Since her captivating debut in 2009, jazz vocalist Sylvia Brooks has displayed a gift for inhabiting different personas, with a subspecialty in film-noir inspired femmes fatale. On this – Signature (Rhombus Records) – her fourth album, she embraces the most challenging role of all, defining herself with a set of beautifully crafted original songs. Her evocative lyrics and emotionally direct delivery imbue the music with hard-won authenticity. Whether looking back with wry affection on her walk-on-the-wild-side youth or lamenting a lost love, Brooks brings bracing honesty and poise to the material.
The Power of Jazz Live Performances in Intimate Settings
Jazz is much more than music; rather, it is an experience and a dialogue between performer and audience. Swelling from the live jazz performances, the studio albums offer just clipped songs. The real pulse of jazz comes from these performances in front of a live...
