Search - Janet Planet :: Of Thee I Sing

THE FABULOUS JANET PLANET'S JAZZY U.S.A. TRAVELOGUE

RBSProds | Deep in the heart of Texas | 10/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Five SWINGING Stars! Marvelous and mellow!! Talented jazz singer, producer, and educator Janet Planet and her sextet cut a wide and wonderful musical swath across the continent in her fabulous jazz tribute to the U.S.A called "Of Thee I Sing". This CD reveals Ms Planet as a jazz singer possessing a stylish, clear voice with a dancing vibrato and great timing, among her other uniquely personal vocal skills, that sell a song while swinging like crazy. Full of lush ballads and mellow swingers, this CD's songs depict musical locations, states, & transportation means in the U.S.A.: beginning on Cape Cod Bay, winding down to New York City, Chicago, across Route 66, detouring down to Texas and points south, before wandering west and ending up on San Francisco Bay. And some songs are spruced up with unusual, attractive arrangements, with Ms Planet occasionally kicking off some songs with rarely-heard but compelling lead verses as she bends these songs to her artful jazz vocalizing. Her talented backup quintet consists of the talented Tom Theabo on guitar, the inventive Tom Washatka on tenor sax, and a superb rhythm section with John Harmon on piano, John Gibson on bass and Danny Lueck on drums: they swing hard, burnish the ballads, and contribute very interesting solos.



The 'best of the best' begins with Ms Planet's marvelous, humorous rendition of the clever "Rhode Island Is Famous for You" with its internal salutes to other states. "Old Cape Cod" is given a nice, unusual latin twist. The lovely "Manhattan" with its 'voice & sax' unison intro and coda and expressive vocal went straight to my iPod. Her different spin on "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" is such a marvelous performance with a fluid, swinging solo from tenor whiz Tom Washatka. "Home On The Range" in a jazz context is a winner that takes some musical moxey and Ms Planet's version is compelling and successful. The bluesy "Song of Wyoming" is another loping ballad where Planet's plaintive voice tugs at the heartstrings. An exotic "Deep in the Heart of Texas" begins with another seldom heard intro verse before the main lyric: a great performance that also elbowed its way onto my crowded iPod. Janet Planet is 2 decades and many CDs into a wonderful singing career that deserves much more national attention. Recorded in studio with clear sound and an intimate, small jazz club ambience, this CD is Highly Recommended. Five BIG Stars! (This review is based on an Amazon MP3 download; 14 songs; total time: 50:26)"