Laura Theodore - What Is This Thing Called Jazz?

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:37)  2. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:10)  3. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:26)  4. Summertime
(3:51)  5. There Will Never Be Another You
(4:04)  6. The Man I love
(3:53)  7. I Got It Bad
(2:59)  8. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(2:57)  9. The Lady Is A Tramp
(5:13) 10. As Time Goes By
(2:32) 11. When I Fall In Love

Laura Theodore's voice is a diverse instrument. It plummets to alto depths in "Lullaby of Birdland" where it also heads way over the top. She likes showing off her spectacular range and vocal stylings on most of the standards here. Theodore's musicianship and that of her band produce plenty of wonderful musical moments. But her vocal gyrations sometimes make you feel like you're on an exhausting roller coaster ride.~ Sunsh Stein http://jazztimes.com/articles/9730-what-is-this-thing-called-jazz-laura-theodore

Personnel: Laura Theodore (vocals); Kelly Conner, Don Rebic (piano); Eric Wollman (guitar); Leon Dorsey, Donald Gladstone (bass); Vincent Ector, Neil Tufano (drums).

What Is This Thing Called Jazz?

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Laura Theodore - Tonight's The Night

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:35
Size: 68,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Better Days
(5:36)  2. I'll Never Get Over You
(4:09)  3. Tonight's the Night
(5:10)  4. Shooby Do
(5:34)  5. Where Did the Love Go?
(4:15)  6. You Got the Love

Laura Theodore's debut CD was co-written with jazz pianist Don Rebic, and features Big Band charts arranged by Alan Foust. This recording contains six originals and three cover tunes, and features some of New York’s finest musicians, including Randy Brecker on trumpet, Joe Beck on guitar, Chip Jackson on bass, Michael Berkowitz on drums, Andy Snitzer and Lou Marini on sax.

"I am so proud to finally be releasing "Tonight's the Night," on CD Baby. This CD has to be my favorite over all because it is an extension of me, my life, and my music in all forms. It started one spring afternoon when I got a call from my musical director and long time friend Don Rebic: “I was thinking”he hesitated “let’s write and produce our own jazz record. Let’s record our own music, the music we enjoy playing.” Thus, Tonight’s the Night was born. For the following year we wrote, recorded, edited, wrote again, mixed, recorded, edited again, recorded again, mastered, and finally finished our “labor of love” project. I am so grateful to Don, Alan Foust, and all of the incredible, virtuoso musicians who lent their talents to this recording to make it so special. The lyrics come from the bottom of my heart, and the music speaks my story." ~ Laura Theodore

"Laura Theodore’s powerful voice is lined with velvet and versatility. The New Yorker’s fantastic four-octave range is showcased on six originals co-written with polished pianist Don Rebic." ~ Patricia Myers, Jazz Times

"For the last few weeks I have had the pleasure of playing Laura Theodore - Tonight's The Night  on my radio show, ‘Nite Owl Jazz,’ WWCD-101-FM, Columbus, Ohio. Listener response has been terrific and I’ll be using many tracks from the CD for months to come. She is the most dynamic, exciting, and versatile singer I’ve heard in a long time and I’ve been a professional DJ since 1959. Voice, feeling, style, drama she has it all. Count me in as one of her most enthusiastic fans." ~ Fritz the Nite Owl, Smooth Jazz Radio, Columbus, Ohio

"Tonight’s the Night (digital version) is co-written by Laura Theodore and keyboard player Don Rebic. The Theodore-Rebic compositions include “I’ll Never Get Over You,” a smoky torch song that shows off Theodore’s range and versatility, with notes dipping to throaty growls, then climbing to Sarah Vaughan-like soprano." ~ Dianne Zuckerman, Denver Daily Camera http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/theodore3

Personnel: Laura Theodore (vocals); Don Rebic (piano, synthesizer); Andy Snitzer (alto saxophone); Lou Marini (tenor saxophone); Bob Milikan, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Jim Pugh (trombone); Alan Faust (synthesizer); Joe Beck (guitar); Chip Jackson (bass); Michael Berkowitz, Graham Hawthorne (drums); Sue Evans (percussion); Norma Garbo, Maria Bartolotta (background vocals).

Tonight's The Night

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Joe Beck, Laura Theodore - Golden Earrings

Styles: Vocal and Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:32
Size: 109,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Johnny Guitar
(2:25)  2. Why Don't You Do Right?
(3:10)  3. Take a Little Time To Smile
(3:55)  4. Fever
(2:31)  5. My Small Senor
(2:23)  6. Don't Smoke In Bed
(3:35)  7. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:32)  8. You Was Right Baby
(2:56)  9. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(3:08) 10. Solitude
(2:04) 11. Everything Is Moving Too Fast
(3:17) 12. When You Speak With Your Eyes
(3:15) 13. Golden Earrings
(2:59) 14. I Don't Know Enough About You
(3:20) 15. What More Can a Woman Do?
(2:27) 16. Manana

The duet program Golden Earrings is Laura Theodore's ode to Peggy Lee's standard-setting duets with her husband, guitarist and co-composer Dave Barbour. Subsequent circumstances have added a sadder tribute to Theodore's instrumental partner, guitarist Joe Beck, who recorded his final work on Golden Earrings before he succumbed to cancer in July 2008. Tribute offerings can be tricky propositions. If you stay too close to the originals, critics say that you're simply "aping" them; change them too much and critics complain that you've strayed too far. Golden Earrings shows how Theodore and Beck mastered both approaches. Theodore delivers her most confident and flirty vocal on Lee's famous cougar growl "Why Don't You Do Right," keeping its sultry beat with Beck. But they completely reinvent "Fever" by highlighting its "off rhythms" and trading a vamped ending that blasts the original tune into a completely different universe. 

Theodore and Beck consistently sound like they're simply having a ball working this material out. Beck strums out a sunny bossa nova to walk with Theodore's bright and warm vocal in "Take a Little Time to Smile." His accompaniment in "Don't Smoke in Bed" seems played in no discernable rhythm; he simply follows the vocal in whatever time Theodore chooses to sing the perfect accompanist. Theodore snaps off "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" like she's popping bubble gum, and she reshapes the melody and rhythm of "I Get Along Without You Very Well" like Ella Fitzgerald would, transforming Hoagy Carmichael's original into a lilting, soft blue haze. It seems entirely appropriate in retrospect that Beck's electric guitar haunts the first verses to introduce Theodore's voice and open "Johnny Guitar." No writer or speaker could craft a finer eulogy than Beck's own guitar voice. Theodore and Beck may use different instruments, but they sing in one voice. The final line of the title track, a mysterious tale of romantic gypsy legend, presents your invitation to enjoy this offering: "Let this pair of golden earrings cast their spell tonight."~ Chris M. Slawecki http://www.allaboutjazz.com/golden-earrings-laura-theodore-whaling-city-sound-review-by-chris-m-slawecki.php

Personnel: Laura Theodore: vocals; Joe Beck: guitars.

Golden Earrings

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