Album Notes

JAZZINIT. Is that JAZZIN’ IT, or JAZZ IN IT?

As I pondered the idea of recording a new CD, it became apparent that I did not want to record another CD of jazz standards at this time. Though I’ve sung mainstream jazz for the past two decades, it is not my first music, but rather the result of my musical evolution. As a kid I grew up in Oakland, California, singing gospel music in church and listening to my father’s collection of blues 78s every workday morning until I was eleven years old. On the radio, I heard all the popular music of the day which included Rock’n Roll, Soul, Country & Western, and, the male and female singers of commercial music of the day such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, and Sarah Vaughan (I know I’m dating myself here!). I’ve always considered it a real blessing to be exposed to such diversity in music.

When I became a professional singer/musician, the first band I joined played Rock and Rhythm & Blues. I lasted about six months before I realized Rock was not what I wanted to make a career of. My second band was a cover band of Top 40 hits. Today that genre is called Pop music. Back in the day, cover bands were working five to six nights per week, week after week, with a change in repertoire from time to time. In order to prevent myself from becoming bored, I began toying with the melodies of the songs. Little did I know that altering the melodies in that manor was called improvisation. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until the media began referring to me as “Jazz” singer did I come to realize that a musical evolution was occurring in my vocal style – and eventually in my life.

Shortly thereafter, I decided that if I was to continuously be referred to as a jazz singer, I might as well familiarize myself with the genre. So, I listened, and listened, and listened some more to all of the great jazz singers and instrumentalists. I became fascinated with the heart and soul of jazz. Jazz provided me with a great palette of colors and textures to use in communicating each song’s story. I was thrilled! I’ve spent the last twenty years honing the craft.

Recently, I have become impassioned with the desire to create a style of vocal expression that transcends the border of just jazz, or any of the other individual genres that I’ve experienced during my career. After months of thinking about how turn my desire into a reality, the answer finally presented itself. I have decided to chose songs that are not jazz standards, but rather bona fide standards from other genres. They are familiar songs that I loved to sing 'back in the day'. The arrangements are fresh, hard-grooving, and are engaging to the ear and to the memory. They have been interwoven with the musical threads of jazz. It is my hope that each song will provoke the imagination!

I offer this CD to you in hopes that you too will enjoy and celebrate the results of the newly created vocal expression of Dee Daniels – Song Stylist. After listening, I’m sure you’ll be able to answer the question – Is it JAZZIN’ IT, or JAZZ IN IT?

DEE


J-A-Z-Z-I-N-I-T *** R-E-V-I-E-W-S


"Vancouver jazz vocalist Daniels has all the tools – range, power, taste.
By Marke Andrews, Vancouver Sun

Vancouver jazz vocalist Dee Daniels reworks pop songs from the past
half-century on Jazzinit, a title designed to make the listener ask: “Does
she mean Jazz in it, or Jazzin’ it?

The answer is both. She and the backing trio (Tony Foster on piano, Russ
Botten on bass, Greg Williamson on drums) kick things off with a hard-swing
rendition of the Earth Wind & Fire R&B number, Can’t Hide Love, making it
sound like it was written for jazz quartet. Stevie Wonder’s Another Star
receives a ballad treatment, and the Doobie Brothers song What A Fool
Believes has an Afro-Cuban feel punctuated by shots from the band.

As always, Daniels owns each song she performs. She has all the tools –
great range, power, taste and interpretive command, and when she takes a
familiar song in a different direction, it feels just right. She belts out
the Everly Brothers number Bye Bye Love, making you feel the lyric “hello
emptiness.” She performs the Otis Redding hit Respect as a brisk shuffle,
and you have to love the way she sings, “Whip it to me when you get home.”

James Taylor’s Fire And Rain has a solid backbeat that doesn’t feel like a
violation of the original."

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“A special word to all the youngsters inspired to discover Jazz and it’s
meaning….Dee Daniels, together with musicians Tony Foster, Russ Botten, and
Greg Williamson - drums, has created the ultimate example for you all with
her new CD, “JAZZINIT”. Her vocal skills, the skilled and complimentary
accompaniment of the musicians, and the great song selection on this CD
perfectly describes the slogan of the second hour of my Jazz & Blues Tour
radio show…Lean Back and Enjoy. Rest assured, that is exactly what I did
when I first listened to JAZZINIT. It is my pleasure to put this beautiful
CD ‘on air’ in my program!”

Joost van Steen, Host/Producer of 'The Jazz and Blues Tour with ASFM 105.4',
The Netherlands

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"Dee Daniels uncovers the Jazzinit as she skillfully interprets the stories
of American composers Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley, James Taylor, Lionel
Richie and Otis Redding among others, thus ushering these authors into the
echelon of past contributors to the great American songbook. Refreshing!!!"

Carl Anthony, Music Director
Jazz 91.9FM WCLK, Atlanta