Live at Jazz Standard

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The Jazz Standard
Rene Marie is not just a singer, and she's not merely a performer, she's a true artistic genius. Put this disc in your player. And pay attention.

Creative Art from a Creative Artist
Rene Marie is one of the most creative artists you probably don't know, and this album proves the point. Recorded live at the Jazz Standard in New York City and released in 2003, Ms. Marie drives her trio--John Toomey (p), Elias Bailey (b) and Howard Curtis (d)--to artistic heights worthy of Jarrett, Peacock and DeJohnette, or any other piano trio you wish to name. And the four of them together create some really fascinating art. Consider the album's highlight, a medley of Ravel's "Bolero" and Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne". "Huh? Did I read that right?" you ask. You did. But when you consider the 6/8 march drumbeat to "Bolero" and think about elongating any song to fit that beat, you can picture how Ms. Marie and her mates did that. But the point is: who before Ms. Marie would have even thought to try something like that? Or consider her cover of the old Rodgers & Hart chestnut, "Where or When." Mr. Curtis taps out a rhythm on the high hat that puts a dream-like quality on the piece. "Where or When" works as a dream-like fog. Why didn't someone think of that before? Or consider her original, "Paris on Ponce." This is a "Hernando's Hideaway"-style tango with witty, hilarious lyrics by Ms. Marie about Paree, of the kind you'd expect to hear Robert Preston sing from "Victor-Victoria." The bridge is noteworthy for some wild bowing by Mr. Bailey. Then, out of nowhere, the band shifts the tune into a hard 4/4 rhumba with Ms. Marie intoning "funky tango" throughout. (But, one might argue, isn't a rhumba really a funky tango, anyway?!) She does a similar "out of nowhere" shift to "A Foggy Day", which goes from well-done lounge music to a double-time scat that would have made Mel Torme sit up and take notice. And lest anyone doubt Ms. Marie's abilities as a singer, take a good listen to her recital-like read of "I Loves You Porgy." This is as dramatic a cover of this classic as any I've heard, including that of the immortal Ella Fitzgerald. And to put her imprimatur on the whole concert, she does an a capella encore to one of her signature songs, "How Can I Keep for Singing." That's remarkable enough; but she takes the song from a straight read, to a scat, to a slow scat, to a rendition of Belafonte's "Day-O" in a language only she knows but we all understand. Maxjazz is a small label that doesn't have the budget to put Rene Marie into the public vanguard, a la Blue Note, Impulse! or Verve. But I believe that, sooner or later, talent wins out. On that basis, Rene Marie deserves widespread recognition as one of the most creative of all jazz vocalists, and someday soon she has to get it. RC

And Five More for Her Take on Ravel.
You must hear her vocalese on Bolero. Legend has it that she came to a jazz vocal career after given the ultimatum from her husband "Well, it's gonna be me or this hobby of yours" (realize, of course, I am a reviewer given to be liberal with poetic and verbal licenses). Suffice it to say she ain't with that dude no more. And that's a good thing for us lovers of jazz lounge vocals like Rene gives. I would also say she is a leader of a new school of jazzists coming from this Max Jazz house, Crossroads/St Louis. Watch out for more of her and this new crop of artists.

Was expecting more
This artist has had so much hype in the jazz press that I was prepared to be blown away. I wasn't. Her voice is fine but I felt sung "at" not sung "to." Her scatting is more on the order of noodling and she doesn't seem to like to state the melodies before she abstracts them. The whole appraoch seems contrived, unnatural and over the top. After getting this "live" CD I actually went to see her live and the whole first set she only sang 3 songs and most of it was mediocre soloing from her band while she ooohed and aaahed and strutted and posed while listening to them. Different strokes, I suppose, but I was completely underwhelmed and left mid-show, as did lots of others in the audience. Maybe it was a bad day for her. This CD was better than the show for sure. I'd give her another chance but not for awhile!

Another winner!
Rene Marie has done it again. This album is even better than her first two, and they were both hard to beat. The combination of her outstanding voice, her skillful interpretations of old classics ("I Loves You Porgy"), and unique renditions of "non-jazz" material (creative juxtaposition of "Bolero/Suzanne") make this an album worth buying.