http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:37:36 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/27/091030.php#comment-584205 Thanks for filling in those details, Kandie. True, this CD's cover is a little more restrained than ehr previous ones, but the full red lips, the smoldering gaze through a half-veil, the low-cut tops...it still reads BABE, even though I don't think she needs that in order to sell records. But whatever; it's all marketing, isn't it? If Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan were young singers today, who knows how their images would have been "groomed"? The question of inflection V. purity is a matter of taste, I guess. Jane does err on the side of inflection often. But given the clear timbre of her voice, I think it's not a bad choice. 584205@blogcritics.org Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:37:36 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/27/091030.php#comment-583585 I must correct myself...In the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Jazz Competition, Jane was in second place, and Roberta placed third. Teri Thornton, at age 64, won that year while undergoing treatment for cancer. Teri sadly passed away in May 2000. And another fact from that competition, Diana Krall and Dianne Reeves were among the judges that year. 583585@blogcritics.org Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:50:20 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/27/091030.php#comment-583578 Unfortunately, when someone gets to the caliber of Jane Monheit's career in the vein that she is in, it is inevitable that they will be compared to Diana Krall. I have read a couple of reviews from the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival comparing Jane to Roberta Gabarini, but that Jane puts too much inflection in her singing. Roberta is more 'pure.' Roberta was the runner up ahead of Jane at that Thelonious Monk competition. The winner has since passed away. I really do not know. Also, unfortunately, the "Babe Factor" has been challenged by her extra weight gain. My 82 year old jazz "parents" were shocked to see her with the extra weight. At her young age, it was quite a shock to see that happen. Photos of her from Lionel show her weight going down, and I hope that is true for the good of her health -- in the business she is in especially -- so she does not run herself ragged too easily. I also noticed that the cover of this CD is nothing compared to her first CD's. Forget 'Babe factor" -- try sex kitten on those early CD's. They are borderline offensive. I do not even like the way Diana Krall markets herself in so-called 'sultry' poses. I avoided her music because of the 'look' she portrayed and the popularity of her music. I avoid popular music. But I was turned onto Diana's recordings with Russell Malone on them. She is now my absolute favorite singer, but I still do not like looking at her CD covers. And the true jazz DIVA who is now getting her dues, is Dianne Reeves. FOUR Grammys!!! And sold out concerts all over the world. And she is almost 50 (or already there). Beautiful woman too! 583578@blogcritics.org Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:25:45 EDT