What’s The Hurry
Lower 9th, 2020
8/10
Amazingly, this is the jazz vocalist Kenny Washington’s first studio album, and he makes the wait worth it as 10 esteemed musicians are on hand to document Washington’s versions of standards that are reinvented in his inimitable formula.
“The Best Is Yet To Come” starts the album with fluid piano, soft percussion and Washington’s smooth pipes guiding the timeless jazz opener, and this continues to the soft and expressive “S’Wonderful”, where warm guitar lines from Jeff Massanari illuminate the mood.
Deeper into the record, “Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered” offers a romantic setting of emotive song craft, while “Invitation” is a percussively strong and adventurous album highlight where bongos from Peter Michael Escovedo adds much to the formula.
Near the end, “No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)” shuffles playfully with piano acrobatics from Josh Nelson, bright clarinet from Victor Goines and, of course, Washington’s versatile vocals, and “Smile” exits the listen in ballad territory with bare instrumentation alongside delicate singing.
Washington has made plenty of appearances on other albums, and this effort with him at the helm is an easily embraceable debut as the veteran sure has a knack for putting his charismatic stamp on timeless songs that can result in even better versions than the originals.
Travels well with: Alberto Pibiri- Jazz Legacy; Denise Mangiardi- Brown Book