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Claire Daly: VuVu for Frances

By Jack Bowers
January 2, 2024
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Claire Daly

saxophone, baritone
- 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Claire Daly, whose gruff yet eloquent baritone sax has brightened the New York scene for almost four decades, reunites with acclaimed tenor saxophonist

" data-original-title="" title="">George Garzone on Daly's seventh album as leader, VuVu for Frances, whose honoree is Frances Ballantyne, described by Daly as "a profound influence on [her] life" and "a consummate New Yorker." Daly and Garzone last recorded together in 1999, on Garzione's Moodiology (NYC), and Father Time hasn't caused either of them to lose so much as a step in the ensuing twenty-four years.

In deference to Ballantyne, Daly and Garzone have chosen half a dozen standards from the Great American Songbook, interlacing them amidst jazz themes by

Charles Lloyd

saxophone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Lloyd,

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

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

Steve Kuhn

piano
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Kuhn and affixing a trio of touchstones by

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington ("Mood Indigo" and a medley of "Warm Valley" and "What Am I Here For?"). Besides playing superb baritone, Daly sings (quite well, actually) on Kuhn's "Hold Out Your Hand" and has the spotlight to herself on

Ray Noble

composer / conductor
1903 - 1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Noble's radiant ballad, "The Very Thought of You," as does pianist

Jon Davis

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Davis—for the first two minutes, that is—on the even-flowing finale, Rodgers and Hart's "Manhattan."

Daly and Garzone raise the curtain with the

Frank Sinatra

vocals
1915 - 1998

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Sinatra staple, Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen's "All the Way," before harnessing Lloyd's prancing original, "Sweet Georgia Bright" (a.k.a. "Brown"). Johnny Mercer's plaintive "Fools Rush In" is next, followed by a spirited reading of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "People Will Say We're in Love" from Oklahoma! Daly and Garzone engage in some unseemly screeching and howling on a second Rodgers and Hammerstein theme, "The Lonely Goatherd" (from The Sound of Music). Purists may wish to skip that number and move forward to Ellington's "Mood Indigo."

The Ellington triad precedes "Hold Out Your Hand," Davis' lively and alluring "Half Nelson" and Earle Hagen's soulful "Harlem Nocturne." Another of Kuhn's delightful themes, "The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers," is sandwiched between "The Very Thought of You" and "Manhattan." Although it is hard to outmaneuver Daly or Garzone when it comes to resourceful adlibbing, Davis delivers a number of commendable solos, as do bassist Dave Hofstra and drummer

David F. Gibson

drums
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">David F. Gibson, who also keep the rhythm sharp and vigorous.

While the definition of VuVu remains nebulous, what is entirely clear is that Daly and Garzone comprise an admirable team who should do this more often. Their VuVu for Frances is an album that should enliven and please almost any earnest partisan of contemporary jazz.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

All the Way; Sweet Georgia Bright; Fools Rush In; People Will Say We��re in Love; The Lonely Goatherd; Mood Indigo; Warm Valley/What Am I Here For?; Hold Out Your Hand; Half Nelson; Harlem Nocturne; The Very Thought of You; The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers; Manhattan.

Personnel

Claire Daly

saxophone, baritone

George Garzone

saxophone, tenor

Jon Davis

piano

Dave Hofstra

bass

David F. Gibson

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Daly: vocals (8); Davis: keyboards (12).

Album information

Title: VuVu for Frances | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Daly Bread

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