Nancy Kelly - Remembering Mark Murphy

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:06
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Empty Faces (Vera Cruz)
(5:09)  2. Song for the Geese
(5:03)  3. Again
(5:57)  4. I'm Glad There Is You
(4:18)  5. On the Red Clay
(4:45)  6. Night Mood (Lembra)
(4:50)  7. Stolen Moments
(6:38)  8. Body and Soul
(3:52)  9. Sunday in New York
(4:51) 10. This Could Be the Start of Something Big

"People often ask me who my favorite singer is, and my answer is always, without hesitation, Mark Murphy. He was “the real deal.” With Mark’s passing, I was moved to honor him musically with this recording.

I joined musical forces with pianist John DiMartino on this project. He too is a huge Mark Murphy fan and we are very excited to see this endeavor take on its own life. You certainly won't need to be a Mark fan to be moved by the music I’ve chosen for this recording.

Mark’s music went through many changes as he grew and matured. I've recorded the songs that most affected me over the years as an artist. These compositions nourished me and gave birth to my jazz soul.

Mark grew up in Fulton, NY, not far from Fair Haven NY, where I’ve been living for many years. After getting to know him on and off the bandstand, I was thrilled to find out he spent many summers with his family in Fair Haven and he adored Little Sodus Bay, which inspired him to write the lyrics to “Song for the Geese.” The song has a profound place in my heart. As I worked on developing this recording, I gazed out my window on the bay and drew love and inspiration.

Some cuts we chose are Mark Murphy classics. Randy Brecker joined us for Body and Soul, Red Clay and Vera Cruz, and as he did on Mark's original recordings of these tracks.

When John and I developed the material, we agreed to keep the integrity of some of these numbers while I joyfully took liberties with some of the others." (by Nancy Kelly)

Randy Brecker: "Nancy Kelly's tribute to Mark Murphy is wonderful remembrance and dedication to one of the jazz world's greatest vocalists. Each track brings something new to the table though...a heartfelt effort that I was proud to be a part of, having known/toured with Mark, and played on a couple of his albums."

Eric Cohen, Former WAER Music director and 2-time award winning programmer of the year says: " The CD is a Masterpiece "

Frank Wilner,  WNHN FM 94.7 Concord, NH: " You have a winner here, very classy recording"

Peter Jones, author of the 2018  Biography, This Is Hip: The Life of Mark Murphy had this to say about the CD.: "This hip and mellow album is far more than a tribute to the great Mark Murphy; it’s an outstanding contribution to vocal jazz in its own right. With her warm, sensuous voice, Nancy Kelly has recorded sleek contemporary interpretations of the songs that formed such an integral part of the Mark Murphy repertoire."

Scott Elias, Freelance Film Producer and President  at Random Acts Entertainment: " The charts are all cool, and your PHRASING just slays me!  It's like listening to Mark Murphy's hip kid sister, who is now a woman who shares his sensibilities, but has her OWN impeccable virtuosity and unique experiences to share."

Personnel:
Nancy Kelly, Vocals, Executive Producer
John DiMartino, Piano, Arranger and Producer
Randy Brecker, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, 1,5,8
Bobby Militello, Soprano, Alto, Flute, 1,4,5,6,7,8,9
Paul Bollenback,  Electric Guitar 3,6,9
Paul Meyers, Acoustic Guitar 1,2,
Ed Howard, Electric and Acoustic bass
Carmen Intorre Jr, Drums and Percussion
Peter Mack,  Co-Executive Producer. bass 10
Steve Brown guitar, conga.10

Remembering Mark Murphy

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Nancy Kelly - Well, Alright!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:41
Size: 135,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. But Not For Me
(5:06)  2. I Wish You Love
(5:51)  3. Who Can I Turn To
(4:56)  4. I Only Have Eyes For You
(4:12)  5. I Love Being Here With You
(4:01)  6. Let's Fall In Love
(5:55)  7. For Once In My Life
(6:02)  8. Alright, Okay, You Win
(5:32)  9. Since I Fell For You
(6:35) 10. Let It Be Me
(5:54) 11. Fine And Mellow

