Search - Amy London :: When I Look in Your Eyes

A WONDERFUL JAZZ SET BY A SUPERB SINGER

RBSProds | Deep in the heart of Texas | 01/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Four and a Half SUPERB Stars!! Amy London is a dynamic and versatile jazz singer who has a very individualistic, beautifully burnished voice. A true jazz singer, she successfully takes on challenging and wide-ranging material on this CD. Highly regarded in the NYC jazz and popular music arena, she has performed with a 'who's who' of musicians, singers, and composer/arrangers in some high profile NYC jazz venues and extensively on Broadway. As it turns out, i had unknowingly heard her voice hundreds of times over the years on a cassette tape of the Grammy-nominated soundtrack from the multi-Tony award-winning Broadway musical "City of Angels". Amy Jane London spent 3 years as part of the stunning "Angel City 4" vocalese group that sang Cy Coleman's jazzy score throughout each performance. Indeed, I had seen her sing because I saw that show 3 times on Broadway. Ms London is ably assisted by the legendary pianist John Hicks in one of his final performances, bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Leroy Williams, and her husband, master guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, among others: a tight sounding group with great arrangements.



My favorite performance is "With Every Breath I Take", one of the 'show-stoppers' from "City of Angels": the 'super ballad' originally sung on Broadway by Kay McClelland. On this beautiful but difficult 'singers song' that has some very low notes, Ms London conjures up her own wonderful, personal rendition aided by a very nice tenor sax solo from Dan Greenblatt, with quotes from "Alaura's Theme" at the intro and exit. But there is much more on this CD. The title song, "When I Look Into Your Eyes" is stunningly superb, somewhat in the area code of Morgana King. And "Wouldn't You" (Dizzy's "Woody N' You") gets a wild treatment swinging from latin to 4/4 time. Plus there are very interesting versions of Laura Nyro's "Lazy Susan" and Jobim's jaunty "Passarim". In all, a great performance with some challenging interpretations that should bring the listener back many times to enjoy her artistry. Highly Recommended. "Four and a half Stars". (Audio CD, 12 tracks, 51:24 total time, with sleeve jacket and an informative booklet insert.)"

Why haven't I heard of this swingin' babe before?

Private | NYC | 11/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A friend of mine who knows I'm really picky about female singers gave me this CD as a gift and I have'nt stopped listening to it since. What a luscious voice! She swings like Ella, but with a velvety dramatic voice that reminds me of kd lang. Can't get enough of her. OK, let me stop writing this review so I can see if Amy London has any other recordings I can snap up."