Jeffrey Gimble
MixTape, Soul Sourced Jazz
The E Spot, Studio City, CA, October 27, 2016
Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes
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With a packed house, Jeffrey Gimble took the stage with re-imagined arrangements and creative phrasing, showcasing an array of songs and genres that captured his heart and soul as he grew up. Said Gimble, “I was always hearing music, whether or not it was playing. I wondered what they would sound like all together. Voilà! MixTape.”
He opened with “Bye Bye Blackbird” (Mort Dixon/Ray Henderson), which found new wings with an innovative arrangement, in which he brought great energy, changing tempos and lyrics effortlessly, and breathing contemporary life into this 90-year-old song. With Gimble’s touch, it was fresh and exciting against a movie screen of old black-and-white images interspersed with live images of him at the microphone.
Pianist Josh Nelson gave a great assist, as Gimble pleased the crowd with his opening rubato and scatting style, moving easily through complicated charts on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” (Rodgers & Hart).
Scoring big with his humorous take on “Until You Come Back to Me” (Stevie Wonder/ Morris Broadnax/Clarence Paul), sung from the viewpoint of a desperate stalker, Alex Frank on bass found the funk, as drummer Dan Schnelle “tapped on the windowpane.” It was in this song that the audience members got to finally see Gimble open his eyes and sing to them. He was repaid with great applause.
Hauntingly tender and introspective on “You Must Believe In Spring” (Michel Legrand/ Alan & Marilyn Bergman) coupled with “By Myself” (Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz), Gimble was cerebral with closed eyes; but that could easily be fixed so that his loyal audience feels included. Taking six months to work on this lyric- and arrangement-heavy show, the payoff was great, especially on his encore, “Rainbow Child” (Angela Bofill), where he proved “I’ve got what it takes to be free.”
