great
author:
I loved it!
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Exquisite and delightful is Maggie Galloway new release.
author: serge jeannet
Maggie Galloway “Azure”
Exquisite and delightful - both words can be used to describe Maggie Galloway's latest effort.
Her previous CD “More Than You Know” was a straight-ahead, great American songbook
album with the standard piano trio accompaniment. This new CD takes Miss Galloway on a completely different path with the bare-bones accompaniment of Bob Nieske (bass) and Anthony Weller (guitar). It is a setting that would make almost any singer sound good, it takes Maggie Galloway close to greatness.
The choice of material for the most part is masterful. The opening track “Wayfaring Stranger” is perfectly suited to Maggie's sensitive singing, and she is at her most hauntingly poignant. I do not own many versions of this particular song but for now this interpretation is my new reference. Another gem is Alec Wilder's “Blackberry Winter”, the near perfect marriage of folk and jazz. Other highlights are Ellington's “Come Sunday” and a lovely rendition of Cole Porter's “Every Time We Say Goodbye”.
The musicians are first class; Weller is a very lyrical, classically-influenced but agile guitar player.
Nieske's contribution is what anchors the group, and even gives the folk orientated tunes the “jazz feel”. But, at the end of the day what really impresses me is the completely honest, unpretentious and sensitive singing of Maggie Galloway, not forgetting her uniquely warm and beautiful voice.
Is it the perfect CD??? Maybe a greater variation of pace and emotional temperature would have made it a little more exiting but this believe me is a minor quibble. If you are in a pensive mood, wanting to listen to quiet, well sang and played music you cannot do much better. It’s been doing the rounds in my CD player on many occasions and will definitely find a place in my top 10 jazz vocal CDs of 2004.
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Great quiet album
author: Ed Goodstein
Maggie's debut, MORE THAN YOU KNOW, is a real fave of mine, and I have to admit it took a little while to adjust to this new one. This is a true trio album, with guitarist Anthony Weller & bassist Bob Nieske really as important as MG.
And they are excellent IMO. Some really interesting approaches & virtuoso
playing-- if understated. Galloway is somewhat more 'soulful' on this album; these are very thoughtful renditions, somewhat akin to Sarah
Vaughn's small group work, if with also a bit of folk feel. My favorites I
think are "Blackberry Winter" (a touch of folk in the jazz-- I think Alec Wilder would approve!), Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," lovely & not as 'dour' as many renditions, if still poignant; and a very interesting take on the rarely
done "Tomorrow's Son" by Steve Kuhn-- less rhapsodic/nostalgic than Sheila Jordan, but equally strong (& that's saying something!). A lovely album all
together which I at least have found grows with each listen.
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