R.J. DeLuke’s Best Recordings of 2012

Denise Donatelli, Soul Shadows (Savant Records)

She has hooked up with excellent pianist Geoffrey Keezer before. Great musical pair. Keezer provides just the right landscapes—intricate, intelligent, but something the bones can feel. And Donatelli steps in with class and style and makes it a full painting. Great selection of seldom heard tunes, save “Too Late Now,” which is also a treat because it’s an exquisite duet between Donatelli’s rich voice and Keezer’s luscious piano sound. A Grammy should go here, but she’s least known among the Grammy people of those nominated.

Los Angeles-based vocalist Denise Donatelli has found a potent musical director in pianist Geoffrey Keezer.

In addition to his impeccable playing, Keezer’s artistic stamp is firmly imprinted on Soul Shadows, the follow-up to her Grammy-nominated disc When Lights Are Low. That’s not to take away anything from Donatelli, who is able to meet the many demands that result from Keezer’s input.

Broadly speaking, Soul Shadows is a very smooth and well-crafted disc, in keeping with not just the stereotype of jazz from the U.S. Coast (spoken like a true central Canadian, you might say) but also with the disc’s sonic palette, which favours percussion over drums, adds strings on several tracks, frequently deploys acoustic guitar, and tends to Brazilian and Latin grooves. The disc is also very much a studio creation — as opposed to a disc titled Live at the Village Vanguard — with components from sessions in California, New York and London, England. That’s not a criticism per se, but for some, this approach to making a record, with its intrinsic time-shifting, reflects one kind of esthetic. Certainly the music sounds seamless, even if some solos or were popped in after basic tracks were laid down.

But enough of “how,” and back to “what.” Donatelli’s disc consists of 10 tracks reflect refined tastes and deep artistry when it comes to a broad repertoire that straddles jazz and pop. Two standards bookend the CD. Opening the disc is what is arguably its most exciting track, All Or Nothing At All, set by Keezer to an Afro-Peruvian beat. (With his 2009 disc, Aurea, Keezer rolled up his sleeves and immersed himself in the world of Afro-Peruvian percussion.) Donatelli is right at home with this new lilt, and her singing, as it is throughout the entire disc, is nuanced and expressive. At the disc’s other end is a version of Too Late Now, performed as a duet for voice and piano, as if to say that in the end, Donatelli and Keezer can bowl a listener over in the most classic fashion.

Between the two standards, however, are tunes and arrangements attesting to wide-roaming musical tastes. Singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke’s No Better, a gritty, backbeat-driven song about love lost, has been markedly polished. It opens with an overdubbed choir and it moves to Peter Sprague’s double-tracked finger-style guitar work rather than Brooke’s raw strumming. Also remade is Pamplamoose’s excellent YouTube confection Another Day:

“No Better” Denise Donatelli
“Donatelli’s glowing, gently melancholy take on the Jonatha Brooke song is on best jazz vocal album contender Soul Shadows.”  ~ Elysa Gardner, USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/01/28/kenny-chesney-pirate-flag-playlist/1871399/

I was wondering how to fill my day with new music when I was invited to hear Denise Donatelli presents her new CD “Soul Shadows.”

The atmosphere was set to mellow as we fine dined at this Italian venue “Upstairs at Vitello’s in Studio City, CA …. Hey I could do this every night!

Soul Shadows is a compilation of relationship songs, I dare say its about love in its various stages … Denise Donatelli leads us through love’s twists, turns and memories of love, the music flawless and so beautifully arranged.

“I am yours you are mine .. so it’s alright.” Are the words in “Another Day” a song that speaks to being comfortable in where you are in your relationship with your mate. Classic, head bobbin music … Nice!

“No Better” Heartfelt musical optimism mixed with sadness … The piano dances like teardrops falling … Very beautiful.

This is the song for me … “When I Looked Again” Is the song that stays on repeat.

“Too Late Now” … Sophisticated and heart moving.

“A Promise” Fulfills.

“ocean” … Mood music, the conversation between the instruments was in-credible.

“Ange” …Latin flare with her voice clean and crisp.

“Postcards and Messages” meaningful … playful

Seeing and hearing her live was very exciting. We were old friends and new friends gathering together to be reminded about love and relatinoships … The musicians that accompanied her Geoffrey Keezer, piano, Peter Sprague, electric and acoustic guitar, Walter Rodriguez, percussion, Carlitos del Puerto, bass were all the bomb as they all entertained close to two hours as Denise interacted with lite humor which made the evening even more intimate in the packed house.

