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Various Artists: Jazzvox Presents: In Your Own Backyard

By C. Michael Bailey
January 18, 2011
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Various Artists: Jazzvox Presents: In Your Own Backyard

Nich Anderson is a Northwest coast jazz vocalist and jazz vocals champion who has been bringing jazz vocal talent to his "house concerts" in Washington State for the past 10 years. Anderson and Origin Records' house presence

Bill Anschell

piano
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Anschell have produced a recording documenting some of this talent. The result is a collection of duets and trios, intimate in presentation, overt in the sheer ability of its participants, that well highlight the state of vocal jazz at the opening of the 21st Century. This group of jazz vocalists is called Jazzvox.

The gender demographics reflect the recorded literature: an overwhelming majority of female participants (seven) versus male (two). The vocal styles included on this disc all share in common a reverent adherence to the original melody. The repertoire is all over the map, from jazz standards like

Kelley Johnson

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Kelley Johnson's version of

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk," with guitarist

Keith Ganz

guitar
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Ganz, to

Fats Waller

piano
1904 - 1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Fats Waller's pre-swing era "Honeysuckle Rose," from Anschell and

Jo Lawry

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Jo Lawry.

There is plenty of scat singing, with

Kathleen Grace

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Kathleen Grace's "Moon River" and

John Proulx

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">John Proulx's "Please Don't Bug Me" being standouts. The most effective pairings here are Hanna Richardson with pianist

Patti Wicks

piano
1945 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Patti Wicks ("Back in Your Own Back Yard" and "These Foolish Things") and John Proulx and

Chuck Kistler

" data-original-title="" title="">Chuck Kistler ("Please Don't Bug Me" and "Welcome To My World").

The presence of Wicks, a fine pianist to be sure, is why she did not also sing (Proulx accompanies himself on piano). Hers is a one-of-a- kind voice. Anderson, the provocateur, appears with Wicks on a bouncing "Time After Time." His voice as sweet as Proulx's at a lower register. Wicks solos with the most brio on the disc, keeping a bit of stride moving things along. Lawry closes the disc with a most inventive trio-led "But Not For Me," accompanied by Anschell and accordionist David Lange.

In Your Own Backyard is the second vocals collection released by Origin Arts after Redefinition by

Jeff Baker

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Baker's Vocal Jazz Collective. It looks like they're onto something.

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Track Listing

Moon River; Comes Love; Please Don't Bug Me; Blue Monk; I'm Old Fashioned; Back In Your Own Backyard; All My Tomorrows; The Cat; You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me; Honeysuckle Rose; 4:52 Welcome To My World; 5:16 If Ever I Would Leave You; Triste; Perdido; Time After Time; These Foolish Things; But Not For Me.

Personnel

Various Artists

various

Kathleen Grace: vocals; Darin Clendenin: piano (1, 12); Kristin Korb: vocals; Randy Halberstadt: piano (2, 9); John Proulx: John Proux: vocals, piano; Chuck Kistler: bass (3, 11); Kelley Johnson: vocals; Keith Ganz: guitar (4, 13); Jo Lawry: vocals; Bill Anschell: piano (5, 17); Hanna Richardson: vocals; Patti Wicks: piano (6, 16); Stephanie Nakasian: vocals; Bill Anschell: piano (7, 14); Cathy Segal-Garcia: vocals; John Stowell: guitar (8); Nich Anderson: vocals; Patti Wicks: piano (15); David Lange: accordion (17).

Album information

Title: Jazzvox Presents: In Your Own Backyard | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: OA2 Records

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