Moments
Catherine Dupuis
Bearheart Records
2001
13 tracks
Each time I listen to Moments, one song leaps out at me as exceptional. This may result from Bill Mays' arrangement, the band's performance of the music, Catherine Dupuis' interpretation, or a serendipitous meeting in one song of all these elements. Whatever the reason, the traditional hymn "What Wondrous Love Is This" is a powerful jazz treatment of what the liner notes call an American folk hymn. While this song is arguably the best on this release, it is a diamond set with care among a profusion of precious gems.
While jazz may often tend to feel timeless, like most popular music forms it evolves from one era to another and sometimes swings back on itself, drawing upon the styles of previous eras to recreate itself in nostalgic yet fresh new form. Since the dawn of this new century, the jazz sounds I've most heard resurrected come from the mid-Twentieth century, especially the Sixties. The songs may be drawn from any era or be brand new, but the instrumental and vocal treatments bring back the popular (and sometimes not so popular) jazz of some forty years ago. The music on Moments has that sound.
"What Wondrous Love Is This" is a full bodied jazz spiritual that will move the most jaded listener. It starts out simple, almost a capella only just supported by the instrumental backing, then builds through a powerful range of moods. It is in this hymn that Dupuis seems to allow the full power and range of her voice free reign, enabling herself to explore the powerful spirituality of this song. Mays brings to his arrangement a very American feeling, echoing the work of several Sixties jazz greats but incorporating the panoramic vision of such American composers as Aaron Copland. Dupuis brings the same range to her interpretation, so that one can almost see the American landscape drift by as in a dream.
The songs on this release range from the traditional through jazz classics to songs which are relatively contemporary. Even with all this variety, this music has a certain unity that is built on the similarities in the songs, the excellent arrangements, and the equally excellent performances by all involved. Forced to define the overall sound, I would say that it's a sort of big city jazz meets show tunes, all with a distinct Sixties flavour. If there's one word that defines the music on this release, it can be said to be dramatic.
While Dupuis clearly has been performing long enough to have developed her own style and interpretations, her work is transparent enough that at least some of her influences shine through. Depending on the song, I hear sometimes strong and sometimes subtle echoes of Eartha Kitt, Della Reese, Dinah Washington and other great jazz singers of that bygone era, yet I also hear the dramatic effects of such theatrical artists as Barbra Streisand. If influences are apparent, however, they have seamlessly been incorporated into what is special and unique about Dupuis' own style.
Cole Porter's "All Through The Night" starts with a dramatic almost-spoken vocal over minimal instrumental that builds until both the band and Dupuis roll into a cool, swinging arrangement. This is quiet, clubby jazz that's hard to beat. More so than Lerner and Loewe's "Follow Me" that opens the set, this song sets the stage for what follows.
"I'm Old Fashioned" from Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer is another of those very theatrical songs that give this jazz album its unique feeling. Shut your eyes and you can almost see Dupuis on a Technicolor wide-screen pouring her heart out from some sound-stage balcony for all the world to hear. Building from thoughtful to frenetic, Dupuis' vocal imbues this song with the true dramatic impact of American musical theatre.
A surprise on this release is a song from English pop artist Sting. "If You Love Someone, Set Them Free" has all the feel of pure American jazz. Even more, this rich interpretation recalls the Sixties jazz recordings of traditional (and sometimes faux traditional) American folk songs. This is a swinging jazz song from an unexpected source, and it works exceptionally well.
"Spring Friend" especially has that plaintive, theatrical sound associated with the very young Barbra Streisand. Shut your eyes and the scene on the big screen is a New York brownstone streetscape with Dupuis forlorn under a slight drizzle of rain. Written by Bill Mays and Mark Murphy, this song seems to work in spite of itself, buoyed up by its very dramatic jazz score.
George and Ira Gershwin's "Isn't It A Pity" is like a Sixties treatment of a Thirties song, restrained overall and allowing the power of the lyric came through above the sweet melody. The end result is a beautiful recording of a beautiful song,
"Interlude (A Night In Tunisia)" is perhaps the most pure jazz treatment on this release. Where most other songs have a certain theatrical element to them and one clearly derives from folk music roots, "Interlude" has a solid modern (meaning mid-Twentieth century) ambience. Here is another song where Dupuis allows herself to range wider, extending her vocal talents toward their outer limits. This is something I'd like to hear her do more often. It may be that as a vocalist Dupuis is a bit too cautious in many of her songs.
Coupling the talents of Bill Mays as a conductor and arranger with the vocal talents of Catherine Dupuis backed by some excellent musicians, this release will be a definite plus for any collection of contemporary jazz vocals. I'll be watching for more from Dupuis. It's bound to be good.
For more information on Catherine Dupuis and her music, visit CatherineDupuis.com.
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