On the cover of her CD Diane Schuur is casually and comfortably seated on a celadon shaded divan, perhaps leatherette, swathed in what we will give the benefit of doubt to be fake fur. Cheetah. But Schuur is neither fake nor a cheet—er, cheater. Au contraire, she is, safe to say, the real deal. Her’s is an old school mostly unforced natural sound which makes full use of impressive breathe control when necessary and easy lilt throughout. “Beginner’s Luck” shows it at its best. If there is any carping to be done it is the occasional brief loss of focus leading to an awkward transitional ornamental line or phrase before finding the way back.

Coincidentally, there are some overlaps of this and the previously reviewed recording in this column. The Leonard Bernstein opus “Some Other Time” which is titular here, is introduced by Adi Braun as set ender on her disc, as her favorite song by the composer. Surprisingly the edge on this cut goes to Schuur if only because Braun in wistful mode is perhaps a tad overly so, then betrays her unerring instincts heard on every other offering, as if not trusting the lyric as written, redundantly tacking on not one but two count ‘em two ‘other time’ addendi. Nobody’s perfect.

The other interesting parallel (or not) is Schuur’s choice of the aforementioned Ms. Day’s almost iconic—for her sound—”It’s Magic” which gives me a chance to make another vocal comparison in that Schuur has tones beautifully reminiscent of Ella (not Logan), and if you’re into jazz that’s not a bad thing. “Nice Work.”

Noah Tree
Cabaret Scenes
April 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org