The best things in life, and jazz, happen spontaneously. Which brings us directly to Ms Kelly, who again has teamed up with tenorist Houston Person. They collaborated in ’06 on Born to Swing; now their unique rapport graces a fledgling label in Bellevue, WA, Saying It With Jazz. Kelly and Person say it with eloquence, spread over eleven live tracks, backed by a highly responsive rhythm section: pianist Randy Halberstadt; bassist Jeff Johnson; and drummer Gary Hobbs. Kelly gives a master class on every track, belting “But Not For Me” at supersonic speed, avoiding words as if they were road-blocks, but never losing the jazz pulse. Person quotes from “Third Man Theme;’ Halberstadt offers his own, from “Surrey With the Fringe.” Kelly comes roaring back for the out chorus, resorting to scat for the title. “Who Can I Turn To” gives Kelly a chance to channel Carmen McRae; Anita O’Day is conjured up during “I Only Have Eyes,” containing Kelly’s signature visceral growl. Her range comes in handy on “Let’s Fall in Love:” she ends on the fifth, then suddenly swoops an octave higher. The girl’s fearless; does it again at the end of “Let It Be Me.” The title tune gives Halberstadt his solo highlight: Brubeck-flavored. Person’s tour de force comes on “Since I Fell For You.” BIllie Holiday’s “Fine & Mellow” evolves into a shuffle-shout, call-and-response with Kelly’s adoring audience. That’s how it went all night: the humor of a jazz conversation with everyone hearing each other; no need for arrangements. Person is a sensitive listener, filling in Kelly’s gaps with intelligent comments. The two must be joined at the hip very hip. ~ Harvey Siders https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/nancy-kelly-well-alright/

Well, Alright!

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Nancy Kelly - B That Way

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:50
Size: 139,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Come Back to Me
(5:09)  2. Don't Explain
(5:28)  3. Common Touch
(5:06)  4. Billie's Bounce
(5:31)  5. Here's Looking at You
(4:39)  6. The Great City
(5:32)  7. Don't Go to Strangers
(3:57)  8. Day In Day Out
(4:47)  9. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(4:24) 10. Please Don't Talk About Me Whe
(6:10) 11. The Very Thought of You
(5:59) 12. Good Morning Heartache

The Hammond B-3 organ has been in my life from the very early days of my career. It was there throughout my musical evolution from Rock to R&B and on to jazz. In the early Eighties, I moved to Philly and began singing at the “salt and mostly pepper” jazz club Jewel’s on Broad St., where for 4 years I was the house singer with an organ trio made up of local Philly cats. At the time I didn’t know it, but I was at B-3 jazz ground zero. Jewel’s was host to headliners such as Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, local favorite Trudy Pitts and a very young Joey DeFrancesco. I was in heaven. The organ trio sound had now become a major part of my musical fiber. We had a good long run at Jewel’s. Sadly, years later the club closed and, for various reasons, I moved back to upstate New York.

I spent the next era with piano. One day on a trio gig, Dino Losito used the organ sound on his keyboard and we both knew where we were headed. We loved it and dove into the sound, working solely as an organ trio for the past 6 years, and it led to this recording.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nancykelly22

Personnel: Nancy Kelly - Vocals;  Jerry Weldon - Tenor Sax;  Dino Losito - Hammond Organ;  Peter Bernstein – Guitar;  Carmen Intorre Drums

B That Way

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Nancy Kelly - Singin' & Swingin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:52
Size: 118.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Till There Was You
[4:55] 2. That's All
[1:47] 3. The Joint Is Jumpin'
[3:21] 4. At Long Last Love
[4:46] 5. Young and Foolish
[4:36] 6. It's All Right With Me
[3:29] 7. Slow Boat to China
[5:00] 8. Stormy Weather
[4:23] 9. I Concentrate on You
[5:18] 10. Through the Fire
[5:25] 11. Jennine
[4:45] 12. Come in from the Rain

