"If the listener has not heard Nora McCarthy before then blesSINGS is a great
introduction to this mature singer who bestows passion and heartfelt humanity in
large doses. Her tribute to Butch Morris is a cornerstone of all that is possible
when one freely enters the magical world of music.
From the get-go, Nora's voice and lyrics are captivating. "Love Poem for the
People" is a great kick-off. Fantastic arrangements. Her connection to life in all its
manifestations and positive energies really sing through you on the entire album.
Her "Restless Mind" has such a beautiful dreamy quality that encourages minds to
wander inside their beauty, is lovely. "The Blessing" is a really pure revelation.
Terrific! A beautiful encouragement to look for and practice love in its many
variations. Sylvester's sax is a gorgeous, uplifting alternative voice.
All the musicians make significant contributions to McCarthy's lush vocal
deliveries. "Passion Dance" really conveys her joyously letting go. "Nowhere Ever
After" is a purely, magical testament to Butch Morris. I can easily visualize being
held in his sway as he elicits soulful expressions. Amazing how he could hold us
all in hand; shaping us to pour forth our very best. Nora really rose to the
occasion on this one.
Thank you Nora McCarthy and The People of Peace Quintet for transporting me to
that listening space and for your magic." R.I. Sutherland-Cohen
/www.jazzexpressions.org
Nora McCarthy and The People of Peace Quintet
blesSINGS
RedZen Records 2015
Personnel: Nora McCarthy-voice/compositions/lyrics, Jorge Sylvester-alto
saxophone/compositions, Pablo Vergara-piano, Donald Nicks-electric bass, Kenny
Grohowski-drums
Tracks: Love Poem For The People; Akara Moi Moi; Nimbus; Into The Middle Of
Something; Restless Mind; The Blessing; Passion Dance; Listen Close To What
The Trees Are Saying; Night On Earth; Nowhere Everafter
Produced by Nora McCarthy
Recorded: Tedesco Studio in Paramus, New Jersey
Engineer: Tom Tedesco
Masteredat: Miracle Mastering studios, NJ
Mastered by Ivan Joseph Goldberg
Photo: Angela Bruno Menawi
By: Alex Henderson // 5 out of 5 stars
Nora McCarthy’s versatility has been one of her strong points. The New York City-
based jazz vocalist, originally from Cleveland, took a very straight-ahead approach
on her promising debut album of 1996, red&blue. But subsequently, McCarthy
explored jazz’ avant-garde because she was always a “free bird” at heart. In her
collaborations with Jorge Sylvester that began in 2000, McCarthy has
demonstrated that she is comfortable with both the inside and the outside. And
whether she was getting into free-form outside improvisations or performing
standards, McCarthy has been as expressive as she is unpredictable. McCarthy
has a long history of giving 100%, which is what she continues to do on
blesSINGS.
This self-produced CD is not an album of popular standards, although it doesn’t
delve deeply into the avant-garde either. One of the album’s highlights is a
memorable performance of Ornette Coleman’s “The Blessing.” But for the most
part, blesSINGS is not an album of abstract avant-garde jazz, but rather, a highly
melodic and accessible post-bop effort with a highly spiritual outlook. And
McCarthy leads a cohesive unit called the People of Peace Quintet, which also
includes Sylvester on alto saxophone, Pablo Vergara on acoustic piano, Donald
Nicks on electric bass and Kenny Grohowski on drums.
Post-bop, of course, has a long history of spirituality. Heavily influenced by John
Coltrane, great instrumentalists like Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Rahsaan
Roland Kirk, Jackie McLean and Yusef Lateef thrived on spirituality during the
1960s and 1970s. So did singer Abbey Lincoln, one of the influences on
blesSINGS. And with this album, McCarthy draws on both the spirituality of post-
bop instrumentalists and the spirituality of post-bop vocal jazz.
That spirituality prevails on four songs by McCarthy (“Into the Middle of
Something,” “Restless Mind,” “Listen Close to What the Trees Are Saying” and
“Love Poem for the People”) and two songs by Sylvester (“Nimbus” and “Akara Moi
Moi”) as well as Lucian Ban’s “Night on Earth,” Lawrence “Butch” Morris’ “Nowhere
Everafter” and Tyner’s “Passion Dance.” The rapport that McCarthy enjoys with
Sylvester, Vergara, Nicks and Grohowski on blesSINGS is consistently strong:
instead of sounding like a mere backdrop for McCarthy’s vocals, they enjoy a
genuine, honest-to-God dialogue with her. And thankfully, Sylvester and Vergara
have plenty of solo space and room to stretch out. The spirit of improvisation
prevails whether McCarthy is singing or other members of the People of Peace
Quintet are taking a solo.
“Passion Dance” is a highly appropriate choice for blesSINGS given its rich history.
Tyner (one of the greatest pianists of the last 55 years) unveiled that modal gem
in 1967 on his classic album The Real McCoy, which was recorded for Blue Note
Records and boasted Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Ron Carter on upright
bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Tyner and Jones had played together in Coltrane’s
quartet in the early to mid-1960s, and the deep spirituality that Coltrane was
known for carried over after they left his employ and pursued their own projects.
