Amanda King - Chanteuse (2008)

Tracklist

01. Slap That Bass
02. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
03. Black Moonlight
04. I'm One of God's Children
05. Makin' Whoopee
06. Night and Day
07. Love For Sale
08. Lazy Afternoon
09. Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do
10. What Is This Thing Called Love/One Note Samba



Based on her brilliant January 2008 Empire Plush Room show, Chanteuse features songs of the 1930s and 40s that seem to have been written with Amanda\'s voice in mind. With a smoothness of voice and surety of style, it’s hard to believe Amanda King has only been singing professionally since fall 2007. She comes from a solid theater background, but her historied ties to classical, Broadway and jazz music are in good evidence on this, her first CD. Able to meld all of these genres together with the exceptional genius of her musical trio - Shota Osabe on piano, Jeff Neighbor on bass, Micha Nur Patri on drums - Chanteuse is an album that swings brilliantly from beginning to end.

Working with her trio and producer, this CD came into being over several sessions at the famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley CA. Her trio played masterfully, especially Shota who performed his magic on Bill Evans’ personal Yamaha C9, an deeply sonorous instrument. Voice, piano, bass and drums all perform as one, so evident as you experience their magic. Listeners have singled out a few of the tunes as being particlarly masterful, especially the classic Cole Porter tune \"Love for Sale\". \"Slap That Bass\" is the Ella tune that starts the CD and it is serious swing from start to finish. \"Lazy Afternoon\" takes the listener to a seductive place of quiet and warmth and wll prove to be a \"must play\" for anyone in love. And \"Black Moonlight\" is simply fabulous. Most of the tunes are unknown to even the best jazz connoisseur of the times, so listening is a special treat for those who love this era\'s music.

Her march toward becoming the hottest new singer on the block in San Francisco began with the 2003 Bay Area Cabaret Competition. She entered the contest on a lark, but her talent took her to the finals losing only by two votes! Encouraged by this good start, she began singing in various showcases throughout San Francisco. She developed a devoted following that quickly grew with her acclaimed one-woman show \"It\'s About Damn Time!\" which ran in the fall of 2007 at the New Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

“This singer was a suberb (sic) performer. I expected a louder, brassier voice, and I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Her choice of material was delightful, and her delivery was pitch-perfect. I was SO glad I had taken a chance on this unknown (to me) singer.”

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