Listen Here
Skyline, 2021
9/10
Way back in 1984, Roseanna Vitro made a grand entrance to the New York City jazz scene with this debut that features Kenny Barron’s incredible piano skills, and here she reissues the classic album that swings and glides with an appeal that’s just as enticing 37 years after it originally was released.
“No More Blues” starts the listen with Vitro’s mature and skilled pipes working well with Barron’s agile piano and Duduka Da Fonseca’s playful percussion, and “You Go To My Head” follows with a timeless elegance as a romantic spirit radiates thanks to Vitro’s soaring voice and the cautious instrumentation.
Further on, “Love You Madly” recruits saxophone from Arnett Cobb in a very charming jazz climate, while “This Happy Madness” highlights guitar from Scott Hardy as warm melodies flow amid much grace. “It Could Happen To You”, the album stand out, then displays a playful interpretation of the classic where Vitro’s versatile singing is front and center.
Deeper yet, the soft and breathy “Sometime Ago” pairs piano acrobatics from Barron alongside Buster Williams’ frisky bass lines, and “Black Coffee” exits the listen powerfully and packed with emotion in a very striking finish.
Now available for the first time digitally, Listen Here set an exceptional career in motion for Vitro, which included a Grammy nomination. Her unique and inviting tone, which includes upbeat scatting on occasion, is again available to a whole new generation of jazz fans on this very welcomed reissue.
Travels well with: Mike Scott- Collecting Things; Henry Robinett Quartet- Jazz Standards Volume 2: Then Again