Search - New York Voices :: Sing Sing Sing

Phenominal

Sor_Fingers | Boulder, CO USA | 05/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The New York Voices really know how to swing. This CD really shows it. The arrangements are absolutely fabulous. The tight crisp four-part harmony of the singers cut through the dynamite big band brass parts. We hear a very careful attention to nuance in the voices. Every little inflection, slide, and chord has been carefully fine-tuned giving the NY Voices the ultimate ensemble persona. Everything the group does together is completly synchronized. The album has incredible shape, starting off with an explosion of the vocalise of "Sing Sing Sing" and closing with the sultry, velvety chords of the a cappella "I'll Be Seeing You." Other stand out tracks include the trucking shuffle chart "Smack Dab In The Middle," the hillarious "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," the cool, laid back "Bli Blip," and the Duke Ellington Standard "In A Mellow Tone" in which bass vocalist Peter Eldridge's smooth frothy voice takes the lead and executes an amazing vocalized transcribe solo (on LYRICS, not scat syllables.) Tenor Darmon Meader not only does some incredible vocal improvisation, but also exhibits his chops on the saxophone as well (which are just as good as his vocal solos.) This is truly some of the best vocal jazz around. This album is straight up big band jazz nirvana. Essential for the lover of jazz."

Something for fans of harmony to geek out about!!!

Joshua Smith | CT, USA | 09/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is ASTOUNDING. These songs get IN YOUR HEAD and you wake up after 8 hours of sleep and they are still in your head from when you listened to them the night before. That's how addicting it is, but trust me, it's a good kind of addiction. The only bad thing about it is that it will make everything else in your collection seem really boring by comparison. What makes the album so awesome are the harmonies and the song selections. Wherever they can, the arrangements really exploit the dissonant jazz harmonic potential that is inherent in the original compositions while still completely respecting the original melody and chord progressions. [For those of you who don't speak music theory, let's just say IT ROCKS.] Standout cuts are "Smack Dab in the Middle," "Orange Colored Sky," "Cloudburst," and "In a Mellow Tone." On "Mellow Tone," make sure you hang in there for the last couple of minutes when Kim Nazarian adds a super high harmony onto the mix. It will blow your mind."

Simply Incredible!!!

John C. Whitney | 10/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If the two ballads weren't so gorgeous, this would be "Swing, Swing, Swing." The charts are full-bodied and the big band plays with incredible "pop!" The soloists are great, too. Meader is not just a great vocalist and arranger, he is fine saxman. The tight vocal harmonies are impeccably in tune. I have bought more than 10 copies of this CD to give to friends. It's one of my all-time favorites. If you liked the Four Freshmen or the Hi-Los, you'll adore this CD.



John Whitney, Allegany, NY"