Family legend has it that by grandfather, a very talented piano player and bandleader in the day, hung around with many famous musicians including Erroll Garner and that Grandpa had "something" to do with the song "Misty". While I consider this legend highly improbable, the song has nonetheless been a favorite of mine since I can remember. So that is why I picked up No Cover No Minimum by fellow Pittsburgh native, Billy Eckstine, who has been one of my favorite males vocalists since I first heard the magnificent Basie/Eckstine Inc. LP. This CD is a live recording of a performance in Vegas in the 60's. I like the set, but "Misty", the final track, was worth the price of the disc.
I also picked up saxophone legend Gerry Mulligan's The Art of Gerry Mulligan: The Final Recordings, because Gerry played with the great Annie Ross {who I had the pleasure of seeing, hearing and meeting in Seattle in 1996} on many occasions. I am very pleased with this "sampler" CD...it features some great Brazilian tunes (vocals by Jane Duboc) and some nice jazz tunes. I am never really clear whether I like Gerry's tone...so that is a fun little game I play every time I listen to him...do I like how he blows or not? He certainly has something, but he is just not my favorite sax man.
Which brings us to today's final disc, A Gift of Love, by Tuck and Patti. I have been a fan of theirs since the beginning, having been turned on to them by my erudite DJ friend, Jennifer Stephens at WCPN. Their first work, Tears of Joy, remains one of my favorite discs of all time.
On this new CD, they work miracles. They take several tired old songs and change them into fresh groovy tunes. And they have invited some other musicians to join their guitar and vocal duo, which completes the sound of the disc very nicely.
The excellent Brazilian-flavored bossa nova arrangement of "Close To You" made me not long for Karen Carpenter. "Sukiyaki" actually has great lyrics, which I heard for the first time because all of the Japanese effects have been stripped away. And Patti averts the "for dogs only" notes on Minnie Riperton's challenging "Loving You".
You should listen to this CD just to re-hear these standards. It is pretty amazing.
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