Blues Katze Records is proud to offer you the long-awaited release of Tabitha Elkins' debut album, "Snowing in July," featuring both Classic jazz Standards such as "Mood Indigo," and "Lover Man," and four original tunes, including the up-tempo hardbop title track and the moody, evocative, "Longing".
For the recording, Tabitha chose a lineup of some of New York's most promising newcomers, including young bassist extrodinaire Haru Takamichi, whose inventive, infectious solo is an unexpected treat in "Snowing in July". On drums, providing a healthy dose of rhythm and groove, is Detroit native Jordan Young, a graduate student at New York's prestgious Manhattan School of Music. Paul Kendall, the most experienced musician in the lineup, is a well-known New York- area tenor saxophonist who has most recently recorded with Bobby Forrester and Kenny Drew, Jr.; his hard-driving, lyrical, bluesy approach neatly melds with Tabitha's soulful, witty singing, and rhythm-driven pianism.
Tabitha's career comes full circle with this CD. A Classical Composition major at New York University, she was planning a career as a composer of Modern Classical Music, and completed a suite for flute and guitar, a violin sonata, and various works for solo piano and guitar. While studying with Edward McIrvine at the College of Staten Island, however, she took a Jazz Ensemble course as an elective. This set the stage for a new branch in Tabitha's music. "I always enjoyed listening to jazz, but I never considered playing it. but once I got started, I got hooked."
Tabitha's bluesy vocal style has been compared to classic Jazz singers as Lena Horne and Billie Holiday. Tabitha, however, admits that her tastes in music are a bit more eclectic. Among her favorite vocalists are jazz and blues legends Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith, as well as contemporary vocalists such as Cassandra Wilson, Sade and Anita Baker. She also is a big fan of World Music, Opera, Bluegrass and Rock. "To me there are only two kinds of music," says Tabitha, "Good music and bad music. I'm into good music."
Three of the tunes here are classic Jazz Standards- "Lover Man," Duke Ellington's immortal "Mood Indigo" and the Ann Ronell classic, "Willow Weep For Me," made famous by the great Dinah Washinton. "I wanted to sing some of the tunes I do live, and these are some of my favorites.," says Tabitha. Here, they are deftly handled, with nice touches both in the piano arrangement, and Paul Kendall's interspersed melodic lines.
Of special note are the two songs here which feature original lyrics. Tabitha is an accomplished poet whose award-winning work was published in the "Serpentine" poetry journal. Her lyric-writing, like her music, is direct, fluid and witty, and melds seamlessly with her music, whether in the dreamy, optimistic, "Snowing in July," or the Blues driven- "Lord Above".
Lastly, the two instrumental originals, "Longing," and "Funkification" highlight Tabitha's skill as an arranger and composer. Both tunes showcase the fiery inventiveness of saxman Paul Kendall. Tabitha wisely plays a supporting role here, keeping the groove going with Haru Takamichi and Jordan Young providing a backbone.
I'm betting that if you love jazz, you'll love this CD. Tabitha has assembled a top-notch crew here, and they do a bang-up job here. Here are four fresh new voices in jazz, giving a respectful nod to their predecessors, and a look towards the future.
Mingus Thayer
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