Rebecca DuMaine, Dave Miller Trio - Someday, Someday

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 116,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:09) 1. Just Friends
(4:04) 2. Alone Again (Naturally)
(3:59) 3. Samba De Mon Coeur Qui Bat
(3:47) 4. The Gentleman is a Dope
(3:38) 5. Someday, Someday
(4:02) 6. Both Sides Now
(2:56) 7. Time to Get Unstuck (Happy Little New Song)
(4:41) 8. As Long as I Live
(4:00) 9. On a Clear Day
(3:29) 10. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
(3:28) 11. Cry Me a River
(2:43) 12. La Vie En Rose Au Privave
(3:13) 13. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(3:08) 14. Sunny

Rebecca DuMaine has a lightness and fragility to her sound that calls to mind Blossom Dearie, and, as with Blossom, that lightness extends to her perfectly realized scat in musically astute, smile-inducing style. Her terrific new recording, Someday, Someday, is filled with great songs (both classic and contemporary) and offers many pleasant surprises. It is also filled with great playing by the singer’s father, Dave Miller on piano (he also supplied all the arrangements), Chuck Bennett on bass, and Bill Belasco on drums. The album opens with an unexpectedly rollicking version of “Just Friends” (John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis) revealing a resiliency against loss and sadness, a refusal to give in to heartbreak with unassuming strength that creates an album offering interesting re-examinations of well-known material. She never denies the hurt but she never lets it overwhelm her. The words to “Alone Again (Naturally)” (Gilbert O’Sullivan) become new and fresh from this perspective, replacing what can be overwhelming angst with healthy acceptance. Her repeated “alone again”s in the closing moments are an inspired ending.

Amid haunting chord changes, pleasant echoes of Astrud Gilberto abound in “Samba de Mon Coeur Qui Bat” (Benjamin Biolay) but with considerably more spine. One of my favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein songs, “The Gentleman Is a Dope,” stands out with a sparkling arrangement in which she makes a feast of the tasty lyrics while swinging to beat (or in this case match) the band. Her “Both Sides Now” (Joni Mitchell) has a sweetness that is lovely and a simplicity of delivery that allows the poetry to work for itself without overemphasis. The recording includes two of the singer’s original songs. The title song is musically derivative (apart from impressive percussion by Belasco) and lyrically problematic, but, on the other, “Time to Get Unstuck (Happy Little New Song),” the words are strong and flow naturally over an insinuating melody. “As Long as I Live” (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) affords an extended scat chorus showing off DuMaine’s savvy musicality against Miller’s sparse accompaniment, displaying the swinging reserve of Count Basie. A slower than expected “On a Clear Day” (Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner) sparkles anew in a performance filled with hope and wonder.

If nothing else, this recording would have had me at “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan” (Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz), one of my favorite songs from my favorite movie musical, The Band Wagon, and Jack Buchanan’s finest three minutes. It starts as a sad and slow acceptance of heartbreak and grows into a soft-shoe shuffle that perfectly cushions DuMaine’s bittersweet vocal. “Cry Me a River” (Arthur Hamilton) is done in three-quarter time over the usual bluesy-ness, and it is a literal breath of fresh air. The brittleness of her delivery and her understatement really work here. The singer and her trio transform “La Vie en Rose” (Louiguy, Marguerite Monnot/Édith Piaf) into something downright Ellingtonian. “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams” (Harry Barris/Ted Koehler, Billy Moll) is the most explicit declaration of what I suspect she wanted the entire project to be: a tuneful roadmap out of these dark and depressing times. She closes grooving on Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny” and offers a post-pandemic forecast of much better days ahead. Someday, Someday and Rebecca DuMaine’s vocals display an economy, intelligence, warmth, and energy that make the recording an entertaining and welcome respite from the madness the world has to offer at the moment. https://bistroawards.com/cd-review-rebecca-dumaine-and-the-dave-miller-trio-someday-someday/

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine, vocals; Dave Miller, piano ; Chuck Bennett, bass; Bill Belasco, drums

Someday, Someday

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Rebecca DuMaine, Dave Miller Combo - Chez Nous

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. When in Rome
(3:52)  2. So Danca Samba
(4:19)  3. I've Never Been in Love Before
(2:59)  4. Everything I Got Belongs to You
(3:12)  5. Chez Moi
(4:55)  6. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:55)  7. Tangerine
(3:02)  8. Yesterday
(3:37)  9. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me
(4:21) 10. Just the Two of Us
(4:29) 11. Give Me the Simple Life
(5:09) 12. Alice in Wonderland
(4:31) 13. Do It the Hard Way
(3:37) 14. Que Reste-T-Il/i Wish You Love

