Blindfold Test: Andy Bey

The soulful, supple, honeyed baritone of singer Andy Bey, placed at the service of a distinctive point of view, is one of the marvelous pleasures of the jazz scene. Evaluating peers and elders for his first “Blindfold Test,” Bey displayed an equally rigorous esthetic.

Nnenna Freelon
“Left Alone” (from Blueprint Of A Lady, Concord, 2005) Freelon, vocals; Brandon McCune, piano; Wayne Batchelor, bass; Kinah Boto, drums.
Nnenna Freelon. She did a whole record on Billie Holiday. Nnenna’s cool, and I liked some of the approaches, but a lot of it I didn’t. It’s fine to do a tribute to somebody, but I can’t see taking it that far left. (listens to another track, “Them There Eyes”) At least respect the concept she brought to music. Don’t change it just because that’s what you’re hearing. Why don’t you just write another song if you’re going to rewrite it? I want to hear “Them There Eyes.” You don’t have to do it like Billie, but at least sing the melody. 2 1/2 stars.

Freddy Cole
“The Gentle Rain” (from Because Of You, HighNote, 2006) Cole, vocals; John DiMartino, piano; Peter Washington, bass; Steve Kroon, percussion; Kenny Washington, drums.
Freddy Cole, and “The Gentle Rain.” That’s my favorite. He’s not what you’d call a sing-sing-singer, but then, singing isn’t necessarily about how great your voice or intonation is, or how high your range is. There’s an energy in his singing — not over the top, just a natural energy. His delivery is unaffected, not trying to be overly creative, just singing the song. I enjoy it. But I enjoy other things, too. That’s the record he did with John DiMartino. Less is more, and if you start out with less, then you can do a little more. Sometimes people want to give you everything in one song. 4 stars.

Maria Pia De Vito
“A Case Of You” (from So Right, CamJazz, 2008) De Vito, vocals; Danilo Rea, piano; Enzo Pietropaoli, bass; Aldo Romano, drums.
This is a Joni Mitchell tune, “A Case Of You.” I’ve never been into her. I appreciate her thing in terms of folk music, but I hear such a sameness in a lot of singers who sing these songs. Now, this is a nice recording, and she’s a good singer. Nothing wrong with the voice. It doesn’t knock me over, though. Everybody is tooting Joni Mitchell’s horn: Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, I know they’re bosom buddies. But they’re saying that she’s a jazz singer. Just because her voice is gone and she smoked a million packs of cigarettes, so she’s singing lower, now she’s a jazz singer? But when I heard her coming up in the ’60s, she had this high soprano. Is this Luciana Souza? No? Then I don’t know who it is. 3 stars. She’s Italian? She sings English very well.

Ed Reed
“A Sleeping Bee” (from Love Stories, Blue Shorts, 2007) Reed, vocals; Gary Fisher, piano; John Wiitala, bass; Eddie Marshall, drums; Peck Allmond, trumpet.
I like the verse to this song. I sing it. Bill Henderson sang it also. It sounds like that new singer, Curtis Stigers. (lower register dip) It sounds like somebody I know, and I like. I used to sing it this slow also. He might have heard my version. In some ways, it sounds like Ernie Andrews. I know this voice, but I just can’t place it. A little affectation in some parts. It’s a little surface for me. The tempo’s nice, but the focus is not quite there. It doesn’t touch me. 2 stars.

Paul Motian
“Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” (from On Broadway, Vol. 4, Winter & Winter, 2006) Motian, drums; Rebecca Martin, vocals; Chris Potter, tenor saxophone; Larry Grenadier, bass.
This is “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” I did a version with this verse. It sounds like Rickie Lee Jones or somebody like that, but I guess it’s not. Somebody who’s influenced by Tom Waits. She’s not singing the intervals of the song, and the horn is too much in the way. There’s no focus. It should be about the song, not the concept that’s going on. If the horn was way in the back, and maybe played less, the concept could have been cool. I don’t like her singing, that’s for sure. No stars, (after) Chris Potter is a wonderful player, but it was more like he was singing the song than she was.

Jimmy Scott
“Solitude” (from Moon Glow, Milestone, 2003) Scott, vocals; Larry Willis, piano; Gregoire Maret, harmonica.
Jimmy Scott. I’ve known Jimmy since I was a kid. He’s one of the only singers who can sing two or three ballads in a row, and it works. When he picks the tempo up to medium it still works because of his ability to tell a story. Sure, the instrument is not what it was when I first heard him, but the whole thing of his storytelling, you could say his angst, is real. To see him is still an experience. Life force. Still blues-based, still a lot of soul. It takes time to come into your own. Singing or playing is about your life. You could do it in a minimal way or a virtuosic, extravagant way, but it’s that life force that comes through. You have to five it, and he’s lived it. I like the harmonica player because he puts little things in there, but he’s not in the way. Even when I play for myself, I have to learn to stay out of my own way. 5 stars for Jimmy, always. DB

The “Blindfold Test” is a listening test that challenges the featured artist to discuss and identify the music and musicians who performed on selected recordings. The artist is then asked to rate each tune using a 5-star system. No information is given to the artist prior to the test.