Jazz vocalist (and pianist) Diane Schuur has been a solo artist 27 years, intermittently coming to New York since 1985. Her appearance at Birdland is an event.
“Owun, two, you know what to do…” she begins ushering in “S’Wonderful.” Vocal is headlight bright and clear. Joel Frahm’s sax skibbles and loops, left elbow pumping, eyes scrunched shut, in the zone. There’s a rat-a-tat-tat to her scat, whereas his has rounded edges. Octaves rise and slalom down.
Willie Jones II, Joel Frahm, Roger Hines, Diane Schuur
“Nice n’ Easy” follows a cha-cha with Willie Jones III’s wood on wood drum stick sound subtly underpinning. (He has no charts!) Sax is smoooth. Schuur draws out the lyric with innate hipness. “Hey, babee, whatcha huray?” It might be the 1950s. Also with a relaxed Latin backbeat is “Watch What Happens.” The artist’s vibrato comes from deep in her throat. A beautiful, sinuous solo arrives by way of sax. Roger Hines’ bass hands slide and pluck. He bends forward smiling. Pace quickens- Carnivale! Sax dips and soars. It’s infectious. The audience looks like a sea of bobble-heads.
Two Miles Davis numbers find Frahm and Schuur in fluent call-and-response mode, the vocalist’s scat as freeform as oncoming melody. Jazz musicians are aware of vertebrae, we hear what they create around it. A smidgen of “My Favorite Things” pokes its head up. Even when subdued, insistence is present. The second number spirals. Schuur’s fingers walk and whomp the keys with non-chord note-ation. When Frahm takes off, selective piano adds emphasis. Drum solo is fast and tight.
Joel Frahm
“Caravan” begins with Schuur emulating call to prayer. It’s a Moroccan mind meld. Drums are visceral. Belly dancing is conjured. “Danger Zone” insinuates its way into the room: Sad and lonely all the time/That’s because I’ve got a worried mind/You know the world is in an uproar/The danger zone is everywhere, everywhere…The song is eeezzzeee in opposition to fearful content. It’s a slow dance in a smoky room filled with heavy-lidded swaying drinkers. Bass notes seem to swing out on hammocks. “That was written in the early 70s, but it’s true right now,” Schuur comments with a sigh.
Bass hums, cymbals feather; mellow sax escorts the sassy, teasing, voice-driven “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Lyrics emerge with tails. Scat bubbles. “How Insensitive” sashays in on resonant, rhythmic bass. Phrasing is right on, but I miss the shush sound. Sax is creamy. Vocal high notes appear like a colorfully plumed bird. Schuur does this signature kind of yodel thing with her voice.
Roger Hines, Diane Schuur
We close with a mid-tempo “Louisiana Sunday.” This is the first time Frahm really moves, even shifts weight, swivels a bit and taps a foot. ‘Sounds Southern. And cool.
A really fine show.
Photos by Steve Friedman
Opening: Diane Schuur
Diane Schuur
Joel Frahm- Sax, Roger Hines-Bass, Willie Jones III-Drums
November 14-18
Birdland
315 West 44th Street
