Dancing With The Widow St. James
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
Listen to Dancing With The Widow St. James
A cornet and trumpet player and singer, Chris Saunders is certainly well versed in jazz, but he also flirts with blues, soul and pop on this mix of originals and covers, as he takes help from Ken Cook, Rob Fordyce, Michael Aragon and Luis Carbo on the 11 tracks.
“River’s Invitation” starts the listen with a warm and cozy spirit, where Cook’s graceful keys are met with Saunders’ husky, soulful pipes and well timed horns amid a bluesy tone, and “Big Man” follows with tumbling drumming from Aragon in a cultured, timeless jazz climate.
Further down the line, the playful percussion from Carbo and jumpy keys help make “Am I Blue?” one of the album’s best, while “Lighting And A Feather” offers both a rugged and melodic approach that benefits from flowing piano and agile drumming. “Low Tide Rising On A Devil Wind” then gets reflective, emotive and even gritty as Saunders really displays his diverse vocal prowess.
Close to the exit, the frisky keys and subdued drumming of the R&B tinted “I Don’t Need No Doctor” doesn’t disappoint, and “Lullaby Of The Leaves” exits the listen swift, upbeat and indebted to the Great American Songbook in ways that will sound great decades from now, too.
A staple of the Bay Area scene for over a decade now, Saunders and his band take influences from Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Tom Waits, Dr. John and many others, as they create diverse and instantly enjoyable jazz rooted song craft.
Travels well with: Judy Wexler- Back To The Garden; Jacqui- Naylor- The Long Game