Secret Canon, Vol. 1

DAYNA KURTZ: Secret Canon, Vol. 1
Kismet, 2012

JAZZ VOCALS – Oh wow. How have I never heard Dayna Kurtz before?! She has a deep, haunting, ageless voice that reminds me a little bit of Cassandra Wilson, with some of Billie Holiday’s ache and maybe a hint of Bonnie Raitt mixed in too. She focuses on forgotten songs on this disc, mostly stuff from the 1950s and ‘60s that came out on little regional r&b or jazz labels and never made the big time. But they’re amazing tunes, and she makes them glow. This is a killer CD.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10

1. 5:40 – oooooh… slow torchy drag, fabulous haunting vocal and organ
2. 2:18 – FCCs galore (“fuck”) … too bad, it’s a fun little tune
3. 4:02 – strong Etta James style r&b anthem… nice vocal & roadhouse piano
4. 5:01 – aching ballad: wracked vocal over elegant piano trio
5. 4:51 – wow! slow heartbreak with amazing sound, echoing and haunting
6. 4:43 – slow blues, vocals drag it out, nice saloon piano trio
7. 3:42 – straightforward, relaxed jazzy ballad, nice ‘n’ easy
8. 4:10 – slow torch-jazz ballad, really nice with a classic sound
9. 4:24 – relaxed vocal duet with acoustic guitar, has a back-porch feel
10. 4:47 – another slow haunt… hushed and lonely, full of longing

[ Fo ] - May 2012