NEW RELEASE
Alone With the Blues
With Judy Roberts
"...they have taken a large serving of sad ballads and made them as delicious, provocative and personal as catching up with old friends over late-night coffee."
--Randy Freedman
Chicago Jazz Magazine
To read the full review, click below:
Chicago Jazz Magazine

recordings

bio

comps

Big Foot Jazz

YouTube links:
Performed at
Andy's Jazz Club Chicago

I Remember You

My Buddy

JEANNIE LIVE IN 2010:

First Monday of the month
8-11:00pm
Katerina's
1920 Irving Park, Chicago
773.348.7592
www.katerinas.com

March 26 & 27
with The Windy City All  Stars
Andy's Jazz Club
11E. Hubbard near State, Chicago  312.642.6805
www.andysjazzclub.com

April 30-May 2
2010 Jazz Party
Colorado Springs
Broadmoor Jazz Club
Travel info: Donna Fry 1.800.336.9297

------------------------

February 16   8:00-11:00pm
with the Windy City All Stars Dixieland Band
Chicago Brauhaus - Lincoln Square
4732 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
773.784.4444
www.chicagobrauhaus.com
Reserve early if you can. They were sold out last year.

On Alone With The Blues, singer Jeannie Lambert pulls off an impressive feat. It is difficult to record a full album of slow thoughtful ballads while accompanied only by a sympathetic pianist and fully hold onto the attention of listeners. The singer has to have lived life enough to completely understand and feel the lyrics, she has to be skilled at perfectly placing each note, and her lived-in voice has to be expressive without ever quite going over the top. Ms. Lambert manages all of that. With pianist Judy Roberts (herself a fine singer) providing tasteful accompaniment that follows Jeannie Lambert even when the vocalist purposely goes out of tempo, this is a haunting, atmospheric and very musical outing. Whether it is “In Love In Vain,” “Detour Ahead,” “These Foolish Things” or “
Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry,” each of the selections are given memorable interpretations that put the emphasis on the lyrics, the melodies, and honest mature feelings. Alone With The Blues is available from www.bigfootjazz.com.
--Scott Yanow,Los Angeles Jazz Scene

Lambert is a seasoned traveler on the Chicago jazz scene. Brown is a more recent Cincinnati/New York transplant, who has steadily gained respect from musicians and fans alike since his arrival in Chicago five years ago. Each brings a unique set of musical talents and skill to their occasional partnership.

Though based in Chicago, Lambert’s vocal skills are admired nationally, and her most recent CD; Alone With The Blues (with pianist Judy Roberts) prompted this comment from Scott Yarrow, one of the world’s most published jazz historians: “The singer has to have lived life enough to completely understand and feel the lyrics, she has to be skilled at perfectly placing each note, and her lived-in voice has to be expressive without ever quite going over the top. Ms. Lambert manages all of that.”

Other less experienced or simply less wise vocalists can sometimes wander hopelessly far from a melody. Sometimes they can disrespect classic American Songbook material with vocal histrionics, shrill screeching vocalizations passed off as stylizations, and worst of all, unrepentant attempts at outright imitation of great past vocalists that often embarrass all present to hear them.

Instead of these unsuccessful cheap tricks, Lambert gives you double doses of the jazz singer’s “Holy Grail,” phrasing. I am talking about riveting, keep the audience on the edge of their seat, phrasing. Phrasing, that has the audience wondering at breaks, “ How would this song or that song sound if Lambert sang it?”

Andy Brown is one of Chicago’s most sought after accompanists and has worked with top vocalists Kurt Elling, Paul Marinaro, Spider Saloff, Kimberly Gordon, and Brown’s wife, Petra van Nuis, to name just a few. His guitar play is always melodic, understated, and involving; drawing the audience in with multiple techniques and textures instead of the guitar pyrotechnics that some other players like to show off with. Brown’s ability to seamlessly, “walk the bass line” (reinforce rhythm by playing some of the bass notes) while carrying the melody, invariably gives his guitar a fuller, richer, more complete sound that suggests the presence of multiple instruments existing only in the mind’s eye.

While skillful and sensitive in all his playing, Brown seems to show a higher level of personal involvement when playing Bossa Nova, and brings a special flair to that music. This was demonstrated that evening during outstanding solos on “How Insensitive” and “Useless Landscape.”

Other highlights of that particular Monday included a rousing Dixieland-style rendition of “Sweet Georgia Brown” during which the duo was joined by Lambert’s husband, trombonist Russ Phillips. Lambert’s vocals were exceptionally compelling on “Emily,” “East Of The Sun”, and “This Time The Dream’s On Me.” Also featured was a charming version of “Little Jack Frost,” performed by guest vocalist Petra van Nuis.

A city like Chicago offers listeners many options, every night of the week, to hear different kinds of music performed in a variety of venues. If you have only enjoyed live music, and particularly jazz, as part of the a crowd in a large, impersonal theater like setting, or have just moved away from the club scene, I cannot recommend highly enough giving smaller, intimate venues like Katerina’s a try. The Monday night sessions with Andy Brown and Jeannie Lambert are the perfect place to start with the best of talent in a great listening environment.

For more information, contact: Katerina's Website.

Chicago freelance writer Randy Freedman is a jazz connoisseur, photographer, food critic, humorist, and devoted music fan. He is a regular contributor to Chicago Jazz Magazine.

See Jeannie live in 2009:

December 7 from 8-11:00
with Andy Brown
Katerina's
1920 Irving Park, Chicago
773.348.7592
www.katerinas.com

November and December
Thursdays 5:00-8:30pm
with The Russ Phillips Quartet
Andy's Jazz Club
11E. Hubbard near State, Chicago  312.642.6805
www.andysjazzclub.com

November 15
Great River Jazz Preservation Society
with Don Stillie & The Keepers of the Flame
Quality  Inn ,Route 36 West in Hannibal Mo.
It is about 3 miles west of the center of Hannibal, exit on Shin Lane.
click here for web site

August 7 and 8--5:00-8:30pm
Appearing with Bob Dogan on Piano
Andy's Jazz Club
11E. Hubbard near State, Chicago  312.642.6805
www.andysjazzclub.com

First Tueday of every month through August (except July)
8:00-11:00pm  with Andy Brown
Katerina's
1920 Irving Park, Chicago
773.348.7592
www.katerinas.com

July 21 at 8:00 & 10:00pm
with Andy Brown
Jazz Showcase
806 S Plymouth CT
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 360-0234
www.jazzshowcase.com


February 26-- 9:00-12:00pm
Pops for Champagne
with Andy Brown & Joe Policastro
601 N. State Street at Ohio, Chicago
312.266.7677
www.popsforchampagne.com

February 24 --7:30-11:30pm
with the Windy City All Stars Dixieland Band
Chicago Brauhaus - Lincoln Square
4732 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
773.784.4444
www.chicagobrauhaus.com
Reserve early if you can. They were sold out last year.

January 26 --7:30-11:30pm
Katerina's
1920 Irving Park, Chicago
773.348.7592
www.katerinas.com

January 23 and 24 --5:00-8:30 PM
Appearing with Bob Dogan on Piano at
Andy's Jazz Club, 11E. Hubbard near State, Chicago  312.642.6805
www.andysjazzclub.com