“Passion Dance” came to be recognized as a definitive example of spiritual post-
bop, and it works undeniably well for McCarthy in a vocal context. Her lyrics fit
Tyner’s melody perfectly, and as a lyricist, McCarthy fares equally well on
Coleman’s “The Blessing” (which the trailblazing alto saxophonist recorded in 1958
on his Contemporary date Something Else: The Music of Ornette Coleman, an
album that pre-dated his association with Atlantic Records and his work with
bassist Charlie Haden).
McCarthy, in fact, wrote most of the lyrics on blesSINGS. The only lyrics she
didn’t write on this album are the ones heard on the 11-minute opener “Love Poem
for the People,” although she did write the composition for that selection (the
poetic words are from James Akinwale Daniels). McCarthy also handles most of
the arrangements on blesSINGS, although Sylvester is the arranger on McCarthy’s
“Into the Middle of Something” and his own “Akara Moi Moi.”
The fact that McCarthy wrote so many lyrics for blesSINGS does not mean that she
neglects scat-singing. McCarthy gets in plenty of memorable scatting on
blesSINGS, and emotionally, she expresses herself in different ways on this
album: as a performer and writer of lyrics, as a composer, as an arranger, and as a
scat singer. McCarthy wears a variety of hats on blesSINGS and wears all of them
well.
Some listeners might wonder what McCarthy’s preference is: standards, avant-
garde free jazz, bop, or post-bop and modal jazz? And the best answer to that
question is, “All of the above.” McCarthy is multi-faceted, and her ability to
handle different styles of jazz equally well speaks highly of her. This time,
spiritual post-bop is the main course, and blesSINGS is a fine addition to her
catalogue.
NEW REVIEW: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?
id=45943#.UqOMfOJnaRM
“…Most of all, McCarthy and Sylvester are dedicated to
using art as a means to elevate and celebrate the human
spirit; their music is about joy and creativity, and
cultivating the finer aspects of the human soul.”
Florence Wetzel, All About Jazz, 5/2012
“….McCarthy and Sylvester are really in their element on
Coleman’s “The Blessing” and “The Sphynx”, stretching out
into abstract territory and channeling their spiritual
perception of the alto saxophonist’s forward-thinking
messages while also maintaining their own confidently
probing voices.” Sam Spokony, All About jazz, 10, 2013
“….The Light of Truth’s High Noon Is Not For Tender
Leaves.” a McCarthy original from the Spirit Driven
double CD has a spirituality that recalls the late Abbey
Lincoln, and McCarthy really soars with that Lincoln-ish
mood. Alex Henderson, Jazz Inside Magazine, 10/13
"....A striking woman of unusually elastic voice,
McCarthy infuses her music with poetry and theatricality
that’s both stark and sensual." Carlo Wolff, Cleveland
Scene, April, 2010
“…McCarthy is a fearless singer who deftly refuses to be
categorized as she explores personalized means for
expressing ideas; she travels infrequently heard avenues
for exploring thought and adapts vocal technique to fit
the circumstances of her message." Bill Donaldson for
Jazz Improv NY, 2008
"...McCarthy's vocals often recalled the soft, strained
desperation of another Cleveland vocalist, the great
Jimmy Scott. The album is, in fact, something of an
homage to Scott, ending with the McCarthy original,
"Faith in Time (Jimmy's Song). …The singer closed with a
barn-burning version of Willie Dixon's "Little Red
Rooster" that left the crowd crowing for more and nicely
"upset, in every way."4-18-2010, All About Jazz/ 31st
Tri-C Jazz Festival, Matt Marshall
“...Her shaping of pitch often foregoes the fluid note-
bending of the jazz singer in favor of the full press of
a sculptor’s touch against viscous clay." Ramsey
Ameen/The Gathering Of The Tribes Magazine, 2005
"…The ballad "Too Late Now" (Lerner/Lane) from her CD,
Circle Completing, is a charmer. Reminding me very much
of the late lamented Irene Kral, Nora provocatively sings
this melancholy ballad in full throttle." Dan Singer,
In-Tune International Magazine-UK, 3/2009
"…McCarthy’s vocals are rich and subtle and laced with
varying degrees of earthy blues and soulful phrasings."
Sounds of Timeless Jazz.com, 2/2009
“…Circle Completing is a moody suite that deals with the
evolution of life, coming to a place of forgiveness,
letting go, and ultimately moving on to the next level.
"Nora's adventurous singing, the spontaneous interplay
with John diMartino, and the unpredictability of the
music result in the innovative duets being full of subtle
surprises." Scott Yanow, Jazz Critic & Author, 2008
“…McCarthy, who works in every setting from a bass and
vocal duo to a twenty-piece orchestra, demonstrates that
she is not one to simply serenade with the usual mix of
standards.” Dan Bilawsky/Jazz Improv Magazine’s New York
Jazz Guide, 2008
“...Nora McCarthy shines on “Do Something” – a groove
piece whose melody and arrangement is reminiscent of a
Horace Silver kind of energy; and on the hip lyrics to
“In My Own Way” – an ‘electric’ medium groover.
