"Beginning To See The Light" 2004John Segers of WUCF-FM 89.9 "Jazz and More" - Orlando, FL
The Julie Lyon Quartet
Julie Lyon - Vocals
Tom Cabrera - Drums, Tablas
Larry Hutter - Bass
Brian Petras - Piano
Many singers are so intent on showing off the range or tone of their "instrument", and many jazz singers are so busy proving that they can swing, that the real meaning of the lyrics of a song often gets lost in the shuffle. Singers who fall into this trap are doing a grave disservice to the lyricists, to their audiences, and to themselves. What a rare pleasure it is to find in Julie Lyon a jazz singer who is as utterly committed to the words as she is to the music, and who is capable of rendering them both so deftly!
From the vengeful "Cry Me A River", to the effervescent "Almost Like Being In Love", from the wistful "Body And Soul" to the sultry andseductive "Besame Mucho" and on to the sparkling title song, each track on this disc is performed with a careful attention to the meaning of the words. Each mood is conveyed with the honest intellectual and emotional conviction which is Miss Lyon's greatest strength, and which makes it very easy to believe her delivery in every song.
The three instrumentalists behind her provide a subtle and very tasteful backdrop. Mr. Cabrera and Mr. Hutter keep the beat exactly where it needs to be, without ever succumbing to the temptation to become intrusive, while Mr. Petras' sparkling piano accompaniment is effortlessly graceful.
Is there anything to dislike about this recording? Not much. There are a very few spots where the recording mix is a bit unbalanced. Unfortunately, the most notable example is right at the beginning of the first track. And a more legible font might have been chosen for the liner credits (I wasn't sure for a while if Mr. Hutter's last initial was "H" or "K" or "M"). But those are petty quibbles. Tweaks aside, this CD is a real gem.
If you're the sort of person who cares about the real meat of a song, this recording is just what the doctor ordered. "Beginning To See The Light" is my first exposure to Julie Lyon and her quartet, and I certainly hope it is not my last!
