[TR24][OF] Sarah McKenzie - Paris In The Rain - 2017 (Vocal Jazz)

McKenzie praises Paris in the Rain as a more “stylish” album. “It shows greater depth of my arrangements,” she says before explaining that she’s fashioning her own vision within the jazz tradition. For this album, that meant exploring more textures with which she does gorgeously by expanding the sonic palette. The album boasts a superlative lineup that includes vibraphonist Warren Wolf (who played on We Could Be Lovers), guitarist Mark Whitfield, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Gregory Hutchinson, trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, flutist Jamie Baum, alto saxophonist Scott Robinson, tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, and guitarist Romero Lubambo.
Sophisticated originals steeped in the Great American Songbook tradition energize much of Paris in the Rain. In addition to the title track and “Road Chops,” she penned three other superb originals. The bluesy “One Jealous Moon” demonstrates her meticulous word play as she sublimely uses the numbers: 1,2,3,4 throughout in the song’s poetic lyrics; the song also features a stellar tenor saxophone solo from Moore.
McKenzie’s haunting ballad “Don’t Be a Fool” conveys a melancholic allure as she slowly sings of treacherous romance and seduction; Warren Wolf’s striking vibraphone chords in unison with the piano accentuate the composition’s suspense. Later in the song, he delivers a rueful solo.
With “Onward and Upward,” McKenzie pays tribute to Nat King Cole with a spry original teeming with optimistic lyrics about embarking on new adventures; she also tickles a spiffy blues-laden piano solo while Baum and Farinacci too yield effervescent asides.
As an arranger, McKenzie cites George Shearing as one her most significant lodestars. She’s particularly fond of his usage of piano block chords against guitars. “I want things to sound quirky and a little rough but still very charming and elegant,” she says.
McKenzie employs the same ambitions of being a distinguishable stylist in her piano playing too. “Being an incredibly virtuosic pianist is cool if that that’s what you do. But I really identify with coming up with a style and really trying the make the songs speak with my own unique sound.”

Sarah McKenzie - vocals, piano
Warren Wolf - vibes
Mark Whitfield - guitar
Reuben Rogers - bass
Gregory Hutchinson - drums
Dominick Farinacci - trumpet
Jamie Baum - flute
Scott Robinson - alto sax
Ralph Moore - tenor sax
Romero Lubambo - guitar