Lisa Michel's first album offers a varied agenda of standards and three originals, two by her and one by David Berkman. Just looking at the playlist without bothering to put the CD in the player, it would be easy to dismiss this album as just another one of those first-time recordings where the singer attempts to show she can write as well as sing. Not so here. Michel does include well-worn standards, but gives them a twist which makes for a fresh approach. While she belongs to that school of singers who believe that "The ...
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Lisa Michel's first album offers a varied agenda of standards and three originals, two by her and one by David Berkman. Just looking at the playlist without bothering to put the CD in the player, it would be easy to dismiss this album as just another one of those first-time recordings where the singer attempts to show she can write as well as sing. Not so here. Michel does include well-worn standards, but gives them a twist which makes for a fresh approach. While she belongs to that school of singers who believe that "The Man I Love" should be delivered with as fast a beat as possible, her version is done just with the brushed snare and cymbals of drummer Matt Wilson. Backed by fine bass work of James Genus, Charlie Shavers' great pop hit "Undecided" becomes in Michel's hands, a bluesy plea for the paramour "to make up your mind." A bouncy "I Should Care" with Latin rhythm weaving in and out commingled with some very Monk-ish chords by David Berkman, is one of the album's highlights. Michel's rendition of the old warhorse and Jimmy Rushing favorite, "Evenin'," reveals that she belts out the blues with the best. One of the most popular of the many good songs from Guys and Dolls ("I've Never Been in Love Before") gets an up tempo treatment from Michel and the rhythm section. The atypical treatment of standards, plus the interesting originals from Michel and Berkman, combined with superlative support from fine musicians and Michel's innate feeling for this music, make this an auspicious debut album ~ Dave Nathan, Rovi
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Add this copy of You Should Be Nicer to Me to cart. $3.99, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Fabulon.
