| Recorded in Hollywood, CA in May, 1976.
When Cybill mentioned to me, quite casually, that she had recorded an album a couple of years ago, featuring Stan Getz, that had never been released, my interest was understandably piqued. I already had valid evidence of her warm, convincing and unpretentious vocal talent, through an album she had sent me, made for a small company in her home town of Memphis, Tenn. The fact that she selected Phineas Newborn and some of the best black musicians in Fm 'is company her id some't0hiang about her musical taste. Cybill Shepherd is no vocal dilettante. She was a singer before she was an actress; but after her 1968 victory as National Model of the Year, and her transition from modeling to movies, her aspirations as a singer were kept largely in limbo. Now she is back, playing the better jazz rooms, invariably accompanied by a splendid rhythm section. In selecting Stan Getz as her principal accompanist (and virtual co star on several tracks), and Oscar Castro Neves to sketch the charts and play guitar, Cybill indicated her true sense of direction. Given this elegant setting, and having made an admirable choice of songs, she reached a peak in this album. All the right influences can be detected here: a touch of Lee Wiley, and, as she puts it, "I've listened to Louis Armstrong, of all periods, and of course Billie Holiday. As for Tony Bennett, I have practically worn out the first album he made with Bill Evans." There will be many among us who will practically wear out Cybill Shepherd's album with Stan Getz. It is the stuff of which jazz vocal Grammy award winners are made. -- Leonard Feather |
ARTISTS
Cybill Shepherd (vocals); Stan Getz (tenor sax); Frank Rosolino (trombone); Oscar Neves (acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes); Andreas Kostelas, Richard Spender, Mike Altschul, Arthur Smith (flutes); Terry Trotter (piano); Monty Budwig (bass); Octavio Baily (fender bass); Joey Baron, Claudio Sion (drums); Paulinho DaCostas (percussion) |