Artist: Glennis Houston
Title: Lies of Handsome Men
Genre: Jazz Vocals
Label: Independent
Website
Lies of Handsome Men sounds like an interesting enough title to look into. So what exactly is behind such a thought provoking statement? The first thing that comes to mind is the opportunity to engage in plenty of extra curricular activities for an attractive individual of the male gender. Glennis Houston sings a lot about men and the disappointment that she has experienced. While they are plentiful and available there does not seem to be too many worth holding onto.
Now let us talk about the music and the wonderful voice of Ms. Houston, which is the focus here. She is a marvelously talented vocalist with great tone, focus, and range. The harnessing of her talents allows her to swing (Just Squeeze Me), sing a sexy alluring love song (I Want a Sunday Kind of Love), have some rollicking fun while swinging the night away with a country like flair (Cow Cow Boogie), or be humorous and lighthearted (Twisted) while using her voice to create the necessary atmosphere.
She most certainly has the musical support behind her so she can perform at such a high level of consistency. Michael Creber (piano), Miles Hill (bass) and Craig Scott (drums) are a most capable ensemble. I found the piano playing very enjoyable throughout the entire CD. The rich textures and colors of the jazz genre ebb and flow like the sea at high tide on this session. The bass (you can tell it's a standup with its low bottom end sound) and drums are complimentary in every aspect of each track, for both the piano playing and the voice of Glennis. All around this is an excellent release with a solid group of compositions that hold up very well after repeated listens.
With a voice like this, who needs handsome men and their lies? Glennis Houston doesn't.
June 23, 2004
01. Bye Bye Blackbird (3:59)
02. Just Squeeze Me (3:34)
03. I Want a Sunday Kind of Love (4:39)
04. Summertime (4:46)
05. God Bless the Child (4:05)
06. The Story's Over (3:02)
07. You'd be so Nice to Come Home To (3:44)
08. I Love a Piano (3:18)
09. Cow Cow Boogie (4:43)
10. Lies of Handsome Men (5:17)
11. Twisted (5:51)
12. Someone Like You (4:46)
13. Tea for Two (4:36)
Rating-8/10
Credits:
Michael Creber-Piano
Miles Hill-Bass
Craig Scott-Drums
Guests:
John Reid-Saxophone, flute
Keith Bennett-Harmonica
Article comments