Search - Dennis Day :: All Things in Time

An invigorating global musical foray, fusing jazz, blues, be-bop, and ballads from the Great American Song Book into a timeless vocal/instrumental classic interpreted by a world-class ensemble. Herb Boyd, noted jazz critic, writes: What stands out most with this Harlem-based singer is his versatility. Day s pleasant baritone, with dollops of second-tenor silkiness, is as warm and inviting on ballads as it is bouncy and exciting on the up-tempo tunes. From the opening, Caravan, you have embarked on a global excursion of melodies with touches of Brazil, Africa, the Mississippi Delta, London, and delightful forays into those evergreens of Tin Pan Alley. On All Things in Time, his first jazz CD, Day is backed by some of the finest musicians one can summon, including pianist Danny Mixon, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeter Joey Morant, pianist John DiMartino, and vibist Stefon Harris. Day s version of Everything Must Change is a perfect showcase for his range and interpretive skills, and together with the obbligato from the flutist Cleave Guyton, the song provides an irresistible charm and moves the listener to a wistful and tender comfort zone. Cue the lovers! The lovers will also welcome Day s lilting sway on Desafinado and his mellifluous swing on Taking a Chance on Love, which is accentuated by his choice of selecting some rarely sung lyrics. Day s passion for words is no surprise for a musician who is also a very fine writer and whose byline used to grace the pages of New York City s Amsterdam News. But Day should not even think about banging out those articles anymore. By putting those words to music, he has truly found his métier as well as his meter, whether on novelty tunes like his haunting original ballad African Musing or on the folkloristic cover, Trouble Down Here Below. After the lovers have expended their romantic inclinations, Day has a few spirited numbers to get them to resume their romp around the globe, but they had better hurry, because the singer is a veritable will o wisp on The Trolley Song, which segues neatly into Get Me to the Church on Time, attenuated by the ebullient, high-energy be bop staccato musings of Ellington orchestra alumnus, trumpeter James Zollar. Day s Blues Medley treatment echoes deep roots in his Chicago and southern musical influences. Framed by his relaxed, lyrical style, the song is accented with stellar blues riffs of veteran guitarist Melvin Sparks and capped by a foot-stompin piano solo from Danny Mixon. This repertoire of jazz and blues is a veritable potpourri, shifting in mood, timber, and musical intensity. The arrangements draw upon Day s melodious presentation of narratives, which set a distinctive tone and tempo on each song. Bright moments and surprising musical departures are in full play here. The Horace Silver classic Sister Sadie offers a buoyant playfulness captured in griot fashion, setting the stage for the masterful sliding moans and wails of New Orleans trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, which add to the full arch and tapestry of the listener s experience. The facile trumpet solos of Joey Morant, an alumnus of Ray Charles band, complete the blues segments of the CD. Pianist John Miller, an early musical director in Day s inaugural New York City-based groups, adds tasteful accompaniments on old favorites like Hallelujah I Love Her So and You Are Too Beautiful. You Are Too Beautiful is also embellished ably by the soulful sax of Jason Curry. Particularly noteworthy are Day s ballad renditions, where texture, sensitivity, and lyrical interpretation combine, affirming that, indeed, old wine in new kegs can indeed prove savory, even after scores of covers. Hopefully the jazz gods smile approvingly.