Moving ballads and scintillating rhythm songs in the style of the Great American
author: Joe Regan Jr.
“Bob Levy and Jon Burr are both talented contemporary songwriters and the songs on this CD are worth listening. Bob Levy is an award winning lyricist-composer who writes moving ballads and scintillating rhythm songs in the style of the Great American Songbook, songs of the big bands of the 1930s and 1940s. Jon Burr, a very popular musician and arranger who teamed a few years ago with Lynn Stein who is a popular jazz vocalist. Together, they have made several albums and appear together as Jon and Lynn. Their performances together have a sleek harmonic style, very reminiscent of Jackie & Roy. The result is this CD, a series of Levy-Burr collaborations as well as some other Levy songs, some with both music and lyrics by Levy, and some with music by Harriet Goldberg. Many of the songs on this CD have a bossa nova Latin beat and Stein really is in her best vocal style with these melodies, especially on a big band sounding torch called “Lonely Serenade”. Stein impresses with her cool laid back musicality and shows that she doesn’t need a big band to create music magic. I look forward to seeing live presentations.”
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The brilliance of this collaboration defies reality!
author: Bert Gagnon, Neon Productions Radio, The Songwriter's Network
"A Little Bit More" is a collaboration of lyricist/songwriter Bob Levy and composer/bassist Jon Burr sung by Lynn Stein. The brilliance of this collaboration defies reality! This trio has brought back the excitement of contemporary jazz!
Bob Levy's distinctive lyrical content hits home on every song and each word falls into place in a poetic expression of romance, heartbreak and the general human condition. With this project, Bob has shown that there are no boundaries to his artistic and expressive lyrical stylings. Composer/bassist Jon Burr has added drama to this CD with his haunting and sometimes playful compositions. His standup bass contributions are distinctively traditional but with commanding impressionistic overtones and sets the mood for the songs especially in the title track "A Little Bit More" and "Why Can't You Fall In Love With Me". This provides an additional dimension in the dynamics of the songs and is an excellent compliment to the stunning vocals of Lynn Stein. Vocalist Lynn Stein sings "The Songs of Bob Levy and Jon Burr" with a sultry, provocative vocal styling. Lynn's strong and aggressive vocals deliver the songs with engaging enthusiasm. Her tonal quality entices the listener to grasp onto each word and each note, which is best demonstrated in the song "Tell Me About Your Life".
The orchestration in this CD is kept to a minimum but you will find that each instrument is handled in an exceptional way. Other musicians on this project are John Hart (guitar), Matt Ray (piano), Tardo Hammer (piano on tracks 6, 10 and 11) and Warren Vache (cornet). The musicianship is outstanding and is an indication that with talent there is no need for heavy production and distracting musical tricks.
Key tracks on the CD "A Little Bit More" are "Lonely Serenade", "In The Scheme Of Things", "Tell Me About Your Life", "Why Can't You Fall In Love With Me?" and "Living In The Past". Overall, this CD is entertaining, artful and has warmth. It will bring you back to your emotions and you will depart from the impersonal digital world we live in today.
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A little bit more ... for everyone
author: Lynn R
What a wonderful CD - a variety of tempos and song styles, resulting in something for everyone. Whether brought to life by simply the bass vocal duo, or the full band, each song is full of resonance and meaning. Lynn's heartfelt vocals highlight the exquisite lyrics which pull at your soul. Beautiful compositions and arrangements - a must for every jazz lover!
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Songs like Cole Porter and the Gershwin’s wrote back in the day...
author: Esther Berlanga-Ryan, All About Jazz, Music From The Heart on LI
“These are the kind of songs that Cole Porter and the Gershwin’s wrote back in the day.
I love them all!”
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