In recent years I discover new music mostly on the internet and much to my own shame I have to admit that I hardly purchase 12″ or CD single releases anymore since most independent artists release a full-length album as debut record.
So this single by Nina Vidal is a welcome fall back into old habits when you discovered a great 12″ single in the record store and you put this artist on your list of favourite artists because of one strong release and you couldn’t wait for a full-length album to surface. In some way Nina’s music reminds me of Veronica Lynn and her 12″ Make Up Your Mind / Best Times Of Our Lives. I really wanted to hear Veronica’s album Diamond In The Rough after I fell in love with Best Times Of Our Lives, but, alas, I never got a copy and I doubt that RCA had ever released it.
Nina Vidal grew up in Flushing (New York City) and began with piano lessons at age seven and continued through her high school years. Still living in New York Nina pursue a professional music career and this independently released single gives us a first glance at her music. Since she has full control over her work, she will hopefully release a whole album soon. Her Song Do It Again is that good. The Full Version has a nice soulful flow which reminds me of Sade, Erykah Badu and Naked Music releases like Blue Six or Aquanote. The Piano & Vocal Version is just that…a little more laid back with Nina on piano, her ethereal vocal input and subtle guitar chords by her producer and partner in crime Caté.
The midtempo bonus track And If The Rain has a fine jazzy feeling to it with Shirantha Beddage on tenor saxophone and is just another reason why I want to hear more from Nina very soon.

Tracklisting of Do It Again : 1. Do It Again (Full Version)/ 2. Do It Again (Piano & Vocal Version)/ 3. Do It Again (Instrumental)/ 4. And If The Rain | released 2005 Nina Vidal

For more infos visit ninavidal.com and cdbaby.com.

[If you want to discuss Nina Vidal’s music, you can leave your comment below and also use the forum]

There are two reasons why you want to become a Yes Man when it comes to Bernadette Seacrest. One reason may be her piercing eyes and her heavily tattooted body that tells you not to mess with Bernadette - and which by the way is a welcome change from all the clean pseudo jazz divas major labels wants to shove down your throat (although I’m sure she’s one of the nicest person you could meet…someone who sings like Bernadette can’t be bad after all). The second reason is that Bernadette simply knows how to handle a sultry jazzy torch song. In a way Bernadette is a modern Julie London with a punk attitude and a rawer sound. One listen to this live album and you feel beamed into in a small smoky late-night joint with a big glass of booze and the band and singer making music just for the fun of it.
Bernadette’s Yes Men are Michael Grimes (double bass, guitar, organ, melodica), Aaron Cummings (saxophone, clarinet), Jason Aspeslet (drums, percussion) and special guest Noah Thomas (trumpet) on three tracks. And together they are a very tight band that sounds like they were made for each other. So it’s rather incomprehensible why the Yes Men had broken up recently. With most of the songs on Live written by Michael Grimes it looks like the Yes Men will be hard to be replaced.
Bernadette hails from LA and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexiko, in 1993. Before she went solo she co-headed The Long Goners in 2001 for two years exploring the musical world of rockabilly and country. So it’s quite a long way she traveled to the intimate jazz songs that suits her voice so perfectly.
The live versions were recorded on three dates in August/September 2005 in Santa Fe, New Mexiko, plus there are four new studio songs. And if you need any proof of what Bernadette And Her Yes Men are capable of then just listen to their version of Gershwin’s Summertime. Starting with a great instrumental intro of nearly three minutes this song builds the tension until Bernadette kicks in with her seductive rendition of this chestnut that’s already one of my favourite versions. There are two more cover songs on offer here (Fever and an inspiring instrumental version of Duke Ellington’s Caravan).
But the original songs by Michael Grimes and Bernadette’s former singing partner Pat Bova from The Long Goners are what makes this album so refreshing. It’s hard to pick a favourite because all songs have a fine instrumentation and a heartfelt vocal performance by Bernadette. Although I especially like the songs Temptation and Tango that features Aaron Cummings on clarinet, an instrument rarely heard these days. The bluesy Nobody’s Cryin’ or the sad story of a lonely, left lover on Early In The Morning are also highly recommendable as are Smokin’ Cigars or Money…
Well, actually I could recommend every song here, this is simply an impressive album perfect for a cozy evening at home with a bottle of red wine, whiskey or whatever is your favourite drink.