Then they played the title song “Soul Shadows” … oooo I was singing along too … I look forward to read what the others are saying about this dynamic artist because I believe she is on her way to another Grammy nomination with this new release!

Critic John McDonough once stated that vocalist Denise Donatelli “slides between the role of singer and musician with the cool acrobatics of an athlete” – and Donatelli’s latest release, the coolly adventurous Soul Shadows, shows that she remains in Olympian form.

From the album’s floating and sparsely arranged opener “All Or Nothing At All” to the bittersweet closer “Too Late Now,” her tonal consistency, phrasing and sense of time are all polished and expressive. Donatelli seems comitted to serving each song through her vocals, rather than employing the song as a vehicle for virtuosic bombast. A philisophical distinction, perhaps, but one that makes Soul Shadows infinitely more enjoyable than it could have been if captained by an equally skilled, yet less mature and sensitve, vocalist.

Arrangements and music direction on Soul Shadows come courtesy of Geoff Keezer, who also contributes buoyant solos and comping on piano. Keezer clearly knows Donatelli’s voice well, giving her enough instrumental support for the tracks to feel full, but leaving her ample space to ply her craft. Ramon Stagnaro’s acoustinc guitar contributions are notable as well, adding intrigue and bounce to the bossa-flavored title track, among others.

Donatelli and her cohorts take risks with song choice and arrangement, and that’s mostly a good thing. “When I looked Again” melds fluidly with Donatelli’s vocal approach, and the melodies of the wistful “Ocean” seem to blend effortlessly with Keezer and Stagnaro’s accompaniment. “Postcards and Messages” hits on interesting themes of tech-tweaked communication, dances on a lively arrangement with strings and percussion, and features an assured guest vocal from Peter Eldridge, but feels like it’s trying too hard thanks to cumbersom lyrics.

The core group of accompanists are pianist Geoffrey Keezer, guitarist Peter Sprague, bassist Carlitos del Puerto and three percussionists.

“No Better” is that off-the-beaten path jazz vocal that stretches beyond six minutes. Sprague and Keezer provide a beautiful backdrop for Donatelli’s charming voice. Del Puerto and Rodriguez also contribute. Donatelli sings of unrequited love in a way that makes the listener wonder what is wrong with the object of her affection, particularly when she wails, “You don’t want me.” The lyrics are inspired by the remarriage of songwriter J. Brooks’ parents. The song ends with Keezer stretching out while Donatelli provides a wordless chant, at times sound like a flute.

The title song, first recorded by Bill Withers with the Crusaders, is Keezer’s bossa nova interpretation, inspired by a dream. Renowned percussionist Alex Acuna assists, with Yutaka Yokokura providing background vocals and Steve Huffsteter adding muted trumpet in the background. Sprague’s solo is similar to what one might expect from Joao Gilberto.

Vocalist Peter Eldridge performs a duet with Donatelli on “Postcards and Messages.” The instrumental ensemble is complemented by a three-piece string section, Susan Wulff steps in on double bass, and Nicholas Stoup joins Rodriguez on percussion. Eldridge, a member of New York Voices, wrote the piece, arranged here by Keezer. The layers of voice, strings and the strolling rhythm set by piano, bass and percussion give it an orchestral feel.

Donatelli, born on the East Coast of the United States, is based in Los Angeles. She was trained in piano but later turned to singing.

A great follow-up to her Grammy-nominated CD, When Lights are Low, the new project, Soul Shadows, is rich with production and arrangements by the brilliant Geoff Keezer, and wonderfully executed by a gifted vocalist. Denise surely has more Grammy nominations in her future.”

“Denise Donatelli is definitely up for another Grammy consideration for this superb CD of her stylish, right-in-the-middle-of-perfect vocals on this fully polished and professional CD simply titled SOUL SHADOWS – and a more perfect title would be hard to find. The first song on the CD (of ten varied and fascinatingly blended stylistic variations) sets the tone for this beautiful and gifted artist – ‘All or Nothing at All’ – describes her current stature in the jazz world. Donatelli elects to incorporate her voice within the context of her ensemble – she keeps the backgrounds small and is graced with the presence of Music Director/accompanist Geoffrey Keezer who continues to allow the singer to be enmeshed in the total effect of the music and the lyrics.

Of the many superb cuts on this CD among the best are `All or Nothing At All’ – a mystical Afro-Peruvian arrangement with potent solos by Keezer and acoustic guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, ‘Soul Shadows’ ,`Ocean’, the mesmerizing `Postcards and Messages’, `Two late Now’ – a rich duet by Donatelli with Keezer as her sole accompanist, and, well, all of them! Denise Donatelli owns a magnificent voice with a very wide range and is so at home in every style she approaches that she both excites and soothes with every note she sings. She is as fine as they come – beautiful, talented, and a committed artist on every level.”

