From The American Rag and The LA Jazz Scene publications, October 2001.
By: Harvey Barkan
An Elegant Lady In Red
When vocalist Claudette Stone sings a ballad, the presentation and
emotion seem so real and strong that the images remain long after the song
ends. She has the remarkable ability to draw an audience into her song with
a message that is individual and compelling. During a love ballad you know she
means only you, and you're glad. Whatever the lyrics, the subtlety and
sincerity of her style bring them to life, sets a mood, and includes the
listener in the story.
Singing in the Coconut Grove room during a Saturday venue at the L.A.
Sweet and Hot Music Festival, she made that cavernous room seem smaller and
intimate. Her appearance was striking. Decked out in all red from her
ever-present hat down to her red jewelry, dress, and shoes, this elegant
vocalist simply knocked the audience out, even before she sang. The most
frequently used adjective at the festival to describe Claudette, by both
musicians and fans, was "classy."
Singing with husband Dick Johnson's Mardi Gras Band, there were lighter
moments as well. They poked fun at themselves in duets of their originals
"Senior Blues," humorously lamenting the foibles of growing older, and
"Drivers," a married couple's funny complaints about each other's abilities
behind the wheel. The Mardi Gras Band consisted of leader Johnson, on
trumpet and flugelhorn; Ed Schmalz, reeds; Brad Hammett, trombone; Tom Shove,
piano; Charlie Robinson, guitar; Mickey Bennett, bass, and Ron Jones, drums.
Claudette also occasionally accompanied herself on piano. Johnson put the
Sacramento based band together in 1984 in an attempt to widen the appeal of
jazz. He wanted to open the borders, so to speak, by including just a bit of
swing, blues, and other music to entice new fans in to hear and learn to
enjoy jazz. The band plays from arrangements that show their musicianship on
instrumentals and enhance their prized vocalist.
The wide scope of tunes included Claudette's vocals on "The Nearness of
You," "A Good Man Is Hard To Find," an upbeat "Bill Bailey," and starting
straight on "Why Don't You Do Right?" but ending it as a novelty number,
with husband Johnson joining in with modified and personalized lyrics, to the
amusement of fans familiar with the pair and their lives.
Claudette Stone, always great, excels with intimate accompaniment of just
a few musicians. Her magnificent voice and delicate presentation are what I
want to hear, unclouded by too much support or distraction. A case in point
was "Guess Who I Saw Today," with only guitar and bass backing the vocal.
This moving song, a heart wrenching tale of a loving wife accidentally
discovering her husband's indiscretion, comes to a startling climax with the
last three words, surprising a very quiet, attentive audience. Eyes and
cheeks in the audience were still drying from this emotional song when
Claudette sang the song associated with her that much of the audience came to
hear, "When October Goes." It was sung magnificently, with very effective
flugelhorn accent by Johnson. The beauty of the presentation, music and
lyrical content of this jewel by Johnny Mercer and Barry Manilow, left the
audience without any remaining dry Kleenex.
I didn't want this set to end.
Harvey Barkan
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