
Never Never Land (N-Coded Music)
Jane Monheit
Released May 9, 2000
Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards 2001 Recording Debut of the Year
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mjNKGhc4uyTN0CLm_r6THAzpQw-SbjzTM
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/4TwHNy0INsC8r6T2ugga9I?si=ptR68syiRz2ooDPxBjs9hg
About:
Youthful singer Jane Monheit has a talent that is rare at any age; she can literally make people stop and listen. And we’re not just talking about casual listeners, either. Accompanying Monheit on her debut recording, jazz veterans Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Barron are obviously just as bedazzled by this newcomer, supporting her honey-hued voice like a delicate jewel with tender care and immaculate taste. Even without their backing, Monheit can make time stand still, as she does with her a cappella intro to “I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good).” Singing the seldom-heard opening lines to the song, Monheit shows why she’s an important new voice–her sure grasp of swing, lilting phrases, and spacious sense of dynamics are all rare things indeed. Monheit can also sing the blues, as she shows on “Twisted,” which bears obvious touches of Joni Mitchell. And she swings like her other big influence, Ella Fitzgerald, on “Please Be Kind,” “My Foolish Heart,” and the gorgeous title track. A little experience will only add sheen to Jane Monheit’s already accomplished artistry.
Ken Micallef
Track Listing:
1. Please Be Kind (Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin) 03:43
2. Detour Ahead (Lou Carter / Herb Ellis / John Freigo) 06:30
3. More Than You Know (Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans) 03:04
4. Dindi (Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim) 04:52
5. Save Your Love for Me (Buddy Johnson) 05:21
6. Never Let Me Go (Ray Evans / Jay Livingston) 04:00
7. My Foolish Heart (Ned Washington / Victor Young) 04:32
8. I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good) (Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster) 06:15
9. Twisted (Wardell Gray / Annie Ross) 04:01
10. Never Never Land (Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne) 03:57
Personnel:
Jane Monheit: vocal
Hank Crawford: alto sax
David “Fathead Newman”: tenor sax, flute
Kenny Barron: piano
Bucky Pizzarelli: guitar
Ron Carter: bass
Lewis Nash: drums
Recorded January 13 & 14, 2000, at Sear Sound Studios
Producer: Joel Dorn
Executive Producer: Carl Griffin
Engineer: Tom Schick
Assistant Engineer: Albert Levsink*, Tod Parker
Mastered by Gene Paul
Mixed by Gene Paul, Tom Schick
Review:
Jane Monheit, at 22 years old, has made a stunning debut with the help of some of the finest players in the world: Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, David “Fathead” Newman, Hank Crawford, and Bucky Pizzarelli. From her first entrance on the supremely swinging “Please Be Kind,” Monheit makes clear that she’s the boss, even in such illustrious company. Her voice is about as close to flawless as a human can get, yet she’s never coldly technical or aloof. While she’s perfectly comfortable with the medium swing tempos of “More Than You Know,” “Save Your Love for Me,” and “Twisted,” as well as the Latin groove of “My Foolish Heart,” it are the ballads that really showcase Monheit’s gift. If you don’t get goosebumps listening to “Detour Ahead,” “Never Let Me Go,” and “Dindi,” you probably don’t have a pulse.
The somewhat nostalgic thrust of Monheit’s repertoire and style might prove a liability over time. In this sense, the equally young Claudia Acuña, who has displayed considerable arranging and writing chops, is a step ahead of her. Yet Monheit’s budding musical adventurousness is made evident by her subtle vocal overdubs toward the end of “Dindi.” Her revelatory approach to classic songs is highlighted by her a cappella performance of the seldom-heard introductory verse to “I’ve Got It Bad.” But on future albums, lest she fall into a retro rut, she’ll need to work on realizing her potential as a musical risk taker.
David R. Adler (AllMusic)