Rare is the American jazz artist whose career hasn’t been expanded,
extended or otherwise enriched by Japanese fans. Now, more than a dozen West
Coast performers are reciprocating with From California With Love.
Masterminded by Bill Reed of SSJ Records, all proceeds from the 13-track
compilation will be contributed to the ongoing relief efforts for the
devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan this past March.
The project was born the morning after the disaster when Reed phoned
vocalist Diane Hubka to inquire about the welfare of several mutual Japanese
friends. Hubka suggested the multi-artist CD idea.
Reed immediately reached out to current and former SSJ artists and
received unilateral support for the idea. Almost all have either toured Japan
or gained career support through Japanese reissues of their work. All currently
reside in California. The artists were welcome to choose whatever song they
preferred, with one caveat: Reed wanted the album to be thematically upbeat,
ideally filled with selections that reinforced cross-cultural empathy.
Sue Raney, teamed with Alan Broadbent, opens with a lilting blend of
“Blues Skies” and “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.” Broadbent then takes a
solo spin through “Sweet and Lovely.” Johnny Holiday, together with his
frequent recording mate, saxophonist Sam Most, offers a rousing “Strike Up the
Band,” made all the more delightful thanks to Most’s reedy vocal contributions.
Former Ray Anthony vocalist Dick Noel, whose six-decade career has
produced only two albums under his own name, offers a sweet rendition of Johnny
Mercer’s “Dream.” Pinky Winters, who reignited her career a decade or so ago
and has been recording steadily since, adds a stirring “You’ll Never Walk
Alone.”
Sixties pop crooner and Sinatra acolyte Frankie Randall sounds sprightly
as ever on “The Wave,” which, not to be confused with Jobim’s “Wave,” is a new
tune that speaks directly to the disaster and the courage that followed in its
wake. Randall wrote it expressly for the album.
But From California With Love is not solely the purview
of septuagenarian artists. Singer/guitarist Hubka (whose most recent album is
the SSJ release I Like It Here: Live in Tokyo), accompanied by Dan
Sawyer on ukulele, contributes a shimmering “Sweet Happy Life.”
Leslie Lewis, often linked with the Gerald Hagen Trio, teams with
pianist Hagen for a gorgeously muted “Skylark.” Likewise Tierney Sutton, who
hasn’t recorded in years without bandmates Christian Jacob, Ray Brinker, Kevin
Axt and Trey Henry, takes a duo outing with pianist Jacob for a tenderly
haunting “Beautiful Love.” Jacob also provides a stunning solo interpretation
of “Ue Wo Muite Arukou” (popularized in 1963 by Japanese vocalist Kyu Sakamoto
and released as “Sukiyaki” for the American market—a rather preposterous
renaming, since the Japanese title actually translates as “I look up when I
walk”).
But it is studio pianist Jim Cox, whose immense list of credits includes
sessions with Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Burt Bacharach and
Robbie Williams, who gets the most play. It is Cox behind Winters on “You’ll
Never Walk Alone.” He also supports vocalist Kurt Reichenbach (who also
designed the album cover) on a superbly understated “Here’s to Life,” and is
alone in the spotlight for a majestic rendering of “We Can Work It Out.”
There is also a 13th track, the only one that veers from the
all-Californians mandate. Contributed by Chris Connor’s longtime manager Lori Muscarelle,
it is a 1987 recording of Connor performing “I Feel a Song Coming On” at the
Tralfamadore Café in Buffalo, N.Y. The sound quality is less than great, and
the track is less than a minute-and-a-half long, but its rarity makes it a
valuable addition. - From California With Love is currently
available (CD or download) from CD Baby.
If you’d like to share your comments about From
California With Love, or have suggestions for future installments of
Hearing Voices, please e-mail jtvocaljazz@gmail.com. I can also be followed on
Twitter @CWLoudon. -
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