I recently reviewed a double CD by Art Fristoe, and here he makes an appearance again, accompanying singer Michelle Bradley as she works through a series of standards. Closer examination of the musician credits shows that his bassist Tim Ruiz is also here, while his drummer Richard Cholakan also appears on half the songs. This means that the musical base for Michelle is a band who know each other incredibly well, which gives her a strong foundation for her soprano style. That she can really sing is never in doubt, with a high range and good vibrato, but I found that her voice sounded just too trained, too perfect for this style of music.
She has had classical training, and while that can lend itself to some styles of music, it can seem somewhat at odds with jazz, and for my ears that is the case here. It doesn’t feel like a harmonious whole, but rather someone from one musical background trying to make it in another and while it is a valiant effort it doesn’t really work for me. Listening to “How High The Moon” I found my ears gravitating to what was happening behind her voice, as opposed to focussing on her vocals. I am sure that this album is going to polarise listeners, as some will really enjoy it and others not so much. I know which camp I fall into.
