Erin Boheme - What Love Is

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Someone To Love
(4:14)  2. One Night With Frank
(4:39)  3. Let's Make The Most Of A Beautiful Thing
(5:00)  4. What Love Is
(4:39)  5. Teach Me Tonight
(4:26)  6. Make You Happy
(4:35)  7. Give Me One Reason
(6:07)  8. Anything
(5:08)  9. Let's Do It
(3:28) 10. I Love Being Here With You
(4:10) 11. Don't Be Something You Ain't

Wisconsin native Erin Boheme was only 18 when she found herself recording for the house that Carl Jefferson built: Concord Jazz. Some people who heard What Love Is, Boheme's debut album, questioned whether or not it belonged on a jazz-oriented label; truth be told, this 2006 release has as much to do with jazzy pop as it does with jazz. But even though Boheme is by no means a jazz purist, she is clearly jazz-influenced and besides, the late Rosemary Clooney was a fixture at Concord throughout the '80s and '90s despite the fact that her specialty was jazz-influenced traditional pop rather than hardcore vocal jazz. So stylistically, this crossover effort (which is best described as traditional pop meets vocal jazz meets adult contemporary) isn't inappropriate for Concord. If Boheme is a crossover artist at heart, that's fine as long as she strives for quality and this is a pleasant, if undeveloped and mildly inconsistent, debut from the Midwestern singer. Concord was obviously hoping to reach the Norah Jones crowd with What Love Is, which makes sense because Boheme's vocals hint at Jones in addition to hinting at Billie Holiday. Boheme favors a sweetly girlish approach, although she seems to be aiming for some of Julie London and Peggy Lee's sultriness as well. And even though her performances aren't breathtaking, Boheme shows herself to be a likable singer on a CD that ranges from a few Tin Pan Alley warhorses (including Sammy Cahn's "Teach Me Tonight" and Cole Porter's "Let's Do It") to Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" to several tunes that Boheme co-wrote. This is by no means a bad album, although it is the work of an artist who still has some growing and developing to do. All things considered, Boheme is worth keeping an eye on. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-love-is-mw0000355204

What Love Is

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Erin Boheme - What A Life

Styles: Jazz Contemporary
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:50
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Everyone But Me
(3:27)  2. I Missed You Today
(3:09)  3. In My Place
(3:34)  4. In My Shoes
(4:09)  5. The Last Time
(4:33)  6. I Do I Do
(3:18)  7. He Isn't You
(3:44)  8. One More Try
(3:54)  9. What A Life
(3:39) 10. I'd Love To Be Your Last

When teenaged Wisconsinite Erin Boheme made her recording debut in 2006, she opted for a too-mature style that suggested Marilyn Monroe by way of Billie Holiday. Now, at age 25, Boheme has settled into a far more age-appropriate groove that seems composed of equal parts Sophie Milman and Taylor Swift. Last time out, Boheme also favored several tunes geared toward an older, more seasoned performer. Here, Boheme’s largely original material (among the 10 tracks there are only two covers, one from David Foster and another from Miranda Lambert) is better suited to her age and demeanor.

The album’s producer is Michael Bublé, marking the crooner’s first venture on the opposite side of the mic. Bublé was, as is widely documented, a protégé of Foster’s. So it’s hardly surprising that he favors Foster-esque arrangements throughout. Every track is, it seems, another opportunity to transform a simple, pretty love song into a slice of steamrolling pop. Bublé also lent Boheme his touring band—pianist Alan Chang, guitarist Dino Meheghin, bassist Craig Polasko and drummer Robb Perkins—an able foursome, surely well versed in the nuts and bolts of Foster-esque overproduction, complete with waves of syrupy strings.

There are some solid tunes buried in the excess, particularly the forthright “In My Shoes,” the gently swinging “He Isn’t You” and the tender, Henry Mancini-inspired title track. Boheme also duets with her producer on Lambert’s “I’d Love to Be Your Last.” Surprisingly, though, given that Bublé’s pulling the strings, he sounds oddly detached throughout.~ Christopher Loudon(http://jazztimes.com/articles/58997-what-a-life-erin-boheme).

Personnel: Erin Boheme (vocals); Dino Meheghin (guitar); Nancy Dinovo, Mary Sokol Brown (violin); Hal Foxton Beckett (viola); Ari Barnes (cello); Alan Chang (piano); Robert Perkins (drums).

What A Life

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