(Vocal Jazz) Wendee Glick - True Colors - 2005, MP3, 320

An experienced jazz vocalist, Wendee Glick is a singer with a strong stage presence, sense of humor, and ability to belt out a tune, even over a full big band orchestra. She can engage the audience in the up-tempo, or make them weep over a ballad sung with a "bell-like" quality. She has graced the stages of many a New England jazz club, and large venues such as Boston's Fleet Center and Hatch Shell, performing with top-notch musicians.
Born Wendy Dee, she legally changed her name to Wendee in 2005. Her interest in music began at a young age, because her own mother was a singer. Wendee toured Europe with America's Youth in Concert and went on to study music at the University of Lowell. Classically trained, she started performing musical theater and opera but soon came to love jazz, influenced by jazz legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O'Day, and June Christy.
Wendee has developed a substantial following in the New England area, performing at such venues as Michael Timothy's, The Colonial Inn, The Sahara Club, Icarus Restaurant and The Acton Jazz Cafe. She has also performed at Sculler's Jazz Club with the Al Vega All-Stars. Annually, on The Jazz Cruise, she has jammed with and received praise from esteemed musicians such as Red Holloway, Eddie Higgins, Shelly Berg, Keter Betts, Johnny O'Neal, Chris Foreman, Duffy Jackson, Meredith d'Ambrosio and Wycliffe Gordon.
In 2002, Wendee produced her debut CD, "Baby, I'm Fine," featuring clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski, pianists Paul Broadnax and Steve Heck, bassist Marshall Wood, guitarist Bob Ullman, and drummer Les Harris, Jr. A sonorous compilation of jazz standards, the CD has received critical acclaim from music aficionados and listeners alike. "Baby, I'm Fine" is a showcase for Wendee's vocal abilities. Her renditions of tunes such as "Crazy He Calls Me" and "Come in From the Rain," both on the CD and both ballads (her forte) are simply breathtaking. On tunes such as Fats Waller's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," one can just imagine her swinging with a big band orchestra, and she does. She has been a featured vocalist with the Compaq Big Band for years, and is featured on their CD, "Bandwidth".
Wendee sings the rainbow on the newest showcase for her vocal abilities, "True Colors". The CD was released in September, 2005, and it shares the same personnel as on "Baby, I'm Fine", with the exception of Paul Broadnax, and the addition of Eddie Higgins on piano, and Dotti Anita Taylor on Flute. Most of the songs chosen for "True Colors" revolve around a color theme, from “Orange Colored Sky” to “Blue Moon” to "Deep Purple". Scott Yanow, author of ten books on jazz, states "She has a beautiful voice, swings at all tempos, improvises with subtlety and taste, and knows how to uplift superior material. "True Colors", building upon the success of "Baby, I'm Fine", will certainly result in Wendee Glick becoming better known beyond New England and being recognized as one of the finer jazz singers around today."
In October 2008 Wendee was included in a new book titled "The Jazz Singers - The Ultimate Guide", written by Scott Yanow. The Jazz Singers is an overview of the great vocalists who have sung jazz.

It doesn't take a degree in music to be able to determine whether you'll like a singer or not. Just listen. It's a natural form of communication that's been in use since before civilization. The human voice may well have provided the very first form of musical exchange. A mother singing to her child, a suitor singing to his prospective mate, or an individual communing with Nature would certainly have found the process convenient.
In truth, most of the singers that we encounter on recordings, on the radio, on television, in the movies, or at a live performance provide us with a welcome session. There are exceptions, of course, but the majority deliver song interpretations that appeal to most of us. We seldom go away mad.
So, it comes down to choices. Which singers do we like the most? Which albums would we take with us to a deserted island? We all have favorites. Finding them is half the fun.
Just as important: which are our favorite songs? Over time, that question finds answers that stick, since repetition makes 'em live in our memories. One pleasant experience leads to another. Once we've heard a wonderful interpretation of "Summertime, for example, we'll always be on the lookout for more. And, chances are, we'll find pleasure in listening to our favorite songs, no matter who is singing them.
No matter. I've located two singers who interpret some of our favorite songs and do it well. Both come recommended for the pleasant manner in which they deliver familiar music.
Wendee Glick works with a small ensemble that lets her swing gently. Her voice lets each ballad shimmer in the moonlight, while each up-tempo romp swings with clarity. There's a resonant quality in her voice that says, "Relax, everything's natural, and it's time to open up.
Her medley vocal duet with Steve Heck on "My Foolish Heart and 'The Second Time Around stands out for the innovative manner in which they overlap the two songs. It's beautiful.
Ken Peplowski adds energetic clarinet interludes to several numbers, and pianist Eddie Higgins turns in a stellar performance. Together, Glick and her ensemble give each of these favorite songs a lovely luster.
True Colors, a mellow ballad by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, lets the singer reveal the passion of love in its most sincere phase. Peplowski adds a suave tenor compliment that shines brightly with gospel overtones, as the singer offers a prescription for eternal peace. With "Deep Purple, she carries gentle bossa nova waves that simmer in the sunshine. When she reaches up high for the song's momentary points of emphasis, you can feel the genuine quality in her voice. The combination of genuine singer and outstanding instrumentalists makes for a comfortable afternoon.
Kelley Johnson also works with a stellar ensemble that supports her admirably. She loves to share the spotlight with her band. They give her performance a powerful drive that matches her vibrant vocal delivery.
Johnson has an uplifting brightness in her vocal delivery that means you'd never miss her in a crowd. Her lovely voice stands out for its emphatic clarity and for its direct approach. She knows exactly where she's going with every phrase.
With "Old Devil Moon, she sashays brilliantly over its familiar lyrics to achieve a sensual interpretation that features Brian Lynch in a heartbreaking trumpet solo.
With her medley of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? and "God Bless the Child, Kelley pulls the blues out of thin air. The deep feeling with which she interprets these two tear- jerkers guarantees a profound reception. It's genuine.
She interprets Alec Wilder's Moon and Sand as a soothing bolero, complete with a persuasive trumpet, blues-based piano, and light, Latin syncopation. Her vocal interpretation brings impressions of the nighttime shoreline, where the scenery remains peaceful through fog, dew, and gentle waves.
Johnson closes the album with the gentle caress of "What the World Needs Now is Love, performed slowly with feeling. It's different. An upbeat song with lyrics that roll off your tongue, this one closes the session with a mournful ambience, reflecting the seriousness of its lyrics. She's chosen to end this magical session with the stark reality of the state of our world and what it needs today more than ever before. Johnson is a true communicator.

Wendee Glick: vocals; Ken Peplowski: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Eddie Higgins: piano; Steve Heck: piano, vocals; Marshall Wood: bass; Les Harris, Jr.: drums; Bob Ullman: guitar; Dotti Anita Taylor: flute.