Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Paula West: Live at Jazz Standard

Paula West: Live at Jazz Standard

By Tom Pierce
July 31, 2012
View read count

Devotees of superior jazz vocalists have several reasons to rejoice about this fourth CD by the highly respected San Francisco-based Paula West. First and foremost, the recording is simply a true knockout; but the rejoicing is also because, despite rave audiences and reviews for over a decade, this is West's first release since the impressively executed Come What May (High Horse) in 2001.

Recorded during an engagement at New York City's Jazz Standard in 2011, it features stellar but recently departed pianist/arranger

George Mesterhazy

piano
1954 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">George Mesterhazy's quartet (including guitarist

Ed Cherry

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Cherry), the excellent band with which she has long collaborated. Those hearing West for the first time will be struck initially by her unusually strong and rich vocal instrument, with breath control, purity of tone and pitch to die for. But these eleven tracks reveal far more riches.

As expected with melodic jazz storytellers, the Great American Songbook is a significant part of West's material. But two other sources furnish the opportunity for interestingly different interpretations and moods: 1940s black hits and 1960s rock and pop.

The opener,

Hoagy Carmichael

piano
1899 - 1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Hoagy Carmichael's classic "Baltimore Oriole"—taken at a jaunty medium tempo featuring drums, bass and guitar—finds West embarking on a sensually exhilarating ride. An optimistically voiced "Pocketful of Miracles" and spiritually uplifting "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise" likewise showcase smoothly invigorating handling of different tempos. And the ballads—"Nature Boy," "Where Flamingos Fly" and Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance"—are beautifully poignant.

The older African-American material is very stimulating, including a deliberate and intimately inviting version of

Lillian "Lil" Green

vocals
1919 - 1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Lillian "Lil" Green's 1940 blues composition and major hit, "Romance in the Dark," and

Leonard Feather

b.1914

" data-original-title="" title="">Leonard Feather's earthy, boldly projected and irresistibly swinging "Man Wanted," originally written for the incomparable (but sadly neglected)

Ethel Waters

vocals
1896 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Ethel Waters, for whom West has shown a strong affinity.

The contemporary material here is Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman," taken at a yearning, slow-burning tempo supported by

Barak Mori

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Barak Mori's bowed bass;

Bob Dylan

guitar and vocals
b.1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," where West digs into the dramatic lyrics with the building intensity of a steamroller; and the gently philosophical "Don't Think Twice," another Dylan tune (clearly a favorite for West), sung expressively and memorably with her deep, dark satin timbre.

Regardless of the material, the most lasting quality resonating on Live at Jazz Standard is West's serenely knowing sense of command that's very natural and very moving.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Baltimore Oriole; Like a Rolling Stone; Wichita Lineman; Romance in the Dark; Man wanted; Nature Boy; Don��t Think twice; Where Flamingos Fly; Pocketful of Miracles; Softly As in a Morning��s Sunrise; My Romance.

Personnel

Paula West

vocals

Paula West: vocals; George Mesterhazy: piano; Ed Cherry: guitar; Barak Mori: bass; Jerome Jennings: drums.

Album information

Title: Live at Jazz Standard | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Hi Horse

PREVIOUS / NEXT

LifeTimes
< Previous

Platform Expansion and the AAJ Road ...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.