"It's a tough act to follow" applies both to Kayla and crew's latest CD and to Barbara Cuvier's review of it! Not that the last CD wasn't wonderful (it was!), but in my humble opinion, Kayla has matured in her artistry to a state of sheer perfection in "You'd Be Surprised." Steve and the band are consummate professionals, as usual. For any true fan of jazz standards, this CD is a must.
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What I found most impressive about this CD is how the arrangements mesh perfectly with the material & the instrumentation.  The opening tune, "Good Morning Heartache," is just one example.  Steve's guitar artistry can be summed up in two words: classy & tasteful.  "Just One of Those Things" is one tune that comes to mind, but the same can be said about all the others as well. Kayla's phrasing on this tune is absolute perfection; she manages to take the melody in directions that aren't predictable. How many times have we all listened to singers & known exactly which way they were going to treat a certain note or phrase? Kayla always seems to delightfully surprise us with her interpretation. All of these fine musicians fit so seamlessly together, and it's a joy to hear beautifully crafted solos with no overplaying. Highly recommended!
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