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"rich and expressive, warm and engaging" CD Review: ESPRESSO All Of Me By PAUL BURTON Music Revue Magazine This collection of jazz-pop-blues standards is a nice introduction to jazz trio Espresso. Led by guitarist-vocalist Sandi Russell, the group swings with a relaxed , mellow style. Russell's voice is rich and expressive, warm and engaging on classics like " A Foggy Day ", "Tuxedo Junction ", and " Skylark." Even though these tunes have been done millions of times before, Russell breathes new life into them, making them her own and reminding us why they are standards. Equally warm and engaging is the great clarinet work of Bob Sparkman, who adds succinct and sensitive fills and very cool solos, particularly on "Skylark", the bossa nova classic "Meditation," "Tuxedo Junction," and the instrumental "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise." Russell takes a few solos, which don't stray far from the songs' melodies but have a beautiful tone. She goes for a Wes Montgomery sound on "Softly" and quotes a Charlie Parker melody in her solo on "Honeysuckle Rose." Bassist Barbara Hilton provides a strong rhythmic foundation for the soloists. The sense of enjoyment these musicians feel playing these great songs and playing with each other comes through clearly. Part of the credit for the nice vibes that come through on this CD goes to the recording expertise of Joe Podlesney of Avocet Studios in Shelburne, MA. The beautiful recording has Russell's voice clearly up front so she sounds like she's right in your living room, even when her voice almost whispers, as on "Body and Soul." Likewise on "Mood Indigo" every inflection of Russell's dreamy voice is captured clearly. Espresso's smooth sound is easy to swallow, like a sweet double latte brewed from the finest beans-shade grown, organic, and strong-a mellow blend tastefully served up for mass consumption. ------------------------------------------------------------ " They make old standards come alive." CD Review: ESPRESSO All Of Me By JENNIFER LAYTON www.Indie-Music.com I've been without my jazz music for almost two months now while reviewing all these alt rock/power pop CDs I've been getting. I started to suspect I was suffering from mellow jazz withdrawal when McDonald's got my order wrong yesterday and three other customers had to physically restrain me from leaping over the counter and putting my foot through the frozen yogurt machine. I don't care what that counter girl says, I did NOT ask for crumbled Oreo sprinkles. Then I got home and reached for my stack of CDs to be reviewed and came up with Espresso's CD, " All Of Me. " Thank God. If you are into jazz at all, you have to have this CD. This is a collection of classic jazz, blues, and swing standards from the '30's and '40's recorded so clearly and beautifully that it sounds like the group is playing right here in my living room. The recording really is incredible. I can hear every vocal nuance from singer-guitarist Sandi Russell. She has a cool, sassy, attitude-filled voice that sometimes drops to a whisper and other times belts it out. She really shines on " Body and Soul" and George and Ira Gershwin's " A Foggy Day. " The other two-thirds of the group are bassist Barbara Hilton and jazz clarinet player Bob Sparkman. The absence of percussion does not hurt their sound at all. It keeps the mood dreamy and delicate, especially on " Skylark, " where I can hear that these musicians don't just love playing together. They love music. They make these old standards come alive. On the instrumental " Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise," the clarinet does the singing in a soulful, moving way. When they're not playing delicate, elegant music, they really swing. They offer a toe-tapping rendition of " Tuxedo Junction " and an equally cool " Honeysuckle Rose." This was such a pleasure to listen to. And a lifesaver for all the people I will come in contact with tomorrow. I feel so much better. ------------------------------------------------------ ESPRESSO JAZZ is a rich brew of choice standards from the Great American Songbook. The smoky vocals and swinging guitar of Sandi Russell set the stage for this eclectic combo. A New England native, Sandi has performed in musical venues throughout the East Coast. After a stint with the jazz quintet, Sweet Basil, Russell followed her muse to Kansas City where she pursued a successful solo career. The City of Fountains had a lasting effect on Sandi's musical style and became the keystone to her brand of "bluesy jazz". In 1993, Russell returned to New England and teamed with bassist, Barbara Hilton, for a jazz performance at First Night Cape Cod in Orleans, MA. Hilton's deep, pulsating, double bass added the perfect rhythmic punch and the rich essence of ESPRESSO JAZZ began to perk. The duo continues to share their brand of quiet cookin' at many fine New England restaurants. Catch them the first Friday of each month at Chandler's Yankee Candle's North American flagship restaurant in South Deerfield, MA. During the fall of 1999, ESPRESSO JAZZ recorded their debut CD, All Of Me . This live recording from Avocet Studios features Russell, Hilton, and the spirited clarinet of Bob Sparkman. A veteran of the NYC jazz scene, Sparkman's credits include a stint at Eddie Condon's Jazz Club where he performed with Doc Cheatham, John Bunch, and Billy Butterfield. James Lincoln Collier, historian for Ken Burns' PBS series "JAZZ " said of ESPRESSO "This is just the sort of eclectic chamber jazz that we desperately need." ESPRESSO JAZZ 's millenium offering I'm Just A Lucky So & So is a mellow blend of standards featuring Russell, Hilton, and saxophonist / flutist Kerry Blount. A recording artist with Atlantic Records, Warner Brothers, and London Records; Blount added a dark richness to the mix. Radio host, Ken Irwin of WMUA's Java Jazz described the collaboration - "The participants are definitely on the same page, as they effortlessly weave their laid-back magic." In 2001, ESPRESSO JAZZ poured out another steamy release with their third recording- Jazz 'N' Samba . This caffeinated brew of latin and jazz standards features Russell, Hilton, Blount, and drummer Tom Rinaldi. The addition of Rinaldi brought a new depth to the trio.Tom's swing and latin grooves propelled the combo to new heights. Jazz reviewer, Keith Hannaleck described the four piece ensemble as "world class talent ... a full-bodied brew that offers a dynamic blend of genres." Sandi Russell and Barbara Hilton recently completed their fourth independent release from Avocet Studios . The 2003 recording titled- The Blues Are Brewin' is a compilation of jazz blues and swing standards. All of the songs chosen for this CD were written during the '20s, '30s & '40s. Many were rediscovered from the archives of Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. On board for this session with Russell and Hilton are Brattleboro, Vermont drummer Richard Mayer and Paradise City Jazz trumpeter Dave Pinardi. Mayer's unique light touch and Pinardi's vintage New Orleans sound help to keep the Espresso machine perkin' on this latest project. Check out the artist's website: http://www.espressojazz.net/ Track List: 1. All Of Me 2. A Foggy Day 3. Skylark 4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 5. Tuxedo Junction 6. Body And Soul 7. Meditation 8. Honeysuckle Rose 9. Mood Indigo 10. Route 66 Other Genres:
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