Cris Barber - This Moment to Be Free (2008)

Tracklist

01. My Foolish Heart
02. Love for Sale
03. Going in
04. Blackbird
05. What Is It
06. Nature Boy
07. Devil May Care
08. What a LIttle Moonlight Can Do
09. Calling You
10. I Got It Bad
11. I Only Have Eyes for You
12. Be Sure
13. Family Line
14. Sunny


Southern California award-winning jazz vocalist Cris Barber has released her fourth album with “This Moment To Be Free” and it’s another winner of a recording. Often compared to Diana Krall, Barber uses her warm smooth vocals to interpret a terrific selection of pop and jazz standards like Victor Young’s “My Foolish Heart,” Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale,” and Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” to name a few. All together the CD boasts fourteen tunes where the lady swings and voices love ballads to the heart. What makes this album a success is not only Barber’s vocal talents but her phenomenal backup. Assisting the Singer here is a core quintet comprised of first-call Los Angeles studio and concert players among them, Karen Hammack (piano), Barry Cogert (bass), Aldo Bentivegna (drums), Kurt Rasmussen (percussions), Jamie Findlay (guitar) and Greg Vail (sax and flute). Also appearing as special guest is guitarist Laurie Morvan performing on her original, “Family Line,” and Mark Barnes playing the Hammond B3 on “Family Line” and “What Is It.” Eden Ahbez’s classic standard “Nature Boy” is given one heck of an overhaul here as Barber voices the lyrics to a splendid Latin jazz rendition for one of the finer tunes on the disc.

The lady and the band swing on the jazz staple “Devil May Care” with superb piano chops from Hammack. This tune is followed up by another sizzler in “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” where saxophonist Vail scorches one behind the singer’s lead. Barber shows a bit of her tender side on Duke Ellington’s “I Got It Bad,” and the love tune “Be Sure,” then turns a bit funky on the pop finale of “Sunny” completing one fine session of wonderful light hearted contemporary jazz with a twist. “This Moment To Be Free” is one of the finer jazz vocals recordings you’ll find this year and Cris Barber’s splendid performance is one reason why.

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