Sachal Vasandani, Romain Collin - Midnight Shelter

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:17) 1. Summer No School
(4:41) 2. Before You Go
(3:29) 3. Adore You
(3:31) 4. River Man
(4:07) 5. Great Ocean Road
(4:41) 6. Throw It Away
(3:19) 7. Don't think Twice, It's All Right
(3:08) 8. Love Away
(2:46) 9. Blackbird
(4:55) 10. Dance Cadaverous
(3:25) 11. One Last Try

"I'll leave you to your crowds," Sachal Vasandani murmurs to start off an album that couldn't be less suited to being with a crowd. The touch of irony is apt. The sound of Midnight Shelter is a lonely and thoughtful one (a reflection of the music's origin in a season of isolation), yet as with its title, there's a vital comforting angle too. This duality makes a gorgeous and mostly soothing listen for pandemic times. The players don't shy away from the sadness and uncertainty of their circumstances, which makes the underlying warmth resonate that much more in the end.

Comprising only Vasandani's butterscotch croon and Romain Collin's subtly eloquent piano, the recording is the exact personification of beautiful late-night quiet if anything, midnight almost feels on the early side for this wee-hours mood. The musicians are friends and neighbors who began playing together partly to deal with the Covid-imposed shutdown during the strange summer of 2020, and so the melancholy is always warmed by the fact that it's about connection rather than solitude.

More than anything, the overall effect is therapeutic. Vasandani's baritone hits just the right pitches: slow-flowing for a haunting take on Nick Drake's "River Man," plaintive for soft ballads like "Love Away," humbly understated in the quasi-folky "Adore You" and so on. It's a fascinating left-field decision to pen new words for a Wayne Shorter piece, which he and Collin turn into a wistful meditation without losing the trace of classic bop at the center. Selections from Bob Dylan and the Beatles make the warmest refreshing moments, pitch-perfectly familiar and heartwarming amidst the chilly spots.

The two have a smooth and cozy chemistry that keeps them in step even when playing loose with rubato timing. Selections from all eras feel of a piece in this timelessly simple format, from '60s classics to new originals to 2019's minor indie hit "Before You Go," whose sparse rendition makes it downright sublime. This Shelter is a spare yet reassuring one; Vasandani and Collin prefer to remind us that the loneliest hours of the night still have a little glow somewhere if you know where to look.By Geno Thackara https://www.allaboutjazz.com/midnight-shelter-sachal-vasandani-edition-records

Personnel: Sachal Vasandani: voice / vocals; Romain Collin: piano.

Midnight Shelter

---

Sachal Vasandani - We Move

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:49
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Escape/There's A Small Hotel
(3:25)  2. No More
(4:54)  3. Don't Worry About Me
(3:39)  4. Every Ocean, Every Star
(4:47)  5. We Move
(3:40)  6. Once In A While/Horizons
(3:28)  7. There Are Such Things
(2:21)  8. By The River St. Marie
(4:20)  9. Ring Road (Back To You)
(4:53) 10. Royal Eyes
(5:33) 11. Monk's Dream
(4:58) 12. I'd Let You Know
(4:40) 13. Heartbeat
(2:57) 14. Travelin' Light

Sachal Vasandani's second CD shows he is maturing as a jazz singer and composer, continuing to refine his approach while landing safely in flat fields of open expanse. His voice rarely wavers or explores upper or lower registers; rather, it stays within a comfort zone that avoids much of a challenge. This consistency serves his songs and his audience well, working within a current trend of singers who stay within specific rhythmic boundaries and don't really push the envelope. Vasandani is helped by pianist Jeb Patton and a backing trio that has been with the vocalist for almost a decade, while co-producers John Clayton and guitarist Doug Wamble give him a bit of a push here and there, mixing up standards with subtle originals. The title track shows the most originality in a steady, repeating, and wistful mode; "Ring Road" (contributed by drummer Quincy Davis) has Vasandani in a playful, ever cool mood; and "Don't Worry About Me" has that contemporary hip-hop rhythm originated by Ahmad Jamal under the singer's slick, level-headed style. The old Joe Williams number "By the River St. Marie" is bopped hard within the controlled dynamics of Vasandani's voice, and he goes for some scat on the intro of the combo tune "Once in a While" and Patton's "Horizons." The group covers the chestnuts "No More" and Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream," both with lyrics penned by Jon Hendricks, but the results are not optimal or perfect. Where the singer is most convincing crops up in an elegant, confident manner on "Escape/There's a Small Hotel," but especially during "There Are Such Things," a serene interpretation that comes straight from the heart. The most unusual arrangement is more in a baroque or chamber style on the low-key "Royal Eyes," which merges effectively into a small samba. After two recordings, Sachal Vasandani has found somewhat of a niche, but needs to ramp it up creatively and take more chances in order to stand out from the small group of contemporary male jazz vocalists. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-move-mw0000824179

Personnel: Sachal Vasandani (vocals); Doug Wamble (guitar, keyboards, programming); Dayna Stephens (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Vincent Gardner (trombone); Jeb Patton (piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ); David Wong (acoustic bass); Justin Brown , Quincy Davis (drums).

