CD Review:
Marilyn Harris with the L.A. Jazz All-Stars Big Band
It's always a welcome breeze when true hip happens. Marilyn Harris, one of the last of the true practitioners of hipness, has blessed us with another quality CD. Backed by the wonderful L.A. all stars this CD always, rocks, swings and knocks it out of the park.
In addition to being a wonderful stylist of song, Marilyn is
a gifted writer who should be more widely spread to others in the world of good
music. When she teams up with fellow collaborator, Mark Winkler, we really get treated to
some fine-penned lines of pure and utter indulging hipness.
As in most of Marilyn's music she tells some impelling stories in the lyrics of her songs. This is most evident in the lines of "I Don't Gamble."
"Bebop High" is a smooth romping vocalese in the ilk of the Winkler/Harris tradition.
The big band with soloists like Bill Watrous, Pete Christlieb, Andy Martin and others boosts Marilyn's voice to new heights.
"The Wisdom of Sam Kinison" teaches us to go where the food is. Are these words of wisdom with a whim and a wink and some tongue in cheek?
A bonus track includes jazz legend, Bob Dorough teaming with Marilyn on "Cool." The lyrics, by Harris/Winkler are precious. How do they dream up these lines? They're funny, memorable and so Hollywood. Imagine, "Chet Baker cool!"
This CD belongs in the library of anyone who loves great writing and singing talent. The tracks on this album are ones that you will return to time and time again picking up some line or innuendo that might have been missed before.