Jessica Jones / June 12th, 2008 / The Bowery Poetry Café / New York City, NY
Reviewed by Joe Regan, Jr.
Composer/pianist/tenor sax player Jessica Jones presented a mini concert July 12th, at the Bowery Poetry Café, in celebration of the release of her new CD, Word. The Café was packed, unusual for a hot summer New York afternoon. Backed up by a group of exceptional New York musicians (some of them on the CD) Ms. Jones, a short, energetic woman, was always in control. For the record, the outstanding quartet featured her husband, Tony Jones, appearing on tenor sax, French horn player, Mark Taylor, bassist Ken Filiano and drummer James Windsor-Wells.
Jessica opened the set with a killer jazz instrumental which featured Jessica, and stunning solos from each musician in her band. She then introduced her daughter, Candace Jones who sang "My Romance," (Rodgers & Hart) one of the few pieces in the program not written by Jones. Candace Jones is a stunning, ebony goddess, tall and beautiful, and has an extraordinary range, that at times, reminds one of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. For this listener, because of the extreme highs and lows in her timbre, she also reminded me of the great Cleo Laine, when she was at her peak. After the first chorus, Jessica Jones provided an inventive variation all over the scales of the familiar melody, backed only by Filiano and Windsor-Wells. Candace then sang another chorus, going into the stratosphere on the bridge and killing the audience with her interpretation of the last line of the song, "My romance doesn’t need a thing but..." She held the last word "you" for an unbelievable amount of time, perfectly on pitch, and making it seem effortless.
Candace’s next song was "Little Things," a tune that Jessica wrote, when Candace was thirteen years old. Candace sang in hushed tones. There was a terrific solo during the break from Tony Jones.
Jessica announced "The Roses," was written for Candace after one of Candace’s relationships broke up. Singing in clear tones, Candace catalogued all the faults of her lover; "The roses were not fresh for me...To show your erudition you used four syllables instead of two...but the only thing you care about is not spending anytime without me." At the end of the song Candace performed a beautiful coda, "Perhaps I’ll recalculate / there’s just so many fish in the sea / a girl can’t be too careful / but perhaps I’ll let you take me to tea!"
"Yesterdays," (Kern-Harburg) was the other non-Jones original and Candace sang it with a very fast jazz beat and great expression. The arrangement featured a French horn solo by Taylor, complimented by throbbing bass and drums solos on the break. Candace Jones sang the standard with a swing, reminiscent of the great Martha Raye-David Rose recording.
"Come Down the Hall," is a Jones original, which talks about the isolation that people can feel when they live in a big city, even when they are neighbors in the same apartment building. Jessica played the keyboard, while Candace slowly performed the expressive lyrics, “It’s Sunday / There’s the Times on the floor / The Super left a note on your door / How long are you gone? / Left your lights on…/ You stop and drop your keys to the ground / Your raincoat dripping tears all around / I’ve seen you look like this before / I wonder how long you can ignore / me…If you listen / Let my perfume in / Hang your pride / On my door / Times heals all / Come down the hall.”
"What Purpose is Your Pain," is a great freewheeling 6/8 swing tune, which featured solid work from everyone, including Candace's vocalizing between the lyrics.
The second part of the program consisted of poetry set to jazz music which was composed by Jessica. The poet was Abe Maneri. The first poem "Daddy’s Music And Love Talk," was set to the Jones melody "Diagnosis Henry". Read and acted by Maneri, this piece and the following piece were reminiscent of the late fifties / early sixties Beat poetry, immortalized in the movie "The Subterraneans," starring, Shelly Manne and Gerry Mulligan. The movie included scenes, in which the characters recited their poetry which was set to music in the jazz clubs of San Francisco. (Jessica Jones and several of the musicians are originally from the San Francisco Bay area.)
“Dear Tony,” was the second poem which was read by Maneri and was set against a beautiful melody created by Jessica Jones, one which described a close friend who had moved away. “Tony,” the subject of the poem, was in the audience on this night, and lat the end of the recitation, came on stage to embrace Maneri.
Jones’ next selection was "Overtime," a beautiful melody, on which the band sailed, and Jones’ alto solo was supported by the rocking bass of Filiano.
Maneri returned to recite the poem "The End," this time, complimented by Jones’ South African melody, “Two Psalms.” The song, “Two Psalms,” featured the entire horn section, a persistent rocking beat.
Jessica Jones demonstrated during her performance, that she is a skilled composer and great jazz musician, whose work deserves to receive a lot of attention in the modern jazz world.
Photos by Jacqui Ford, protected by copyright ©
Top photo: Jessica Jones
Bottom photo: Tony Jones
Click here for printer friendly article
Reviewed July 12th, 2008
** Joe Regan, Jr. has enjoyed a thirty-year career in musical theater production and film. His stage credits include the original off Broadway production of Jean Genet’s The Balcony, Broadway productions of Arturo Ui, Fade Out Fade In, Funny Girl, Something More (in Jule Styne’s production office). He has worked as the casting director for several road companies which produced Hair. Joe Regan Jr.’s film credits include Obsession, The Falcon and the Snowman, Marlowe and Kelly’s Heroes. Joe has contributed reviews to numerous publications, including, Cabaret Exhange and Talkin’ Broadway.
He was the 2007 recipient of the Jeff Matson Award, for his contribution and support of the cabaret community. Joe has also served for three years on the Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs Eligibility Committee, for the MAC Awards, as well as the Jazz Committee for MAC