We Move

---

Sachal Vasandani - Eyes Wide Open

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Naked As We Came
(5:47)  2. Please Mr. Ogilvy
(6:13)  3. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(5:03)  4. Its Only Love That Gets You Through
(3:03)  5. Storybook Fiction
(3:30)  6. Strange Things Happening
(4:16)  7. Send 'Em Up To Heaven
(6:25)  8. I Could Have Told You
(3:59)  9. I Was Just One More For You
(4:41) 10. September In The Rain
(2:59) 11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(5:37) 12. You Won't Forget Me

Sachal Vasandani has all the right credentials in tow as he makes his debut recording. He was a semi-finalist at the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition. He has a string of appearances in New York that have served to showcase his talent as a singer. And he has the right instincts when it comes to selecting the songs for his CD. He does not restrict himself to jazz, a good thing considering that he leans strongly into pop territory here. Vasandani has a fine voice. He is articulate and he parlays his sense of phrasing into some vivid experiences. Helping him along are pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Quincy Davis. Guests including vibraphonist Stefon Harris, trumpeter Marcus Printup and guitarist Doug Wamble extend the parameters. 

Vasandani wrote three tunes, of which "Please Mr. Ogilvy not only has a sly sense of humor, but also a blues feel, attributes that give it strength and pith. "Send 'Em Up to Heaven has a strong pulse. Vasandani gets into the depth of the lyric and whirls it forward, capturing the doubts that assail one, on this song that deals with the struggle to forgive. He rips into "Strange Things Happen, curling his voice around the words, chewing on them and letting the coil jump loose in a welter of blues. Printup adds to the punch with some earthy, deep rooted play on the trumpet. One of the finest moments comes with his take of "I Could Have Told You, in which all the pain comes through in the shades he brings to the tale of a love lost. Vasandani makes enough of an impact and points the way to a promising future. ~ Jerry D’Souza  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/eyes-wide-open-sachal-vasandani-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php
 

Personnel: Sachal Vasandani: vocals; Quincy Davis: drums; Jeb Patton: piano, Rhodes; David Wong: acoustic bass; Stefon Harris: vibes and marimba (2, 7, 12); Marcus Printup: trumpet (6, 8 11); Doug Wamble: guitar (1, 5, 9, 11).

Eyes Wide Open

---

Sachal Vasandani - Hi-Fly

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:32
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. The Very Thought Of  You
(3:46)  2. Love Is A Losing Game
(3:23)  3. I See Your Face Before Me
(4:23)  4. One Mint Julep
(3:57)  5. That's All I Want From You
(4:46)  6. Babes Blues
(3:57)  7. Flood
(4:41)  8. Summer No School
(2:02)  9. Here Comes The Honey Man
(5:02) 10. There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York
(3:26) 11. Hi Fly
(4:01) 12. All The Way

Many critics have lamented the relatively rare appearance of memorable male jazz vocalists over a stretch of several decades. Sachal Vasandani is a promising singer gifted with a wide range and an expressive, strong tone that brings out the essence of each lyric. His third CD finds him backed by pianist Jeb Patton (whose work with the Heath Brothers has garnered considerable praise), bassist David Wong, and drummer Kendrick Scott. The imaginative arrangement of the standard "The Very Thought of You" is a group effort with a strong assist from Erik Privert, utilizing a breezy Latin rhythm and featuring a potent backing line by guest John Ellis on tenor sax. Two duets feature the legendary vocalist Jon Hendricks: a hilarious rendition of "One Mint Julip," which also has some fun-filled scat singing by both men, and Randy Weston's "Hi-Fly," which adds a newly written lyric by Vasandani. 

The leader's rich voice is best on display with his thoughtful interpretation of "Here Comes the Honey Man" (a duet with Patton), which segues directly into "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York" (both pieces are from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess), the latter in which Vasandani's vocal sounds as if it has long been part of his repertoire. The singer also penned several originals, including the hip "Babe's Blues" (featuring the rising young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire) and the haunting, deliberate ballad "Flood." There's an obvious hint of Frank Sinatra in his moving performance of "All the Way," a duet with Patton that closes the album with a flourish. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/hi-fly-mw0002149382

Personnel: Sachal Vasandani (vocals); Jeb Patton (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer organ); Kendrick Scott (drums).

Hi-Fly

---