Wesla Whitfield, Mike Greensill Trio, The Best Things In Life
Wesla Whitfield plugs her current of understated energy into a diverse collection that encompasses “The Best Things in Life Are Free” from 1927, “Bein’ Green” from Sesame Street, and “Walkin’ After Midnight” from the Patsy Cline hit parade. There are also standards by Loesser, LeGrand, Arlen and Frishberg, among others. Whitfield is often billed as a cabaret singer, but with the rhythm section of pianist Mike Greensill, bassist John Witala and drummer Vince Lateano supporting her time sense, phrasing and inflection, the fuzzy border between cabaret and jazz disappears. Nat Cole’s “Errand Girl For Rhythm” is a case in point.
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
Thanks for your mention of Wesla and Mike. In the mid – nineties I heard their (1991) live version of Rodgers and Hart’s “You’re Nearer” and we soon met by phone. A few days later at Jimmy Rowles’s house I asked him to listen to that track. We rarely listened to music. Hearing Wesla and Mike, Jimmy rubbed his bare arm a few times and said: ”She’s the real thing and her old man is perfect!” That from Jimmy Rowles!
Gary Foster plays flute and saxophones on several of Ms. Whitfield’s and Mr. Greensill’s albums for High Note.