The Singers

Janis Siegel – An Occasional Man and When I Drink

I have always been a big fan of Janis, both from her small group recording to her seminal work with The Manhattan Transfer. A few years ago my big band, The South Florida Jazz Orchestra, had the privilege of accompanying Janis on a concert series in Miami. During that concert Janis and I performed a duo piece together, and for me it was the highlight of the evening. When I decided to make this album, Janis was the first person I called and asked to participate. Delighted when she said Yes!! For An Occasional Man we brought in my friend Richie Bravo to add some percussion – Thank you Richie. I had asked Janis to pick the songs for this project and she brought in a tune called When I Drink, from an Italian duo called Musica Nuda. I love the way Janis presents the lyric in such a vulnerable manner.

Pete McGuinness – Emily

I have known Pete since we were in college together in the 80s. He is an incredibly gifted musician, and his career has blossomed in many directions. A talented trombone player, a terrific vocalist who sings the changes, a clever arranger, an inspirational bandleader, and a highly-respected jazz educator. Shortly before this recording, Pete released a terrific new album with his New York-based jazz orchestra, entitled Mixed Bag on Summit Records.

Roseanna Vitro – Wrinkles Off Your Birthday Suit

I first met Roseanna in New York in the 1990s. She has a very diverse discography and has always been incredibly prolific, honoring the history and traditions of great jazz vocalists, often in collaboration with Kenny Werner or Fred Hersch. Roseanna understands and embraces the full history of jazz music, as reflected in both her Grammy-nominated career and her success as a passionate jazz educator. Of all the choices we had for material, I have always been a big fan of the way Roseanna sings the Blues, and she had some great lyrics written by Jenny Cheatham, so that’s what we went with it for this project.

Kevin Mahogany –  Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West – Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love

I worked with Kevin for several years. We first met on a George Wein tour of Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Kevin had an incredible instrument, similar to that of the great Johnny Hartman, and his voice could fill any concert hall. Being from Kansas City, Kevin’s style was also rooted in Blues traditions, similar to those of Big Joe Turner, whom Kevin played in the Robert Altman film Kansas City. He could also sing great bop lines like a horn player. In the last few years of his life, Kevin and his wonderful wife Allene moved to Miami, where Kevin taught with me for a year at the University of Miami. Kevin passed away in December of 2017, very shortly after Allene passed. I miss them very much.

Sheila Jordan – Fair Weather

It was my honor and privilege to work with the legendary Sheila Jordan. We first met after a concert I was playing with Kevin Mahogany. She had come out to hear Kevin sing, and a few months later we all played together at the local jazz radio station in Miami – WDNA. Sheila had made some wonderful duo recordings with bassist Harvey S, and she didn’t want to duplicate that sound, so we brought in the awesome John Hart to play guitar on her tracks. We had a terrific time in the studio with Sheila. Between takes she would tell stories of her early life in New York, including tales of Bill Evans, George Russell, and the person she composed Fair Weather for, the great Kenny Dorham.

George Rabbai – I Thought About You

I first met George through the Woody Herman band. A great trumpet player, and soloist, George would also occasionally sing with the band. When I asked him to participate in this project, he came in with a fun tune to play, with a great lyric, plus an arrangement that allowed for him to play the trumpet as well as sing. Recording this track was a lot of fun. George is a terrific and funny individual, and he and his wife Marilyn are among my favorite people.

Lisanne Lyons – Detour Ahead

I have known Lisanne for most of my professional life. From college to the Woody Herman Big Band to Pops Orchestra concerts around the country, I have had the privilege of sharing the stage with her for many different audiences. She is comfortable in any musical setting, from duo and trio to big band and orchestra – a true pro at every level. Additionally, Lisanne is one of the most passionate and effective jazz educators I have ever known. At the time of this recording, Lisanne was also working on her latest release, May I Come In, a big band album that I was honored to be a part of.

Deborah Silver – Analog

My friend Deborah is a very versatile singer and performer. I have worked with her in multiple musical settings, and she is equally comfortable in Jazz, Rock, Country, and Broadway styles. She is also one of the hardest working musicians I have ever met, always pushing forward. At the time of this recording, Deborah had just finished recording and producing a Grammy-nominated album with the Count Basie Orchestra.

Kate Reid – Devil May Care

Kate is my colleague at the University of Miami, where she runs one of the top Jazz Vocal programs in the country. She and I have presented full sets of Bass & Face in concert, including at the Jazz Educator’s Conference in New Orleans. Playing an entire concert with just voice and a bass player is very challenging, but with Kate’s unique ability to find material from different genres, we are able to put together an engaging and well-paced set for our audience.

Nicole Yarling – Audubon Zoo/Iko-Iko

I have been playing music together with Nicky for over 25 years. She is one of the most talented people I have ever worked with – an artist and pure improviser in the truest sense of the word. Nicky is also a pillar of the community in Miami. She is an extremely dedicated educator and runs several concert series and initiatives throughout South Florida, including the acclaimed Jazz Encounters Series at WDNA and the Jazz Education Community Coalition, which is an artistic network available to all young people interested in learning jazz. Nicky also serves as Educational Director and host of a monthly jazz jam for young musicians, sponsored by the Gold Coast Jazz Society.