(Reprinted from the April 2024 issue of the New York City Jazz Record)
“I’ve been writing forever, but this album is my real birth as a songwriter,” writes Dominican/French jazz singer Cyrille Aimée in the notes for A Fleur de Peau, her Whirlwind debut released last month. The album represents a departure for Aimée, not just for its originality and new business relationship, but for its personal backstory and strong message.
Throughout the aughts Aimée made her name as a scatting master with a disarming French accent and a native’s understanding of gypsy jazz. Attention and accolades came early in her career: She took top honors in both the Montreux Jazz Festival competition in 2007 and the first Sarah Vaughan competition in 2012; later, she would record for Mack Records, collaborate with Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, and earn a 2019 Grammy nomination.
But Aimée also felt creative ties to her mother’s Spanish-speaking Dominican heritage, and in 2021 she built a home for herself in the Costa Rican forest. It was there that she began crafting the material for A Fleur de Peau—meaning, “on the surface of the skin,” or one’s sensitivity to the lightest of touches. Aimée’s writing does have a delicacy to it, as on the utterly charming “Again Again” (with Aimée on guitar); “Back To You”, a seductive, contemporary pop-jazz gem; and “Beautiful Way”, with its happy, dance-driven hook. Most touching is “Inside and Out,” about Aimée’s decision to delay motherhood when faced with its possibility; the lyrics here speak to her desire for a solid foundation on which to build a future before undertaking parenthood. Aimée doesn’t want the album takeaway to be one of fragility, though—rather, the opposite. “I want to inspire women to create—with their hands, their wombs, their voices, whatever inspires them,” her notes explain. She officially releases the album at Birdland (Apr. 23-27).
José James’ twelfth album takes the singer/songwriter/producer back to the soul sound so popular in the year of his birth: The nine originals on 1978 (Rainbow Blonde Records) reverberate with retro feels even as they benefit from James’ modern, hip-hop approach to jazz. For instance, he pits bongos and close vocal harmonies against synth and strings on “Let’s Get It”, uses a distinct backbeat to drive sweet neo-soul vocals on “Black Orpheus (Don’t Look Back)”, and descends into agitating polyrhythms and beseeching lyrics on “38th & Chicago”. But the standout track is the most straight-forward both compositionally and production-wise: the ballad “For Trayvon”, where the gutting melody and well-placed dissonances pack a hard punch. James unveils the release at Blue Note (Apr. 25-28).
Archival imprint Jazz Detective adds another never-heard Chet Baker studio recording to its growing collection of retrieved Baker treasures. Recorded in Los Angeles in 1972, In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album differs from other historic Baker releases, though, in that it features the collaboration between the famous crooner and another trumpeter/vocalist, Jack Sheldon, as they take turns soloing on their horns and singing lead. Much of the repertoire is from Baker’s wheelhouse (“Just Friends”, “Not For Me”, “I’m Old Fashioned”), but Sheldon brought along his favorites as well (“Historia de un Amor”, “You Fascinate Me So”). Notably, pianist Dave Frishberg played the session; later he would write and Sheldon would sing “I’m Just A Bill” for the Schoolhouse Rock franchise. The limited LP of the historic recording will hit stores on Record Store Day (Apr. 20), followed by a regular CD release (Apr. 26).
This past March saw the 100th anniversary of Sarah Vaughan’s birth. To honor the woman and her contributions to jazz, JALC presents the "Sarah Vaughan Centennial" (Apr. 19-20), hosted by vocal icon Dee Dee Bridgewater. The evening will feature several past winners of the Sassy Competition, including Aimée, Gabrielle Cavassa and Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso.
This month, too, sees the birthday anniversaries of three other enormously important jazz singers: Billie Holiday (Apr. 7, 1915), Ella Fitzgerald (Apr. 25, 1917) and Blossom Dearie (Apr. 28, 1924). As we ponder their contribution to jazz history, perhaps we might step out to hear some singers who are furthering their legacy. In this effort, the NYCJR listings should be your guide given the sheer number of great voices hitting NYC stages this month (Cécile McLorin Salvant, Charanée Wade, Kurt Elling, Paul Jost, Daryl Sherman, Melanie Charles and Allan Harris among them).