Jazz vocalist Rebecca Dumaine is the daughter of pianist Dave Miller and they collaborate for a generous program of mostly standards, several done rather inventively. Joining are bassist Chuck Bennett, drummer Bill Belasco, and on eight of the 14, guitarist Brad Buethe. This is Bay Area’s Dumaine’s fifth CD. Her father has led his own piano trio, with whom Dumaine often works, in the area since the 70s. Two things are immediately striking upon listening to the opening playful “When In Rome.” Dumaine has perfect phrasing, tone and articulation while Miller’s deft touch evokes George Shearing. Jobim’s “So Danco Samba” follows where Dumaine sings in Portuguese. “I’ve Never Been In Love Before”(usually performed as a ballad) is taken in medium tempo and “Everything I’ve Got Belongs to You” is ramped up to a cooking tempo. Dumaine clearly understands every lyric she sings, and if you listen carefully, you can hear her hanging on to or accentuating certain words as she sings. She sings “Chez Moi” in French and beautifully presents an extended version with a rarely heard verse in “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” featuring economic solos from Miller, Bennett and Buethe. “Tangerine” is Latin flavored, leading into an emotive father-daughter piano-vocal duet reading of Lennon and McCartney’s “Yesterday.” “You’re Getting To Be a Habit With Me,’ the 50s standard was inspired by the Frank Sinatra and Elaine Elias recordings as Dumaine and combo put a fresh spin on it. They do Bill Withers’ “Just the Two of Us” in the style of Grover Washington Jr., swinging a bit harder with soulful piano and guitar solos. 

They swing on “Give Me the Simple Life” and transform the waltz “Alice in Wonderland” into 4/4 time with improvisations and joyful vocals. “Do It the Hard Way” is an obscure Rodgers and Hart tune, partly inspired by Chet Baker’s version, with piano/drums dialogue and wordless singing during the second vocal. Dumaine sings in both English and French in the animated closer “Que Beste-l-il/I Wish You Love.” Miller comments on the project – This was our most relaxed recording. We were able to go for it more and stretch the music,” Rebecca adds, “The overall tone of the CD is light, playful and engaging rather than being traditional love songs. We love discovering gems from the American songbook that are not overplayed and that we can make into something new.” Some say the Great American Songbook is overplayed ad nauseum. The truth is that there is so much great material there, aside from the same old tunes we usually hear. Many lend themselves to more inventive interpretation as represented here. This will put a smile on your face. While it may not stun you, there’s nothing not to like. 

~ Jim Hynes https://www.makingascene.org/rebecca-dumaine-and-the-dave-miller-combo-chez-nous/

Personel: Rebecca DuMaine - Vocal; Dave Miller - Piano; Chuck Bennett -Bass; Bill Belasco -Drums; Brad Buethe - Guitar

Chez Nous

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Rebecca DuMaine, The Dave Miller Trio - Happy Madness

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 118,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Nobody Else but Me
(4:04)  2. Samba Saravah
(4:37)  3. Like Someone in Love
(3:45)  4. Take a Chance
(4:36)  5. So Nice
(4:22)  6. It's Alright with Me
(2:50)  7. I'm Old Fashioned
(6:07)  8. This Happy Madness
(2:40)  9. Here, There and Everywhere
(3:44) 10. The More I See You
(4:12) 11. Destination Moon
(3:06) 12. Haven't We Met
(3:44) 13. Spider Man

There's a natural appeal in Rebecca DuMaine's vocal work. Perhaps it's due to her straightforward approach, reflective of a theater background yet undeniably tethered to pure jazz. She puts a song across with a smile, capitalizing on her innate ebullience, and she gives the impression that she knows of what she sings. On this, DuMaine's fourth album on the Summit imprint, she continues her work with the Dave Miller Trio. She has a longstanding connection to this group the leader-pianist is her father, and the trio has accompanied her on all of her previous releases and that makes for a hand-in-glove fit. 

There may be slight changes in personnel from past albums a different bassist, the addition of one new guest (and the return of one familiar one) but it's basically business as usual for this crew. DuMaine's sunny side is tapped to the fullest extent over the course of these thirteen tracks. Everything is emotionally upbeat, regardless of tempo or style, and there's a glimmer in every musical action. Some numbers launch with swinging verve ("Nobody Else But Me") and others enter with lights-are-low intimacy before settling in ("Like Someone In Love"). DuMaine finds comfort in myriad settings along the way, gaily waltzing along ("Haven't We Met"), exploring a classic from The Beatles with only her father at her side ("Here, There And Everywhere"), delivering a "Sing, Sing, Sing"-esque spin on a famous thematic ode to the world's favorite web-slinger ("Spider Man"), and mining Brazilian music and rhythms to good effect on a number of occasions. Through it all, DuMaine is ably assisted by Miller, bassist Perry Thoorsell, drummer Bill Belasco, and, on occasion, guitarist Brad Buethe and saxophonist Pete Cornell. Everybody on that list helps to accentuate the mood(s) at hand by playing to the songs and adding concise solo statements at one time or another. If there's one potential drawback here, it's that things may be a bit too orderly and proper. This isn't risk-taking music. But should you really consider refinement and clarity of expression a flaw? Probably not. DuMaine, Miller, and the rest of the crew are a polished bunch, and these songs show it. 

