Marilyn Scott
Every Time We Say Goodbye
Venus Records
By George W. Harris

Usually associated with “adult contemporary/smooth jazz”, vocalist Marilyn Scott has put out a shocker of a new release, and that’s in a good sense. While she’s always had a toe in the jazz mainstream, most of her releases have been of the George Duke/quasi funk style of music. While she a good job at that, she’s never put both feet into the heart and soul of jazz singing…until now. Wisely surrounding herself with some of the best musicians around, Scott has turned out what is by far her most successful and bona fide jazz disc. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who played for Betty Carter for awhile, mixes with bassist Gerald Cannon, warm toned guitarist Paul Bollenback and air tight drummer Willie Jones III for an almost hours worth of highly original readings of familiar and overlooked standards. Scott’s voice, which has the pillow talk tone reminiscent of Julie London, is in commanding form on the vibrant reading of “I Got Lost In His Arms”. Burt Bacharach’s “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?” is rearranged to get rid of the pop 60s annoyance, and remodeled with a seductive opening groove. When Ken Peplowski brings his wondrously foggy tenor to dance with Scott on the dangerously disarming title tune, or on the vindictive “Cry Me A River”, musical embers glow. Peps’ clarinet and Bollenback’s guitar create some sparks behind Scott on the aggressive reading of Ellington’s “Caravan”. All throughout the disc, Scott is warm, convincing, and seemingly comfortable in the genre that she’s finally plunged in. Hopefully this disc is the first in a long series. Pleasant surprise of the year.