Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Laila Dalseth was born November 6, 1940 in Bergen, Norway. After an early debut in her hometown she became active on the Oslo, Norway jazz scene, recording with Kjell Karlsen, Egil Kapstad and Helge Hurum’s big band. Her first recording was Metropol Jazz in 1963, then she was a part of Stokstad/Jensen Trad Band from 1973 to 1975. This she followed with a stint in a band with Per Borthen, then at Teatret Vårt in the play Havhesten in 1976.

>With her own band, Laila recorded Listen Here! (1999), 1960’s album One of a Kind (2000) and then Everything I Love (2003), all on the Gemini label. Her L. D. Quintet consisted of her husband Totti Bergh on saxophone, pianist Per Husby, bassist Kåre Garnes and Tom Olstad on drums.

Dalseth was awarded Buddyprisen in 1976, the Spellemannprisen i klassen jazz on three occasions, for Just Friends in 1975, Glad There is You in 1978 and in 1984 for Daydreams. International recognition came in the Eighties with her release of  for the record Time for Love with Red Mitchell, Travelling Light with Al Cohn, and into the 1990s with The Judge and I with Milt Hinton, A Woman’s Intuition, her own sextet featuring guitarist Philip Catherine, and into the new century with We Remember You with Al Cohn, and Everything I Love.

At 80, vocalist Laila Dalseth has recorded thirteen albums, received eight awards and remains active on the jazz scene.

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

In our ongoing practice of social distancing and wearing our masks, this week’s selection comes the very talented interpreter and vocalist Nnenna Freelon who has delivered her latest Time Traveler. The songs for the album were recorded over a span of two years on March 13~15, 2018, October 24, 2018, August 20, 2020 and September 3, 2020. It was released on May 21, 2021 on the Origin Records label.

The album was recorded at Manifold  Records in Pittsboro, North Carolina, Overdub Lane, Durham, North Carolina and Tedesco Studios in Paramus, New Jersey. It was produced by Nnenna Freelon, with musical direction by Miki Hayama. The engineers were Jason Richmond (1~6, 8~11), Ian Schreier (1,3~5,7,9) Tom Tedesco (1~3,8) and John Plymale (2,8).

The cover design and layout was by John Bishop, photography by Chris Charles, clothing stylist ~ Katina Bryson, makeup ~ Sharon Davis, hairstylist ~ Anes El and henna and face artist Shemora Sheik made up the production team.

She draws from her life story the songs of her youth and has helped her navigate the process of loss and healing and steps through an imagined doorway where past, present and future collide. She reminds us of a time when grace and elegance were a standard and that is timeless. There is a reverence in the lyrics that was lost in my youth but has been captured with age.

Tracks | 55:03

  1. I Say A Little Prayer For You (Burt Bachrach/Hall David) ~ 5:07
  2. Marvin Medley: If This World Were Mine/Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough ( Marvin Gaye, Ashford & Simpson) ~ 6:05
  3. Just You (Nnenna Freelon) ~ 5:32
  4. Betcha By Golly Wow (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) ~ 4:54
  5. Time In A Bottle (Jim Croce) ~ 6:59
  6. You Make Me Feel Brand New (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) ~ 5:06
  7. Moon River (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) ~ 5:57
  8. Time After Time (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne ~ 4:58
  9. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) ~ 5:55
  10. Time Traveler (Freelon,Curry,Robinson, Scott) ~ 4:30
Players
  • Nnenna Freelon ~ Vocals
  • Miki Hayama ~ Piano 1,3,5,7,8 Rhodes 2,4,9 Synth 2,8
  • Chuckey Robinson ~ Keyboards 10,11
  • Brandon McCune ~ Hammond Organ 1,3
  • Keith Ganz ~ Guitar 2~6,8~11
  • Noah Jackson ~ Acoustic Bass 1,3~5,7,9
  • Gerald Veasley ~ Electric Bass 2,8
  • Lance Scott ~ Electric Bass 10,11
  • E. J. Strickland ~ Drums 1,3~5,7,9
  • Adonis Rose ~ Drums 2,8
  • Jon Curry ~ Drums 10,11
  • Beverly Botsford ~ Percussion 2,4,8
  • Trineice Robinson-Martin ~ Background Vocal
  • Kirk Whalum ~ Tenor Saxophone, Flute 4
  • Shana Tucker ~ Cello 5

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Arlene Bardelle was born on November 2, 1959 and Chicago, Illinois is her home. Growing up Judy Garland was an early influence and Ella Fitzgerald was a major influence on her singing. She also took cues from Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Irene Kral.

Having a longtime love affair with the grand old movies of the 30’s and 40’s, Arlene has accumulated a vast repertoire of the great American standard songbook as a result.

Bardelle has performed at the top Chicago venues with her band including the likes of pianists Tom Muellner, John Campbell, Jeremy Kahn and Dennis Luxion, bassist Kelly Sill, Jim Cox, Rob Amster, Larry Kohut, Joe Policastro and Larry Gray, drummers Tim Davis, Phil Gratteau, Bob Rummage and Rusty Jones and multi-instrumenatalist Ira Sullivan, saxophonists Eric Schneider and Ron Dewar, as well as trumpeter Art Davis.

Vocalist Arlene Bardelle released her last album Blue Gardenia in 2010 and  she continues to perform and select the music she is passionate about.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Joseph L. Sanders was born on October 26, 1896 in Thayer, Kansas. Best known for co-leading the Coon-Sanders’ Nighthawks along with Carleton Coon, the pair formed the group in 1920 in Kansas City under the name Coon-Sanders Novelty Orchestra.

Their broadcast for the first time on radio the following year, they became simply known as the Nighthawks because of their frequent appearances on late night radio. They recorded in Chicago, Illinois in 1924 and held a residency at the Blackhawk club in that city from 1926. The ensemble toured as a Midwestern territory band, and after Coon’s death, Joe continued to lead the band under his own name.

During the 1940s Sanders worked mostly in Hollywood studios, and occasionally led performances at the Blackhawk once again. He was a vocalist for the Kansas City Opera in the 1950s.

Pianist, singer, and bandleader Joe Sanders, associated with Kansas City jazz for most of his career, passed away in Kansas City, Missouri on May 14, 1965.

THE WATCHFUL EYE

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Betty Bennett was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 23, 1921. Her first major signing was with the Claude Thornhill band in 1946 the band in which her husband, bassist Iggy Shevak, was playing. Shortly after her husband left to join Alvino Rey, Bennett followed him there.

In 1949, she joined Charlie Ventura’s band before going on to join Benny Goodman in 1959. Her second album, Nobody Else But Me, featured arrangements by Shorty Rogers and her second husband, André Previn.

She later married guitarist Mundell Lowe in 1975. Vocalist Betty Bennett, who was a big band singer and recorded five albums as a leader, passed away on April 7, 2020 at the age of 98.

THE WATCHFUL EYE

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