Nancy Kelly has often found herself compared to Dianne Schuur, and the comparison rings true on Singin' and Swingin', a highly arranged CD that has as much to do with pop as it does with jazz. The singer (who has a charming quality to her voice) isn't a hardcore, true-blue improviser, but she does provide some decent scat singing on occasion. Kelly gets into a jazz groove on Duke Pearson's "Jeanine" and Cole Porter's "It's Alright With Me," while her take on Fats Waller's "The Joint Is Jumpin'" isn't unlike the sort of cabaret-influenced jazz Susannah McCorkle would do. But on material ranging from the standard "Young and Foolish" to Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire" and the Captain and Tennille's "Come In From the Rain," you're hearing what is essentially jazzy pop. Although not fantastic and not very challenging, Singin' and Swingin' is a pleasant, if conventional, release that has its moments. ~Alex Henderson

Singin' & Swingin'

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Nancy Kelly - Born To Swing

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:57
Size: 131,1 MB
Scans: Front

(5:01)  1. I've Got the World on a String
(3:44)  2. Like Someone In Love
(5:15)  3. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(5:37)  4. More Than You Know
(3:14)  5. Falling In Love With Love
(4:38)  6. Let Me Off Uptown
(6:15)  7. Didn't We
(3:18)  8. Come Rain or Come Shine
(5:12)  9. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:54) 10. Watch What Happens
(6:10) 11. New York State of Mind
(4:33) 12. Let's Talk Business

Nancy Kelly is a jazz vocalist who has recorded three albums since 1988 on the Amherst label. Born in Rochester, Kelly lives on Lake Ontario between Syracuse and Rochester in upstate New York. Her new album has the decided advantage of presenting her with a fine quartet: Houston Person (tenor sax), Dino Losito (keyboards), Neal Miner (bass) and Mark Taylor (drums). Their music, and especially the obbligatos and solo work by Person, lift this album up a notch. The presence of Nancy Kelly suggests the sympatico relationship that the tenor saxophonist shared with signer Etta Jones for so long. I'm not saying that Nancy Kelly's recording persona is anything like that of Etta Jones, but this disc hints at enough of a suggestion of the shared musical moments between Person and Kelly.

The songs are all serviceable and Kelly does breathe some life into such familiar jazz vehicles as "I've Got The World On A String," "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "Like Someone in Love." After providing several soulful moments on the opening, Houston Person steps out "for a cup of coffee" and only reappears on the midway mark of the album. Thank goodness, for the very solid playing of pianist Dino Losito, another regular from New York's Southern Tier, who provides some two-fisted support for Kelly, as well as efforts by Miner and Taylor. When Person returns on "Come Rain Or Come Shine," the listener can settle back into a full comfort mode.

Coincidentally, Nancy Kelly opened for a jazz act in suburban Long Island that I had planned to attend and I did get a bonus opportunity to hear and meet the singer under working conditions. Her backing trio of Sarah Jane Cion (piano), Jerry Bruno (bass) and Joe Cocuzzo (drums) cooked, and Kelly showed her skills at both scatting and singing, taking a lot more freedom with the melodies. In addition, Kelly shared showed great ease with her musicians and exuded a hipness with both the audience and her trio.

Personnel: Nancy Kelly: vocals: Houston Person: tenor saxophone; Dino Losito: piano, Fender Rhodes; Neal Miner: bass; Mark Taylor: drums. (By Michael P. Gladstone) http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=22270#.Unfme-IufKc

Born To Swing

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Nancy Kelly - Live Jazz

Styles: Vocal,  Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:59
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Since I Fell for You
(5:20)  2. Twisted
(5:28)  3. Somewhere
(4:06)  4. But Not for Me
(5:15)  5. Yesterdays
(6:01)  6. Over the Rainbow
(5:57)  7. Lover Man
(4:43)  8. Almost Like Being in Love
(5:48)  9. I Wish You Love

Discover the spontaneity of digital jazz as Nancy breaths new life into classic Jazz Standard favorites with help, from some of today’s most prestigious and accomplished musicians. From swing to sultry ballads, Nancy demonstrates her incredible ability from start to finish.

Ernie Watt’s ripping sax embellishes each track with fiery and distinctive sounds. Ex Weather Report drummer Peter Erskin leads the rhythm section of Biff Hannon (Piano) and Tom Warrington (Bass) with unparalleled precision and excitement.  http://www.nancykelly.com/livejazz.shtml

Live Jazz

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