Alexis
New Artists, 2021
8/10
The jazz vocalist Alexis Parsons returns with her 3rd album as leader, and she again interprets jazz standards in her inimitable and timeless delivery.
Cole Porter’s “Easy To Love” starts the listen with much intimacy as David Berkman’s precise piano work complements the opener, and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” follows and benefits much from a fascinating bass solo from Drew Gress, where Parsons vocals are nothing short of sublime.
Entering the middle of the listen, “Organ Grinder” displays some improvisation that showcases Arturo O’Farrill’s sharp piano work, while “Summertime” leads with the sounds of percussion and keys that provide much ambience as Parsons’ emotive and poetic pipes guide the emotive landscape of the Gershwin original.
Deeper still, “Gentle Rain” lands in balladry, as Jonathan Gilley’s bass and Willard Dyson’s drums complement the cautious and well thought out interpretation, and “In The Still Of The Night” finishes the listen with a 2nd Cole Porter tune, where Matt Wilson’s proficient drumming anchors the gorgeous exit.
A record that both swings playfully and can get vulnerable in its stirring beauty, Parsons again reinvents classic songs in a way that only she can, and it makes for a listen that draws us in immediately.
Travels well with: Lady Millea- I Don’t Mind Missing You; Lorraina Marro- Love Is For All Time