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Two Portraits of Chet Baker
Fay Claassen
Two Portraits of Chet Baker
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #2

"A talented young singer who is definitely on an upward curve ? one of the better big-band-with-vocalist albums of the year." -ALL ABOUT JAZZ "Singer Fay Claassen pays respect to the American popular song in a jazz contex...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Fay Claassen
Title: Two Portraits of Chet Baker
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Jazz'n Pulz
Original Release Date: 1/1/2006
Re-Release Date: 6/13/2006
Album Type: Import
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Styles: Modern Postbebop, Vocal Jazz, Bebop, Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 742451549720

Synopsis

Album Description
"A talented young singer who is definitely on an upward curve ? one of the better big-band-with-vocalist albums of the year." -ALL ABOUT JAZZ "Singer Fay Claassen pays respect to the American popular song in a jazz context that is entirely her own. Fay is worth hearing because of the sincerity with which she handles lyrics. She can scat in a solid, rhythmic way and also has an attractive, breezy voice." -DOWN BEAT "Although Claassen swings, she isn?t an aggressive or forceful sort of vocalist ? her post-bop outlook is urbane, sophisticated, elegant, and refined." -ALL MUSIC GUIDE "Fay Claassen has got a strong mezzo voice that can handle some of the most sinuous, difficult melodic lines I've ever heard. She improvises with élan and her interpretive ability is formidable. She?s to singing what Audrey Hepburn was to the movies ? elegant, effervescent, and always on a dangerously seductive yet graceful edge." -CADENCE This double album, developed with the help of musicians who have worked directly with Chet Baker, highlights two periods: Chet Baker?s instrumental work with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, and his vocal pieces. Fay Claassen?s performances are graceful, elegant, smooth, and sophisticated ? like Soesja Citroen, she is a Dutch jazz vocalist who has no problem with the English language! Considered by many to be the world?s fastest-rising vocal jazz star, Claassen has recorded with well known jazz musicians including Mike Stern, Kenny Werner, Toots Thielemans, Joe Locke, and Steve Davis.

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CD Reviews

Fay Claassen made me happy
Sc Jeannet | 12/05/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe I should start by mentioning that in my youth I was a great fan of West Coast jazz, especially of the music of Gerry Mulligan. I listened to the Gerry Mulligan quartet day after days and today I can still sing in unison every single note that Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker played on such famous tunes as "Line for Lions" and "Walking Shoes". So when I received and listened to the Fay Claassen double CD named "Fay Claassen Sings Two Portraits of Chet Baker" Fay hit the jackpot with me.



The CD was done in remembrance of Chet 75th birthday. Listening to the first CD, it is quite obvious that it is like a retake of the famous Gerry Mulligan piano-less quartet, but we have Jan Menu on baritone, Hein van de Geyn on bass, John Engel on drums and Fay taking the Chet's place on vocal.

Obviously the period that Chet spend with the Gerry Mulligan quartet was purely as a trumpet player, Fay sings Chet's parts, nearly note for note. Most of the famous Gerry Mulligan tunes are covered. It is also obvious that all four musicians know the music very well as sometimes it is just so uncanny how similar they sound to the

original quartet. Fay scats in unison with the baritone sax just like Chet did with his trumpet, the interplay between the two is just fabulous, just listen to Fay on "Swinghouse" and "Poinciana".

Well when "Walking Shoes" came on I just could not resist I joined in and sang in unison with them. It was so much fun!!!

Luckily for you this version does not appear on the CD.

The second CD is a different thing all together, Fay concentrate on Chet Baker vocal repertoire, with such tunes as "The Touch of Your Lips", "Let's Get Lost","I Fall in Love Too Easily" and even sings in Italian "Retrato em Branco epreto" ("Portrait in Black and White"). She sings very much in Chet style but uses a greater vocal range.

On this CD joining in are Jan Wessels on trumpet

playing in the style of Chet, and Karel Boehle on piano. The arrangements on the second CD are by bassist extraordinaire

Hein van de Geyn, he obviously has a great affinity with Chet's music having been Chet's bass player for many years.



It is a concept CD, but it works well and most of all made me happy like no other vocal CD I bought in a long long time.

Fay is outstanding, her vocal abilities are limitless, she scats,sings to perfection.

I cannot think of any other jazz vocal cd that can even come close to challenge this one for best of 2006"