Steve Emerine | Tucson, AZ United States | 01/05/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tucson's PBS jazz station caught my attention by playing "Detour Ahead" from this album. When it followed with "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?", this Christy-Connor-O'Day fan was hooked. I bought the CD and got 51 minutes of this fresh new talent's stylings of nine standards and one original. I'm now looking for her two earlier CDs! If you're looking for a new jazz ballad songstress, Dena is worth discovering!"
Once heard, forever hooked.
savoirfaire | DC Metro | 02/20/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dena DeRose's recent airing on NPR really grabbed me by the ears. If you haven't heard her, check her out, and you'll immediately understand why. It's hard to recall the last time I was so wowed by a CD (nothing else has motivated my writing a review here). Whoever did the very tasty arrangements deserves the year's gold medal for fresh takes on old standards. Topnotch sidemen throughout deliver some exciting rides, but they'd have to be really bad to taint DeRose's performance on these recordings. Her piano alone is impressive, but her singing - yowza! What an incomparable combination. Diana Krall's sulky looks will never get her around this lady."
I can see clearly now
doug leo | 12/27/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I loved the instrumentals, ..... great playing, great music. However, the vocals are the best part of this CD. Dena sings like an angel. Each of her CD's just keep getting better."
Beautifully composed performances
Dr. Jazz | New York, NY | 12/04/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Impeccable jazz technique and musical training allow Dena DeRose to "compose" exceptional performances using interpretation and improvisation on existing material. Her uptempo versions of "Never Been in Love Before" and "Detour Ahead" burn without sacrificing feeling and emotion. Music that makes you stop and say "who's that?"."
Upbeat jazz from talented singer-pianist
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 07/12/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was the third album from Dena, a singer-pianist from New York with a voice as clear as a bell. The liner notes describe the album as philosophically upbeat, reflecting Dena's mood at the time. While the mood is upbeat, the tempo of the music varies. Six other musicians - Joe Locke (vibes), Joel Frahm (saxophone), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Dwayne Burno (bass), Mark Taylor (drums) and Mark Wilson (drums) - accompanied Deana on the sessions. If you love me was originally written by Edith Piaf in French. With a smile was written by Dena, demonstrating that she can write her own material. I can see clearly now was originally a reggae song by Johnny Nash but has been covered in a variety of styles. As well as adapting it to suit her own particular style, Deana slows it right down - very interesting, although the slowness does not make it better. The remaining seven songs are from the Great American Songbook. One of the most famous of these, Day in day out, features a rousing saxophone solo.If you are looking for a modern jazz album that pays respect to tradition without being constrained by it, then you will enjoy this album."