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Cheryl
Bentyne - Let Me Off Uptown
(Telarc Records)
Released: April, 2005
Lots of tribute albums out there lately. This time to Anita O'Day.
You need to own this one. There. I said it up front.
Let's get to Ms. Bentyne. I cannot get too much of her voice, and from
"Pick Yourself Up," to "I Won't Dance," this is an outing that had me
grinning just about from start to finish. It's a fun disc. Oh, sure -
there's a clunker or two to my ears. I'm not a big fan of the "vocal
styling" that drifts off into minor keys and odd scatting. But if you're a
Manhattan Transfer fan, you'll be right at home.
Ms. Bentyne's voice is sort of like a bobsled ride - just listen to "Tea
For Two" on this one, and you'll be gasping for breath at the end. But her
voice, for all its range and speed, is never, ever out of control.
Complex. Controlled. Jesus, if we could all do our work - any kind of work
- as well as she sings.
Now the fun part. Jack Sheldon. Remember him from the "Merv Griffin" show?
The only thing I really knew about him (besides being the voice of
"Conjunction Junction") was that he could "triple tongue," something I'm
sure he must have mentioned often on Griffin's show, back in those
double-entendre sixties.
My God, I was sure he was dead. I was wrong. I've now learned that not
only is he very much alive, but performs regularly in the Los Angeles
area.
Including him on trumpet and some added vocals (I won't give the surprise
away) was inspired. I was laughing out loud when I found him in the liner
notes.
Yes! This one's a flat-out winner, and earns a place in your collection.
 
Three and one-half Microphones (out of four) - Doug Boynton
(04/28/05) |
