Strings (SSJ Records) features the singer with a far ranging program of music with eight West Coast master guitarists, plus soul-jazz veteran, Bobby Pierce guesting on Hammond B-3. 

Hubka also plays guitar on three tracks. "Brigas Nunca Mais" finds Hubka singing this Jobim song in its native language with clear diction and a soft tone that allow the intricate guitar work of Peter Sprague to shine, while Hubka keeps the rhythm guitar work flowing underneath. Hubka's bass lines and chords are clear and flowing under Sprague's active solo; this particular song has no bassist, so the subltiles of Hubka and Sprague are in full view. Sprague's nylon-strung guitar lines are energetic and pushing the beat, but never rushing. He builds each line and develops clear motifs and allows the phrases to breath as he climbs the neck to a logical climax. Hubka's gentle swaying phrasing of the final statement of the melody is very much in tune with the heritage of this Jobim selection. "Amanhacer" is penned by guitarist John Pisano and his wife Jeanne, his 'Guitar Night,' at various California venues has been going on for sixteen years now and features a different, outstanding guitarist each week with John's trio. Pisano's inclusion and contribution to West Coast Strings is fitting and in line with the overall energy and comrodiray of the entire project. The melody and lyrics are very enjoyable and fits right in with the surrounding standards. Hubka conveys the emotion behind the heartwarming lyrics and ensemble provides an easy bossa feel for her to sing on. Peter Sprague and John Pisano's guitar work are both featured in this selection. Sprague takes the first chorus with his usual confidence of developing a line, both in shape and time. Pisano's soft steel stings follows with a relaxed development of ideas, combined with his soft singing of each well placed note. Hubka takes the melody out leaving the listener feeling joyous and positive. 

"It Ain't Necessarily So" is the serious toe tapper of the set with the thumpin' organ feel from Bobby Pierce and fine guitar work from Anthony Wilson. Everyone on this tune is pulling the blues out of this Gershwin classic and it is Hubka's vocal control and delivery on this selection, which is the highlight of the set. Wilson's warm guitar tone and control is strong and propels the selection with bop ornamented blues licks and bends. Pierce keeps his solo brief, but concise and swingin,' Kendall Kay's drums and Pierce's quarter note feel is in the pocket and makes good use of that triplet feel! ~ Geannine Reid   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=46262#.UtLIMbRc_vs

Personnel: Diane Hubka: vocals, guitar (3, 8, 11); Anthony Wilson: guitar (1, 6, 13); Mimi Fox: guitar (2, 12); Peter Sprague: guitar (3, 7); Larry Koonse: guitar ( 4, 8); Barry Zweig guitar (5, 9); David Eastlee: guitar ( 5, 9); John Pisano: guitar ( 7, 10); Ron Eschete: guitar (10, 11) Bobby Pierce: Hammond B-3 (1, 6, 13); Jeff D’Angelo: bass ( 4, 5, 9, 13); John Leftwich: bass (7); Kendall Kay: drums (1,4, 5, 6, 9, 13); Enzo Tedesco: drums ( 3, 7).

West Coast Strings

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Diane Hubka - Look No Further

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:59
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Look No Further
(4:37)  2. Morning
(4:32)  3. Dolphin Dance
(4:46)  4. In Walked John
(3:47)  5. Photograph
(3:45)  6. Small Day Tomorrow
(5:16)  7. Baby, You Should Know It
(4:34)  8. In April
(3:56)  9. August Moon
(4:21) 10. Better Than Anything

This is Washington, D.C. based Diane Hubka's second album for A-Records, a subsidiary of The Netherlands label, Challenge Records. Like her first, she stays avoids standard material. Instead the play list is dominated by what most would call "off-beat" songs. Whatever, these tunes do not receive much recording attention even though many are the product by well know writers like Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne and Herbie Hancock.

Filling a CD with this kind of material can be a risky endeavor; a vocalist must have great confidence in her ability to pull it off. Hubka obviously met that bill since this is as entertaining an album that has hit the streets for some time. This album demands the listener give it an intense listen, not only to the lyrics, but to the interplay between Hubka and the musicians who accompany her on this journey down the road of fresh ideas and changing tempos.

The satisfactory results make the effort worthwhile as there is not a bad track on this CD. "In Walked John", Malachi Thompson's lyrical description of John Coltrane's influence on jazz, is one of the highlights of the album. Hubka's delivery is straight forward and compelling while everyone gets an opportunity to stretch out paying their personal homage to the seminally influential tenor saxophonist. Especially commanding is Scott Whifield's trombone solo. "Never Never Land" (somewhere between Oz and Wonderland, I suppose), has a fairy tale aura about it. Along with Hubka's delicate phrasing, there's an extended solo by guitarist John Hart with Tony Moreno's drums dancing among the chords of the guitar. Hubka shows that she is no slouch with a guitar as she honors one her mentors, Bob Dorough, on "Small Day Tomorrow." With "Baltimore Oriole" comes a mood change. As Hart's guitar provides just the right accents to complement her vocal eloquence, Hubka goes blues with the Hoagy Carmichael tune, recalling the versions by Carmen McRae and Lorez Alexandria. Another singer who explores material similar material, Meredith d'Ambrosio. Another contribution to making this album as successful as it is the balance Hubka strikes between straight singing and wordless vocalizing and scatting. She doesn't scat on every tune but when she does, it is important to the lyrical message she is conveying. Other singers could learn a good deal from listening to the album.

Also, a major factor in the success of the session is Hubka's supporting cast. Special mention needs to be made of Frank Kimbrough whose piano is the glue which holds the session together. Diane Hubka belongs to the coterie of special singers who can work magic with off the beaten track material. Irene Kral, Jeri Southern, Meredith d'Ambrosio, Sheila Jordan and Blossom Dearie are other members of this special group. This album is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5806#.UkIxnxAkI5c

Personnel: Diane Hubka-Vocals, Guitar; John Hart-Guitar; Frank Kimbrough-Piano; Dean Johnson - Bass; Tony Moreno - Drums; Scott Whitfield -Trombone

Look No Further

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