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Alexis Cole: Sky Blossom/Songs from My Tour of Duty

By Jack Bowers
April 12, 2022
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Alexis Cole

vocals
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Alexis Cole is an excellent singer, an opinion endorsed by recent high-profile gigs at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln Center and with the Boston Pops and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Even so, she is nearly upstaged on Sky Blossom by

Scott Arcangel

arranger
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Arcangel's superlative arrangements (plus one each by

Chris Walden

arranger

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Walden and

Mike Reifenberg

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Reifenberg) and the marvelous big band(s) lending their support. The Tour of Duty earmarked in the album's title refers to Cole's seven- year assignment (2009-15) as vocalist with the West Point Jazz Knights, during which she had a chance to sing every song on the album.

It's a dream setting for any vocalist, and Cole more than holds her own in a program that consists of two standards by the Gershwin brothers ("How Long Has This Been Going On," "Our Love Is Here to Stay"); jazz gems by

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown,

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis,

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk/

Jon Hendricks

vocals
1921 - 2017

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Hendricks and Hendricks/

Gigi Gryce

saxophone
1927 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gigi Gryce; popular themes by Billy Joel, Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse and John Lennon/Paul McCartney, and a pair of Latin anthems by

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim and Bruno Brighetti, closing with Gene Scheer's inspiring "American Anthem." Cole's voice is splendid, a pleasing contralto complemented by clear diction, spot-on pitch and timing, an unerring sense of swing, abiding respect for a lyric and enough power to outmaneuver a big band.

While that alone could be enough to raise Sky Blossom above the norm, Cole reaps the benefit of those wonderful charts and spirited blowing from her supporting cast. Conductor/trumpeter

Jeff Jarvis

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Jarvis, guitarist

Paul Meyers

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Meyers and bassist

David Finck

bass, acoustic
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">David Finck solo sharply on three numbers apiece, saxophonist

Bob Sheppard

saxophone, tenor
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Sheppard and pianist

Derrick James

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Derrick James on two, with strong statements by Arcangel on "Social Call," trumpeter

John Castleman

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">John Castleman on "Joy Spring," pianist

Alex Flavell

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex Flavell and tenor saxophonist

Nathan King

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nathan King on the groovy "Our Love Is Here to Stay." Brown's "Joy Spring" raises the curtain with high-octane energy, as Cole sprints to keep pace, before "Pure Imagination," "How Long Has This Been Going On," "All Blues" and "Estate" reduce the tempo but not the earnestness. Lennon/McCartney's "Across the Universe" is next up, followed by Jobim's "Triste" and Monk's "How I Wish" (actually, "Ask Me Now" under a new name). Gryce's "Social Call," Joel's "New York State of Mind" and "Our Love Is Here to Stay" lead to the moving "American Anthem," a duet by Cole and Flavell.

Even though she's not yet a household name, Cole is already recognized by many of her peers as one of the foremost jazz singers on the scene. As Kevin Jones writes in Australia's Fine Music, "The search for the next great jazz singer is over." Perhaps a tad too soon for such a panoramic decree, yet not that far from the mark.

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Track Listing

Joy Spring; Pure Imagination; How Long Has This Been Going On; All Blues; Estate; Across the Universe; Triste; How I Wish; Social Call; New York State of Mind; Our Love Is Here to Stay; American Anthem.

Personnel

Alexis Cole

vocals

Jeff Jarvis

trumpet

Ryan DeWeese

trumpet

Cade Gotthardt

trumpet

Evan Hamada

trumpet

Additional Instrumentation

Andrew Solares: trumpet; Stephen Wood, Erik Larsen, Nathan King, Tanner Olivas, Chris Cockrell: saxophone; Phineas Crisp, Ken Eernisse, Anna Menotti, Bobby Burton: trombone; Brandon Johnson: guitar; Pablo Munoz-Snyder, Nick Mancini: vibraphone; Alex Flavell: piano; Max Myrick: bass; Tyler Kreutel: drums; Jeff Haynes: percussion. Tracks 1, 8 ��John Castleman, Vito Speranza, Josh Economy, Rich Johnson: trumpet; Mike Reifenberg, Derrick James, David Loy Song, Jay Malone, Xavier Perez: saxophone; Dan Pierce, Ron Fleischman, Jason Miller, Teddy Arnold: trombone; Mark Tonelli: guitar; Scott Arcangel: piano; Brandon Nelson: bass; Scott Drewes: drums. Guest soloists��Bob Sheppard: tenor saxophone (2, 8); Paul Meyers: guitar (5, 6, 9); Derrick James: piano (10); David Finck: bass (5-7).

Album information

Title: Sky Blossom/Songs from My Tour of Duty | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Zoho Music

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