McCarthy’s contributions add a shimmering magnetism to
the vocal pieces by Brandon. Other highlights include the
soft Bossa “Friend In Need.” The album wraps up with the
title song “Toward the Hill of Joy” – voice and piano,
out of tempo, deep, contemplative and brilliant.” Clark
Griffin, Jazz Inside, 2012
"…A good poet can tell a story with a minimum of text. So
when Nora McCarthy tells the story of lies that have been
"swept under the carpet / all scramble like roaches in
the early morning light," she extends the idea in a
couple of directions at once – with a kind of vocalese,
aided by skittery piano bits. The presentation says far
more than a couple of paragraphs could, that's for sure."
Mark Saleski/Jazz.com
“…Nora is a wonderfully focused musician, singer
composer. Her original compositions are splendid
examples of modern and traditional jazz song. I highly
recommend her as a fellow artist.” Dom DuVal, musician /
composer / bassist.“ April 9, 2009
"…You can hear this woman's life in her voice…" Walter
Kolosky, Jazz.com/2009
“…Nora McCarthy has a deep voice, with the timbre and
range of Sarah Vaughan….she uses ever-so-subtle pitch-
bending and straight tones and just a lovely touch of
vibrato.” Julianne Carney/International Society For
Improvised Music, 2007
"…Nora is a musical flurry of passion, soul, emotion,
soothsaying, truth telling and jazz poetry that takes you
on flights of improvisational abandon with grace and wit.
She is a force to be experienced!" Sarah James,
Musician, Poet, Vocalist, 2009
"…Nora McCarthy, the diva, one of the top singers who
shaped the jazz vocal, a superb artist!" João Da Penha
("Jazz & Bossa Nova", Brazil, 2009 )
“...It’s delightful to hear music that plays so freely
with the known and the unknown elements of jazz."
Florence Wetzel/All About Jazz Magazine, NY, 2006
“...A non-generic and exciting vocalist to be aware of."
Alex Henderson/All About Jazz And L.A. Jazz Scene
“…A voice that is alternately liquid, breezy, and
lustrous. Sophistication in the same vein as Chet Baker."
Mark Keating, Editor, Sound Views Magazine
“…She plays her tender voice like a musician trying to
get the best out of some favored, old horn.” Edward
Hill/The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“...Yet another voice in the retro-cool school—almost at
times, as cool as Julie London, but with a serpentine
edge". Gary Giddins/The Village Voice
“...Continental and sophisticated, McCarthy is as much
chanteuse as jazz singer.” Carlo Wolff/The Cleveland
Plain Dealer
“…Nora McCarthy delivers with the improvisational
intuition of Betty Carter and the compassion of Billie
Holiday. McCarthy tackles harmonically complex material
of Thelonius Monk with relative ease then easily slips
into a relaxed Latin style that owes much to Brazilian
samba queen Astrud Gilberto.” Edward Hill/The Cleveland
Plain Dealer
"...The first set featured Jorge Sylvester's Conceptual
Motion Orchestra and they were grand. Great writing and
superb singing from Nora McCarthy." The Vision X
Festival, June 14th - June 19th, 2005 - Review By Bruce
Lee Gallanter
PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENTS
Ramsey Ameen, former violinist with Cecil Taylor’s Unit
and 3 Phasis, mathematician and scholar. A Gathering of
the Tribes Magazine, 2005.
"...Nora's vocal identity, aside from a basic jazz
orientation, defies classification, and makes spare use
of reflexive stylistic mannerisms. In the placement of
her voice, Nora can evoke the power of a Malian Diva's
fearless candor, or perhaps a Corsican Voceratrice's
call to invisible worlds in the language of dreams, or
the earthiness of an early blues singer's unvarnished
autobiographical witness. She has been attentive to the
fluid articulation, phrasing and timbre of the jazz
trumpet, the instrument that most clearly has influenced
her vocal development. Her shaping of pitch often
foregoes the fluid note-bending of the jazz singer in
favor of the full press of a sculptor's touch against
viscous clay."
Dom DuVal, musician / composer / bassist.“ April 9, 2009
"Nora is a wonderfully focused musician, singer composer
. Her original compositions are splendid examples of
modern and traditional jazz song . I highly recommend her
as a fellow artist .”
Paul Weston, Singer/Songwriter - United Kingdom
"Love your voice which has such texture and class and
your timing/feel for songs is magnificent. Peace love and
happiness."
João da Penha - January 25, 2009, Jazz & Bossa Nova
Radio Show Host in Brazil
"Nora McCarthy, the diva, one of the top singers who
shaped the jazz vocal, a superb artist, all the best for
you in 2011! love, peace and music, music, music."
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