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New York Voices: Reminiscing In Tempo

By C. Michael Bailey
August 22, 2019
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What the quartet New York Voices achieves with their performance of

Dave Brubeck

piano
1920 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo ? La Turk" disguised as "Round, Round, Round" by lyricist

" data-original-title="" title="">Lauren Kinhan is nothing short of a schizophrenic jazz "Carmina Burana." Lithe, muscular, and smart, the performance is dense and thought-provoking, deftly navigating between its disparate 9/8 and 4/4 sections.

The 9/8 sections are presented in almost astringent counterpoint, the vocals cast precisely, almost as in a cantata or oratorio. When the time shifts to 4/4 (with 9/8 interpolating every four bars of a 12-bar blues) it is done so with a "swing-shot" effect that is seamless. The vocals likewise change from the staid counterpoint into 1940s ensemble singing peppered with Nazarian and Kinhan's solos, split by pianist

Andy Ezrin

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Ezrin and bassist

David Finck

bass, acoustic
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">David Finck's tasteful solos. An old warhorse lives again.

This, Reminiscing in Tempo, is the quartet's tenth recording, following the successful Meeting of Minds with Bob Mintzer Big Band (MCG Jazz, 2018). The year 2018 marked the group's 30th anniversary as a working combo and the new recording celebrates that, albeit a year later. The group focuses on songwriting by including pieces by

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch" ("A Dance for Me"),

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's title track, and the Beatles (a bright a cappella "In My Life") to the original compositions, "Moments in the Mirror" (by Meader) and "The Forecast is Sunny" (penned by Kinhan and Eldridge).

The pleasant surprises are two songs without words by 19th Century Cuban classical composer Ignacio Cervantes, whose " Los Tres Golpes" and "Invitaci��n" add an otherwise missing harmonic spice to the widely strewn collection of a dozen pieces. These songs and

Ivan Lins

piano and vocals
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Ivan Lins' "Answered Prayers (? De Deus)" demonstrate the groups' rock-sold fearlessness in choosing material to record. Here's to thirty more years of smart music making.

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Track Listing

Round, Round, Round (Blue Rondo �� la Turk); Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly; Answered Prayers (? De Deus); A Dance For Me; Los Tres Golpes; Moments In A Mirror; It's Alright With Me; Reminiscing In Tempo; The Forecast Is Sunny; Invitaci��n; Avalon; In My Life.

Personnel

New York Voices

vocals

Peter Eldridge: vocals, piano (9); Lauren Kinhan: vocals; Darmon Meader: vocals; Kim Nazarian: vocals; Andy Ezrin: piano, Rhodes; Alon Yavnai: piano (10); David Finck: bass (1, 4, 8, 9); Paul Nowinski: bass (3, 7, 11); Will Lee: bass (2); Ben Wittman: drums (1, 2, 4, 8, 9), percussion (2, 9); Marcello Pellitteri: drums (3, 7, 11); Gabriel Hahn: vocals (6), body percussion (6); Jay Ashby: percussion (3); Marty Ashby: guitar (3, 11); Jesse Lewis: guitar (2, 9); Darmon Meader: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Steve Kenyon: baritone saxophone; Frank Greene: trupet; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet; Mike Davis: trombone; Randy Andos: trombone.

Album information

Title: Reminiscing In Tempo | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Origin Records

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