Search - Miles Donahue :: Stranger in Paradise

Strangers in Paradise

Daniel | Oceanside, CA United States | 06/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Stranger in Paradise" is a highly polished straight ahead jazz set, featuring eight songs out of the Great American Songbook. Miles Donahue plays trumpet, alto sax and tenor sax throughout, and he is joined by Fred Hersch on piano, and Jerry Bergonzi on tenor sax. These are classy sounds; in fact, Donahue's appraoch to music reminds of Tony Bennet's: class, polish, professionalism and originality in rendering some of the most recognizable popular songs. And his solos--especially on alto sax--are heaven. As a bonus, Robin McElhatten (going by Robin McKelle now)--a new-on-the-scene singer--joins Miles and company on vocals for three songs, most notably on "I Love Paris'. A blend of Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Barbara Streisand. Jazz singing doesn't get any better"