Voices Of Concord Jazz : Live At Montreux

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Concord Records, the label held a special concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival, featuring seven different singers from their roster. Leading off is the young singing pianist Peter Cincotti, with his regular band. His set includes his snappy "I Changed the Rules," a playful number co-written with family members; the infrequently heard bossa nova "Sway"; and a campy take of "Ain't Misbehavin'." He has a pleasant voice and is a more than adequate pianist, but he is still finding his form. Karrin Allyson then takes the stage, accompanied by pianist Frank Chastenier, bassist John Goldsby, guitarist Danny Embrey, and drummer Greg Field. Her driving interpretation of Bobby Timmons' soul-jazz masterpiece "Moanin'" begins with a mournful scat, while she sounds like she has lived its lyrics. Allyson also takes time to showcase each member of her band in turn. Her mastery of the Portuguese lyrics to the bossa nova "Little Boat" is precise and swinging, though she eventually switches to its English lyrics. Monica Mancini, daughter of the late movie composer Henry Mancini, proves that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Her clear-toned vocals in her father's "Charade" are backed by a brisk bossa nova rhythm, set by the same band that backed Allyson, though with the addition of vibraphonist Dave Samuels. Saxophonist Tom Scott walks on for Mancini's moving rendition of "A Day in the Life of a Fool." She returns to her father's vast repertoire with a funky take of "Dreamsville," sung as a duet with Curtis Stigers.Diane Schuur is accompanied by the WDR Big Band for her set. Her opening number is her signature tune, "Deedle's Blues," in which she still has the unfortunate tendency of doing too much screaming. Far better is her enjoyable duet of "Stay Away from Bill" with Allyson, or the swinging "Meet Me, Midnight," which sounds like it would have fit in the band book of Count Basie. Curtis Stigers' set is a weak point in the concert, in spite of the swinging efforts of the WDR Big Band. His nasal vocals are an acquired taste, but neither one of his two originals is particularly memorable. "Swingin' Down at 10th and Main" falls flat, while his overly hip vocals bog down "How Could a Man Take Such a Fall." Following the death of Concord founder Carl Jefferson, Nnenna Freelon has become one of the label's greatest stars. She's also backed by the WDR Big Band for her set, which kicks off with a delightful and fresh look at "Better Than Everything." Freelon's vocal chops are best showcased in a lush arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Lady Sings the Blues." She restores the oft-omitted verse to the standard "Out of This World," though it quickly segues into a brisk setting with Miles Davis' "All Blues" serving as an undercurrent. Patti Austin's set is primarily a tribute to the late Ella Fitzgerald, but the singer's chops come up short, especially when she attempts to duplicate Ella's matchless interpretation of "How High the Moon." Following this track, each singer returns to contribute to a joint encore of this standard, though Cincotti sticks to piano for his chorus. The visuals and sound are excellent throughout the DVD, which was simultaneously issued as a two-CD set by Concord. ~ Ken Dryden