Sony Music Entertainment 5106392000
Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra
Reviewed by Tony Magee
It's always a pleasure, not to mention exciting, to discover a new outstanding singer and such a thing has happened.
Sydney based Dannielle Gaha has released a charming CD of lyrical flowing jazz standards, accompanied by sublime playing from an outstanding body of Sydney musicians including Jonathan Zwartz on double bass, Nicholas McBride on drums and percussion, John Harkins on piano (who has also written many of the arrangements) and Jonathan Pease on guitar, plus horns on some tracks.
Highlights for me include a great bossa version of I Concentrate on You, a swinging fun version of A-Tisket A-Tasket (Ella Fitzgerald brought that one to the world originally), a beautiful ballad version of My Romance just with piano, Taking a Chance on Love done in an easy medium swing style and The Surrey with the Fringe on Top (from Oklahoma), which begins as a cool easy ballad and then explodes into a kind of funk romp. There are eleven tracks in all.
These songs are all (even Moon River) absolute classic standards. It would be impossible to say how many times they have been recorded and by how many countless singers. But suffice to say that they are so well written in the first place, they just keep on inspiring new and talented artists to record them again and again, always adding that special something to make the performance yet another little gem in the international repertoire of listening enjoyment.
This is highly appropriate mood music for classy dining. I think you will enjoy Dannielle Gaha.
First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, June 2003
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