Cabaret Scenes CD Review - Andrew Suvalsky

Back Stage Bistro Award winner (Jazz Vocalist) Andrew Suvalsky has released an ambitious second album, A World That Swings on LML Music. As his jazz and vocal sensibilities mature, he deserves serious praise on several counts: his sharply improvised way with a lyric, an intelligent sense of swing and the inherent musicality of his interpretations. It all makes for an impressive entry by one fairly new to the jazz arena. He also deserves praise for something else: an attribute not rare among jazz crooners who have arrived on the scene in the last decade: building an eclectic repertoire on chestnuts from the Great American Songbook era. He covers standards, contemporary pop and blues. What sets him apart? The difference is that he makes his interpretations his own with a nod to the greats. While generally avoiding sounding like others, he recalls Curtis Stigers on a high gear reading of “One Note Samba” and a young Michael Murphy on “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.” The album peaks on a contemporary flavored “Fool On the Hill” (McCartney) and a bluesy, well phrased, “How Deep is the Ocean?” (Berlin) accompanied only by Peter Bernstein’s magical guitar that is expressive and timeless. Cole Porter’s “Night And Day” becomes a classic swing-bop replete with a sassy scat.

Supported by keyboard phenom Bennett Paster, the band informs each cut with a driving intensity laced with sophisticated fun that scales the heights with ease.

John Hoglund
Cabaret Scenes
November 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Andrew Suvalsky A World That Swings LML Music
Back Stage Bistro Award winner (Jazz Vocalist) Andrew Suvalsky has released an ambitious second album, A World That Swings on LML Music. As his jazz and vocal sensibilities mature, he deserves serious praise on several counts: his sharply improvised way with a lyric, an intelligent sense of swing and the inherent musicality of his interpretations. It all makes for an impressive entry by one fairly new to the jazz arena. He also deserves praise for something else: an attribute not rare among jazz crooners who have arrived on the scene in the last decade: building an eclectic repertoire on chestnuts from the Great American Songbook era. He covers standards, contemporary pop and blues. What sets him apart? The difference is that he makes his interpretations his own with a nod to the greats. While generally avoiding sounding like others, he recalls Curtis Stigers on a high gear reading of “One Note Samba” and a young Michael Murphy on “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.” The album peaks on a contemporary flavored “Fool On the Hill” (McCartney) and a bluesy, well phrased, “How Deep is the Ocean?” (Berlin) accompanied only by Peter Bernstein’s magical guitar that is expressive and timeless. Cole Porter’s “Night And Day” becomes a classic swing-bop replete with a sassy scat. Supported by keyboard phenom Bennett Paster, the band informs each cut with a driving intensity laced with sophisticated fun that scales the heights with ease. John Hoglund Cabaret Scenes November 2008 www.cabaretscenes.org