A Parkland High School graduate and former Allentown resident has been nominated for a Grammy Award – her second in three years.

Denise Donatelli, who grew up in South Whitehall Township and graduated from Parkland in 1968, was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Savant Records release “Soul Shadows,” her fourth album.

The awards, announced Wednesday night,  will be handed out at the 55^th Grammy Awards ceremony Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

If Donatelli wins, she would be the first person from Lehigh or Northampton counties to win a Grammy for performance, according to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, organizers of the Grammys.

The album faces stiff competition. Also nominated in the category are “Live” by veteran pop/jazz singer Al Jarreau and The Metropole Orkest, and “Radio Music Society” by Esperanza Spalding, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2011.

Rounding out the nominees are “1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project” by Kurt Elling and “The Book Of Chet” by Luciana Souza.

Donatelli also was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2011 for her last album, “When Lights are Low,”  but it lost to Dee Dee Bridgewater’s “Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee.”

That disc also had a nomination for the disc’s arranger and pianist Geoffrey Keezer for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist. But that award went to Christopher Tin for “Baba Yetu,” a track from Christopher Tin, Soweto Gospel Choir & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s disc “Calling All Dawns.”

Donatelli now not only has been nominated for her past two albums, but the honors come just seven years into her recording career.

After college, Donatelli married and lived in Allentown until the 1980s. She moved to Atlanta, where she started performing professionally, and then to Los Angeles, where she recorded her first CD, “In the Company of Friends,” in 2005.

Donatelli  has also had spots singing for episodes of “The Simpsons,” “Frasier” and Turner Classic Movies, and in commercials for CNN, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and others.

Los Angeles based Denise Donatelli is a deep breath of jazz singer fresh air. Far too many female jazz singers (why are there so few men?) are given audiophile recording pulpits from which to ply their mediocre wares. Not so, Donatelli. She’s the real deal. Blessed with a lovely voice that knows how important the melody is, Donatelli can blow with the best, scat (far more rare a gift than you might think), get out of the way when needed, and sing at all times with taste. She’s a keeper for my collection.

Savant Records has cobbled together (different venues for tracks) an audiophile quality recording. True demo quality. Are you reading this review, manufacturers? If you must use yet another female jazz singer at audio shows, Donatelli’s new album Soul Shadows will fit the bill nicely. Mind you, some chamber music, a classical singer (no, not Pavarotti), and some non mainstream, orchestral music would not go amiss!

Back to Soul Shadows. The CD contains nine tracks of repertoire new to me and with a standard to begin the set (All or Nothing at All). Instantly, you’ll recognize the open and detailed recording quality and the superior musicianship enveloping Donatelli’s sexy voice.

Like all great singers, Donatelli surrounds herself with excellence. Her music director, Geoffrey Keezer is a brilliant pianist. His solos swing throughout and are a constant delight. You’ll hear the great percussionist Alex Acuna adding colour and magic to many of the charts. Other solos, by Brit saxophonist Tim Garland on Wayne Shorter’s ‘A Promise’ (phoned in from the UK, but integrated seamlessly into the musical fabric), Ramon Stagnaro, acoustic guitar on the opening standard, and a top notch L.A. session string quartet (plus string bass) also on ‘A Promise’, all sound superb. Everything is so musical.

The star of the show, though, is Donatelli’s voice. More mezzo (even alto, in some instances) than full on soprano, Donatelli phrases the melodies beautifully. The ballad, Christian McBride/Sting’s ‘When I Looked Again’ and the boss nova version of Bill Withers’ ‘Soul Shadows’ are perfect examples of Donatelli’s musical art. The McBride/Sting song was unreleased, so a treat, here.

Other great tracks include the ultra poignant, ‘Too Late Now’, a duet for singer and MD. It’s gorgeous and a suitable finale. ‘Ocean’ is a lilting 12/8 melody over tasteful piano and ‘Postcards and Messages’ by Peter Eldridge of New York Voices adds the songwriter’s voice along with the aforementioned superb string quartet. Wonderful songs, all.

Audiophiles, you can buy this album safe in the knowledge that it will show off (test) your system brilliantly (everyone will be asking you ‘what is that album?’!). And, for civilians, get it for the supreme musicianship by all involved also safe in the knowledge that the melody is King and the musicians are always in service to it.