Here's To Life

Reviewed: 2018-03-30
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: This jazz duo presents a broad spectrum of musical expressions, rooted in breezy guitar riffs and the refined vocalese of Stacey Schulman. The tracks bridge together jazz traditions with modern forms of musical phrasing, showing a preference for being lean and smooth. The songs surge a brightness that is veritably contagious, interlacing swing, bossa nova, and torchlight blues, with interesting arrangements of old chestnuts from different genres.
If You Like: Annie Ross, Flora Purim, Tal Farlow, Joao Gilberto
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ In The Name Of Love (3:37) – bass starts> uptempo scat singing leads into song> guitar solo> song> quick fade
*2/ A Night In Tunisia (3:54) – guitar/percussion starts> slow song with bossa vibe swings to midtempo> quick stop
*3/ La Belle Dame Sans Regrets (5:27) – guitar starts slow & quiet> slow sultry song in French> quick fade
4/ It Ain’t Necessarily Too Late For Love (5:55) – harmonica starts> slow sultry bluesy song segues into two pop gems> slow fade
5/ When October Goes (4:22) – guitar starts> slow song on lost love > fade
6/ Navin’s Ditty (1:04) – male vocal starts> uptempo scat singing over tablas> quick stop
*7/ Street Life (3:36) – percussion/scat singing starts> uptempo song> quick fade on vocal
8/ Save Your Love For Me (4:57) – guitar starts> slow hesitating love song with soaring vocals> sax solo> song> crescendo & fade
9/ Some People’s Lives (4:08) – guitar starts> slow love song> fade on vocal
*10/ Willow Weep For Me (4:11) – guitar starts> uptempo jam & song> quick fade
*11/ Overjoyed (3:55) – guitar starts> midtempo love song> fade on vocal
12/ Here’s To Life (4:48) – strings start> slow song> slow fade