Album Notes

Labek has a new CD titled “Burgundy Brew”. The phrase is borrowed from the lyric of “You Go To My Head” Coots/Gillespie, one of the five standards from the Great American Songbook on this album. Apropos of the title, the CD is a brew made up of some Latin flavored tracks, a couple of blues-tinged tunes and five originals written by Jack Perricone with various collaborators. On the inside cover on the CD package, Labek makes an appeal to each and everyone of us “to listen, to quiet the destructiveness—to heal and care for each other and the future of this planet.” She is clearly aligning herself with the troubadours who have used music to awaken the spirit of empathy and community. A couple of songs make a deep appeal to human needs beyond romantic love: “Children of Sanchez”, written by Chuck Mangione, asks the listener to feel for all the homeless and impoverished children of the world and to show them love and, care in whatever way possible; “Precious Moments”, a song Perricone wrote with James Day, deals with the thoughts and wishes of someone on their deathbed, but ultimately is a great love song.

The musicians on these dates are exceptional, and no wonder, they are from Berklee College of Music and include: Greg Badolato featured on tenor sax in “I Concentrate On You,” and Daniel Ian Smith on tenor and alto flute, featured in a new blues-tinged jazz tune, “After You”; masterful drummers Yoron Israel in “Savor Each Note,” and Grammy award winning Mark Walker, in the Latin session tunes, “Dancing In the Dark,” “Vente Anos,” and “Children of Sanchez”; bass men, Oscar Stagnaro who brought his authentic Latin styling, and incomparable Jim Stinnett on the acoustic set in “How Deep Is The Ocean”; Ken Cervenka is featured on muted trumpet in “He’s My Man.” Other fine session players include Ralph Rosen, Dave Lamina, and Marty Walsh and Danny “Mo” Morris in the Doc Pomes/Mac Rabbennac blues tune, “Prisoner of Life.” Young gifted musicians Alex Brown on piano along with Mitchell Gonzales acoustic guitar and Paulo Stagnaro on percussion also play the Latin session tracks.

The mix of music on Burgundy Brew, Labek, and the musicians on this CD, will leave you high on life.
Labek’s interpretations are soulful, and dangerously honest. She is part of the jazz torch singer tradition, stylists who caress the meaning of a song with deep human understanding. “Labek’s performances are evocative of the best sultry vocalists like Etta James and Shirley Horn.” Digital Domain- Bob Katz.
“Labek consummates the marriage of words and music – She delivers the heartfelt song, whether plumbing the depths of the dissolution of love, or offering a seductive jazz take on a standard.” Dave Lavaley.

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