The rich and chesty voice of Sylvia Brooks is clear and alluring on her delivery of jazz and pop standards. She’s got a rich and seductive vibrato, well delivered on the late night “Angel Eyes” while sounding like a sincere story teller on “Eleanor Rigby.” She knows how to veer through a hip rhythm team, as she sears through the hip horns on “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” and struts through a shuffling “Cold Cold Heart” while keeping upbeat on a perky “Midnight Sun.” She can get deep and attractive on the misty “Besame Mucho” while vulnerable yet accusing on “Guess Who I Saw Today.” She’s able to let her voice tell a story, using the lyrics as guideposts.
Why No Two Live Jazz Performances Ever Sound Exactly the Same
Imagine listening to your favorite jazz track in a small dimly-lit club. You know the melody well enough to probably anticipate the next part. Suddenly, though, the pianist makes an unexpected move, the bassist responds with a light-hearted beat, and the vocalist...
