|
 |
Nicole
Henry - The Nearness Of You (Banister Records)
Released: June, 2004
Nicole Henry is a South
Florida-based singer, actress, and spokesperson - meaning she does a fair
number of commercials, and is hired to do trade shows and the like,
explaining the benefits of one product or another. In other words, she
works hard, and she has to be a quick study on what sells.
All of that shows in this first solo outing.
It's the standard jazz trio backing a singer - piano, bass and drum. Ms.
Henry brings a clear respect for the genre and adds her own R-and-B flair.
The result isn't always perfect, but first outings on the high wire rarely
are. Personally, I could do with a little less of the hiccupy phrasing
that means "soulful" these days. Ms. Henry has plenty without it.
But that, I think, is the key here. It's the difference between winners
and losers. Anyone can get on the high wire and fall. Anyone can do it the
"safe" way, and never get noticed. Winners take a measured, calculated,
well-researched shot. And it's for that reason that this disc is a winner.
"Fly Me To The Moon" stands out. This one always gets measured against
Frank Sinatra's version by me - and this version holds its own, with a
nicely-done Mike Orta piano solo in the middle. Other winners include
"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To," along with a very Brazilian-sounding
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow." The disc wraps with a version of John
Lennon's "Imagine," of all things. It knocked me over. To my old
Top-40 radio ears, given current times, this is the "single" from this
disc.
Orta is very good on piano - I wasn't familiar with his work before - now
I'll be watching for him, too. He's joined by Paul Shewchuk on bass and
Danny Burger on drums.
Surprisingly recorded live in a club - although apparently without an
audience - give high marks to Engineer Ivan Zervigon and mixer Ron Taylor.
The quality of the recording was the second thing I noticed - behind Ms.
Henry's voice. Well done, guys.
So. If you see this one in the rack, snap it up. The packaging (worth
every penny) is what may catch your eye first. But you'll want what's
inside, too. If not now, then when you go looking for more.
Because there will be more. And they will be even better. This young woman
is headed for success, and like the prizes inside breakfast cereal, you'll
want 'em all.
 Three microphones (out of four)
- Doug Boynton
(02/12/05) |
