Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia is featured on this fresh, free and elastic session at the hip LA club The Blue Whale. The lithe team of Jeff richman/g, Gary Fukushima/ep, Brad Dutz/perc and Chuck Manning/ts (not to denigrate the visuals credited to Kio Griffith at the gig, but they don’t have much influence here) creates an open ended feel to the mix of jazz covers and originals. Segal-Garcia’s voice has a tinge of Carmen McRae’s earthiness, but with a much more contemporary feel of time, as she stretches through “Putting On The Ritz” and gives a luminous feel to Ellington’s “Star-Crossed Lovers.” She melds well with Chuck Manning’s fragrant tenor sax, creating an easy groove on “Goin’ On Down to Hippityville” and relaxing together on her own “Love in Time.” The rhythm team slinks deliciously throughout, as on “The Glide,” but can also get a little rambunctious, as on the “Free Improv” that barely hangs onto the foundation. Accessible music that leans lovingly left.
www.bluewhalemusic.com
www.cathysegalgarcia.com