Judy Wexler Under A Painted Sky Reviewed by Joe Montague for Riveting Riffs Magazine

Judy Wexler Under a Painted Sky Photo 1 Jazz – Pop vocalist Judy Wexler’s new recording Under A Painted Sky, is a beautiful collection of songs, with fabulous arrangements and elegant vocals that will bring fans of romantic ballads under her spell. The very pretty and petite Ms. Wexler appears on the cover of her album, reclining and the mood is relaxed, reflecting the tone of songs such as the opener “Wonderful Wonderful,” for which pianist Alan Pasqua, bassist Darek Oles and percussionist Alex Acuna create a subtle, pastel landscape.

There is longing in Judy Wexler’s voice as she sings Abbey Lincoln’s “And How I Hoped For Your Love,” as she recounts the beauty of experiencing love that arrives unexpectedly and how it just as quickly departs, leaving in its place an emptiness, but not despair. Ms. Wexler draws the listener into the emotional heartbeat of the song, as she softly sings, “And then we met / I can’t forget / How we laughed / And then suddenly the end.”

With this album, Judy Wexler explores the various moods and aspects of love, including an older woman who is attracted to a younger man, as the relationship or the hope of a relationship is reflected with the metaphor of the seasons; summer representing him and autumn her. Her message to him is “don’t wait too long,” because winter is not that far off. The listener is treated to an elegant guitar solo, courtesy of Larry Koonse and Alan Pasqua’s piano accompaniment is equally charming.

Tender memories of a relationship surface in a tear that falls, as Darek Oles (bass), percussionist Alex Acuna and Alan Pasqua (piano) create a gentle mood that serves as a strong foundation for Ms. Wexler’s vocals. Judy Wexler has established herself as an artist who seeks out songs, not often recorded by others and that holds true with Under A Painted Sky, as she selected Carmen McRae’s,
“Last Time For Love.” The song serves as a love letter from the singer to the one with whom she is in love. What romance would be complete without a dream about the one with whom you are in love or you were in love? The song “Café,” beautifully depicts an encounter between two former lovers, as Judy Wexler’s dreamy vocals create the image of a café, a meeting frozen in time and then the dream begins to slip away.

Librarian Marian Paroo and the con man Harold Hill with whom she falls in love in the musical The Music Man, serve as the canvass for the song “Till There Was You,” originally sung by Barbara Cook on Broadway and later performed by Shirley Jones in the film version. Judy Wexler brings to her interpretation of this song the feeling of a woman who has come under the spell of her lover. Ms. Wexler conjures up images of a woman who for the first time is experiencing everything that she imagined romance to be. As good as the musicians are on this album, it is Judy Wexler’s tender phrasing that makes this song work so well.

Judy Wexler’s Under A Painted Sky closes with Gary McFarland and Louis Savary’s “Sack Full of Dreams,” which showcases the breathtaking playing of guitarist Larry Koonse. One of the few departures from romantic love on this album, the song expresses a wish for the world to live in love and peace and for people to connect positively.

This writer was impressed a few years ago when he first had the opportunity to interview Judy Wexler, because of the care and attention that she applies to her song selection and the time that she devotes to researching the context of the song, the composer and the lyricist. One suspects that plays a significant role in informing Ms. Wexler’s vocal performance, as she evokes a strong emotional response from the listener. Under A Painted Sky is a sincere love letter from a gifted singer.