If you're looking for a ray-of-sunshine statement capable of blocking out the negative energy in the world, this is it. ~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/happy-madness-rebecca-dumaine-summit-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine: vocals; Dave Miller: piano; Perry Thoorsell: bass; Bill Belasco: drums; Brad Buethe: guitar; Pete Cornell: saxophone.

Happy Madness

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Dave Miller Trio, Rebecca DuMaine - Deed I Do

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:16
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Deed I Do
(3:15)  2. Moonlight Saving Time
(4:07)  3. I Love Being Here With You
(3:24)  4. I Like Men
(4:09)  5. Quiet Nights
(2:54)  6. Problem
(3:16)  7. Trolley Song
(3:12)  8. Isn't This a Lovely Day
(3:19)  9. Frim Fram Sauce
(2:49) 10. Rhode Island
(2:58) 11. All I Do Is Dream of You
(3:33) 12. The Boy Next Door

Dave Miller's first recording on Summit reached #12 on the JazzWeek radio chart, here he brings the vocals of Rebecca Dumaine and the 'great American songbook' for an absolute wonderfully performed, very enjoyable recording! Traditional standards from the Great American Songbook never grow old and are indeed given new life on this marvelous outing! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Deed-Dave-Miller-Rebecca-Dumaine/dp/B006RY5EAY

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine: vocals; Dave Miller: piano.

Deed I Do

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Dave Miller Trio Feat. Rebecca DuMaine - The Consequence of You

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Beautiful Love
(4:19)  2. Pure Imagination
(4:36)  3. One Note Samba
(4:05)  4. Exactly Like You
(4:29)  5. Down with Love
(3:56)  6. You've Changed
(4:08)  7. Put on a Happy Face
(4:19)  8. The Face That I Love
(4:23)  9. There Will Never Be Another Love
(3:55) 10. They Say It's Spring
(4:56) 11. Too Close for Comfort
(2:36) 12. If I Were a Bell

Rebecca DuMaine’s versatility is reflected in her delivery, subtle phrasing, and controlled intonation. She’s also comfortable in both upper and lower registers; dig her accurate resonant extended tones! 

Over the past 30 years, the Dave Miller Trio has played publicly and privately throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. http://www.summitrecords.com/release/the-consequence-of-you-dave-miller-trio-wtih-rebecca-dumaine/

Featured Artists:  Rebecca DuMaine: vocals/ David Miller: piano/ Mario Suraci: bass/ Bill Belasco: drums

The Consequence of You

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The Dave Miller Trio With Rebecca DuMaine - Better Than Anything

Size: 121,0 MB
Time: 51:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Better Than Anything (3:09)
02. You For Me (3:27)
03. Sometime Ago (4:13)
04. Oh, Look At Me Now (3:18)
05. No More Blues (2:52)
06. What Is There To Say (3:49)
07. I'm Gonna Go Fishin' (3:26)
08. Telephone Song (2:32)
09. I Just Found Out About Love (2:46)
10. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:47)
11. Cheek To Cheek (3:56)
12. It's Love (2:55)
13. Dreamer (4:24)
14. Lucky To Be Me (2:48)
15. That's All (4:04)

Better Than Anything is about past and present, songs and singers, influences and memories, and father-and-daughter chemistry. It's the second album, following Deed I Do, that finds vocalist Rebeccas DuMaine joining forces with her father, pianist Dave Miller.

DuMaine and Miller share more than genetic code, as they both seem to thrive in customized, straightforward settings. They don't really try to do anything out of the ordinary, but they aren't about mundane music making either. DuMaine and Miller basically take these songs down the center lane, have a blast doing it, and remind the world that too much ado has been made about too-clever-by-half arrangements and performances.

All fifteen tracks on this album are tightly organized numbers that fall into the two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half minute range. Miller's solos are concise and well-formed, DuMaine's performances are poised and pleasing, and bassist Mario Suraci and drummer Bill Belasco prove to be solid backers all the way through.

The program includes nods to Frank Sinatra ("Oh, Look At Me Now"), Irene Kral ("Better Than Anything"), Antonio Carlos Jobim ("No More Blues" and "Dreamer") and numerous others, but DuMaine doesn't try to recreate what those artists did with these songs. She just finds inspiration in their work and goes on her way, delivering the songs as she pleases.

Better Than Anything is simply a smartly-tailored collection of songs put together by a foursome that knows of what it speaks. ~Review by Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine: vocals; Dave Miller: piano; Mario Suraci: bass; Bill Belasco: drums.

Better Than Anything

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