Dianne Reeves: Lullaby of Broadway
Track
Lullaby of Broadway
Artist
Dianne Reeves (vocals)
CD
A Little Moonlight (Blue Note 7243-5-80252-2-4)
Musicians:
Dianne Reeves (vocals),
Romero Lubambo (guitar), Peter Martin (piano), Reuben Rogers (bass), Gregory Hutchinson (drums)
.Composed by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. Arranged by Romero Lubambo
.Recorded: New York, December 4-10, 2002
Rating: 97/100 (learn more)
Singers usually approach this song somewhere between a lullaby and a belting Broadway show tune, but more towards the latter. This Romero Lubambo arrangement has probably resulted in more than one singer saying "why didn't I think of that?" Reeves begins with rich-toned wordless chanting, backed only by Lubambo's acoustic guitar. Reeves then starts singing the lyrics with a vocal inflection, reverence and deliberate pace that recall Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell," as the piece takes on the flavor of a subdued calypso. The sustained purity of Reeves' voice is simply ravishing throughout. Martin contributes a melodic solo, and Rogers and Hutchinson deliver tasteful and sensitive support. After a series of overproduced and/or largely unfocused recordings by her, this CD was a breath of fresh air – the outstanding Reeves singing just standards with a small, sympathetic group. This track stands out for the cleverness of its arrangement.
Reviewer: Scott Albin
Tags: harry warren covers · jazz vocals · lullaby of broadway
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