Rebecca Parris & The Dan Moretti Quartet
At Chan's Jazz and Blues Club, April 23, 2011
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| The overflowing
crowd was charmed by the effervescent Rebecca Parris, Boston First
Lady of Jazz, on her return
to Chan's Jazz and Blues Club. We were elbow-to-elbow,
as John tried to squeeze in all of Becky's ardent followers.
Rebecca is our Sarah Vaughn,
our Carmen McCrea (who actually were her friends and influenced her
jazz style). She's been ill for some time, so it was a pleasure for fans to see and
hear her performing again at Chan's, and there were many requests
from folks wanting to hear their favorite Rebecca tunes. They
love her! Backed again by the Dan Moretti Quartet, with Dan on tenor sax and
flute, Tim Ray keyboard, Dave Zinno string bass, and Marty Richards
drums, she delivered. Fast - Day In Day Out, Latin - Delicato,
Meditation, Blues - You Don't Know What Love Is.
In her slow songs, she leaves you hanging in anticipation for the next line
- It's Beautiful, Sky Lark, backed by brilliant piano
by Tim Ray. Tim is telepathic - no matter where she
wandered, he was there with her. "Just a bunch of old friends,
kicking around", she said.
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Dan Moretti sax, Marty Richards drums, Dave Zinno
string bass |
Tim Ray, keyboard |
| Becky was scatting like a saxophone on
You're a Weaver of Dreams, and Moretti was softly
backing her on flute, when New England vocalist Shawnn Monteiro,
sitting up front and center, couldn't contain herself anymore and let out a
loud shriek! Zinno played the intro to That Old
Black Magic, then it was just Rebecca and the bass. He
intuitively connected with her feeling, moving into a spine-tingling, voodoo string
bass. Magnificent! |
Marty Richards |
Marty and Becky
are 'old' friends. He first met Ms. Parris when he was about
16 years old, and they recorded a CD in 1985 when he was 19.
They make a great team - he
matched her vibrant style with dynamic drumming when
they traded 4's on Day In, Day Out. |
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Rebecca Parris has made guest appearances with many top
musicians, including Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Wynton Marsalis, Gary
Burton and Dizzy Gillespie. She has been awarded the
Boston Music Awards nine times.
One of the comments on YouTube
says it best: "Listen closely to one of the best vocalists of our
time. The one and only Rebecca Parris is a singers singer who
delivers on ev'ry artistic front. Her phrasing, absolute pitch,
solid musicianship and gorgeous sound always leaves us wanting more!
Thank you for posting this. She suspends time like Shirley horn,
phrases like McRae, has the depth of Vaughan and the Soul of Peggy
Lee. C'mon what more can you want? Love you Rebecca."
Catch her again on May 27th with
Mike Turk &
Friends at Sculler's Jazz Club, Double Tree Suites Hotel, 400 Soldiers
Field Rd. Boston MA (617) 562-4111
Buy Tickets |
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| By Marce,
Updated April 24, 2011
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