Tracklisting of Live : 1. Summertime/ 2. Nobody’s Cryin’/ 3. Caravan/ 4. So Cruel/ 5. Early In The Morning/ 6. Temptation/ 7. Smokin’ Cigars/ 8. Tango/ 9. Money/ 10. When The Sun Comes/ 11. Fever/ 12. Wrong Turn/ 13. Money/ 14. Man’s Ruin/ 15. Rain | released 2005 by Bernadette Seacrest

For more infos visit bernadetteseacrest.com and cdbaby.com.

[If you want to discuss Bernadette Seacrest’s music, you can leave your comment below and also use the forum]

My, what a great year 2005 was. Musically speaking. Otherwise it was quite gruesome with natural disasters, terror attacks, increasing surveillance, root kits etc. But jazz-not-jazz is mainly a website about music that’s why the focus is on the great music one could discover last year. So instead of a best-of list, which would look a little bit different each time I’d think of it, here’s a list of all in-depth reviews and interviews of 2005. And believe me each album and single release reviewed here has its moments and is worthwhile.
A sincere thank you to all the readers who vistited jazz-not-jazz in 2005 and to all the artists who supported this site so far. I wish you all a successful, healthy and peaceful 2006.

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Just in case you’ve missed something last month, here are some highlights that were featured last month on jazz-not-jazz::

In conjunction with radiopellenera jazz-not-jazz presents a weekly show with quality soul, jazz and house music. You can catch the show every Sunday from 13:00-15:00 UTC+1 and if you missed it it will be repeated on Tuesday (07:00-09:00 UTC+1) and Friday (12:00-14:00 UTC+1). For conversion to your local time zone have a look at the wikipedia or at radiopellenera’s schedule on live365.com.

Here’s the playlist for the show starting today, Sunday 1st.

Rob Thorsen: Bohemia After Dark (from Moon Ray)
Michael Adkins: Tres Olive (from Infotation)
Brian Patneaude Quartet: Unending (from Distance)
Naima Shamborguer: You And Me Against The World (from A Blossom Sings)
Nnenna Freelon: What A Little Moonlight Can Do (from Blueprint Of A Lady - Sketches Of Billie Holiday)
George Gee Big Band: Mambo Inn (from Settin’ The Pace)
Tim Jackson: A Rose From Concrete (from Next Of Kin)
Olu: Sugar Veins (from Beautiful Place)
Abby Dobson: 4 The Love (from h2O Productions While U Wait)
Verna Francis: Twilight (from Down To Earth)
Russell Taylor: Somewhere (from Soulstar Vol. II)
Ty Causey: Life On Track (from Love Notes)
Christopher Williams: Used To Be (from Cafe Soul All-Stars Love Pages)
Steve Spacek: Look Into My Eyes (from Space Shift)
Sharon Jones & The Dapkings: What If We All Stop Paying Taxes (from Stay On The Groove)
Quantic & Mr. Scruff: Giraffe Walk (from One Off’s, Remixes And B Sides)
LAL: Dancing The Same (from Warm Belly High Power)
Blaze feat. Barbara Tucker: Most Precious Love (DF’s Future 3000) (from Underground Dance Artists United For Life Keep Hope Alive)
Bah Samba feat. Fatback Band: Let The Drums Speak (Harvey Lindo Edit)
Blaze feat. Dawn Tallman: Keep Hope Alive (Shrine Vocal) (from Underground Dance Artists United For Life Keep Hope Alive)