Turntable For One is on its Summer hiatus until September 1st, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not busy in my secret and undisclosed location, plotting how to make the new season the best one ever – no matter who gets hurt in the process.
I’ve been listening to three jazz vocalists who are also terrific pianists. You might want to check them out.
Daniela Schachter – From her name and slight European accent, you probably can guess that Daniela currently lives in New Jersey. Purple Butterfly is the CD I’ve been listening to most. She leads a a strong quintet from her piano, though her sweet clear voice is the shining star here.
Diane Marino — There is more grit to Diane’s voice and to her powerful piano playing, perhaps the result of years of playing in NYC clubs and now Nashville. Her lastest CD, From The Heart, is a good place to start. It’s a “best of” compilation of her recordings so far. With her husband, Frank Marino, setting down a solid line on bass, Diane rocks and croons standards plus more than a few surprising selections.
Dena DeRose — Probably the most nuanced of these three singer-pianists. She has a number of CDs including two recent live recordings at The Jazz Standard. Instrumentally, she and her trio play as one thoughtful unit and Dena can swing on piano; vocally she takes interesting chances with phrasing and melodies, yet never sacrifices the heart of singing: storytelling.
I’ll have a few more listening suggestions in the weeks to come, and let me know if you also want my fool-proof recipes for summer barbecues.
