Mark Winkler - Jazz and Other Four Letter Words (2015)

Tracklist

01. My Idea of a Good Time
02. I'm Hip
03. Nice Work If You Can Get It
04. Your Cat Plays Piano
05. I Chose the Moon
06. Have a Good Time
07. I Wish I Were in Love Again
08. Jazz and Other Four Letter Words
09. I Never Went Away
10. In a New York Minute / The Great City/ Autumn in New York
11. Stay Hip



Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist/lyricist Mark Winkler has a distinct way of having a great time and he makes it well-known on Jazz and Other Four Letter Words. Released on Café Pacific Records, the disc features a coterie of highly regarded West Coast musicians including John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, Bob Sheppard and guest vocalist Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer.

Mark Winkler either wrote or co-wrote several of the songs for this project including the title track, “I Chose The Moon,” “My Idea of a Good Time,” and “Stay Hip.” He lets it rip on two duets with Cheryl Bentyne during which they sound off in beatnik parlance on “I’m Hip,” and are cool and jazzy together on the Rodgers and Hart evergreen titled “I Wish I Were in Love Again.” Bob Sheppard plays a memorable solo on “I Wish I Were in Love Again” while pianist Jamieson Trotter comps skillfully on this delightful arrangement.

Winker’s rich, baritone vocals are enticing on the opening track and give you several reasons to keep listening. “My Idea of a Good Time” is indicative of his consummate songwriting skills while “Jazz and Other Four Letter Words” speaks to present day sensibilities. The way Winkler associates other four letter words to the word jazz - i.e. cool, beat, snap, drop, bass, warm, etc.- in such a creative way is sure to endear both new and veteran fans to his approach to storytelling. He finds new meanings in “I Never Went Away,” and makes this evergreen new again while his interpretation of “Nice Work If You Can Get It” reaches a new plateau of vocal hipsterism.

Melody, rhythm and harmony are definitely friends of Mark Winkler. He swings on the medley “New York Minute/The Great City/Autumn in New York” as he tells the story of The Big Apple in the span of five minutes. This “cocktail of blues and berets” is such a great metaphor for the NYC jazz scene and the approach Winkler takes during his resonant phrasing and concise harmonic progressions are what makes this medley worth several listens.

Mark Winkler's timing and tempo, his sense of swing and swagger, his selection of songs and guest musicians are just a few reasons why Jazz and Other Four Letter Words works as the 14th release in his excellent catalogue of recordings. Check it out!

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