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TESSA SOUTER<br />
NIGHTS OF KEY<br />
LARGO<br />
VENUS 1017<br />
THE ISLAND/ CLOSE ENOUGH<br />
FOR LOVE/ MOONDANCE/ SO<br />
MANY STARS/ THE LOOK OF<br />
LOVE/ YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE/<br />
KEY LARGO/ SLOW HOT<br />
WIND/ MOON AND SAND/ I'M<br />
GLAD THERE IS YOU/ ALL OR<br />
NOTHING AT ALL/ MORNING<br />
OF THE CARNIVAL/ IMAGINE.<br />
64:06.<br />
Tessa Souter, vcl; Joel Frahm,<br />
ss, ts; Romero Lubambo,<br />
g; Kenny Werner, p; Jay<br />
Leonhart, b; Billy Drummond,<br />
d. August 13, 14, 15, 2008,<br />
New York, NY.<br />
New Issues<br />
168 | CadenCe Magazine | april May June 2013<br />
A lthough she did not turn professional until she<br />
reached her forties, Tessa Souter, now in her midfifties,<br />
has become one of jazz's most highly acclaimed<br />
vocalists. Ordinary listeners and critics alike have raved<br />
about her lovely voice, her tasteful phrasing, her agile<br />
technique, and perhaps most important, her ability<br />
to convey the emotional meaning of a song. The wellreceived<br />
Nights of Key Largo, released in 2008, was<br />
actually her second album, with two more to follow,<br />
including 2012's “Beyond The Blue.” “Nights of Key<br />
Largo” would be worth a listen if only for its repertoire,<br />
which consists mostly of gorgeous melodies by such<br />
composers as Johnny Mandel, Burt Bacharach, Sergio<br />
Mendes, Alec Wilder, Henry Mancini, and John Lennon.<br />
Many of them are familiar, while others, such as Benny<br />
Carter's "Key<br />
Largo," with its slow but deep groove, are less so. But<br />
Souter's uniquely expressive reading of the tunes, not<br />
to mention the caliber of her accompanists, makes the<br />
album special. Pianist Kenny Werner, drummer Billy<br />
Drummond, and bassist Jay Leonhart are widely-known<br />
as among the best in the business, and the Brazilian<br />
guitarist Romero Lubambo, who takes turns with<br />
Werner as the chordal voice in the rhythm section, is just<br />
as good. They provide luscious backgrounds for Souter's<br />
interpretations of the songs and integrate stellar<br />
improvisations of their own. The moving Souter/ Werner<br />
duet version of "The Look Of Love" is a gem. Lubambo is<br />
especially effective on the several Latin arrangements.<br />
Don't expect much from the CD notes. Except for the<br />
credits, they're all in Japanese.<br />
David Franklin
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