As he did with his first CD, singer-pianist John Proulx impresses mightily by traveling the more gentle, tender track on most tracks. Rejoining him are sensitive soul-mates: bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Joe LaBarbera. This gem of a CD is a tribute to jazz icon Chet Baker, whose disarming and yearning vocal quality could be cousin to John’s without the Baker deeper, darker melancholy and fragile, “lost soul” quality. Thus, laments like “You Don’t Know What Love Is” aren’t as dark and devasting. No two-drink minimum needed to cry in your beer. By not having to have to take turns vocalizing and playing trumpet as Baker did, the muted brass can instead be an effective and affecting counterpoint, weaving in and out, an extra simultaneous serving of warm and wistful. Dominick Farinacci on trumpet and flugelhorn is pure pleasure. John’s low-key and unpretentious approach, instantly ingratiating, manages to avoid the pitfalls of becoming wan or wimpy. Sweetness never cloys. Ever tasteful and immersed in musicality and creative, fresh jazz phrasing, John is full of marvelous mini-surprises. Arrangements are by John and Tamir Handelman, pianist on several tracks on Barbra Streisand’s new album. Repeat listenings to this addictive collection reveal new layers and subtle moments. In addition to the standard standards, especially appealing is “Before You Know It” an original collaboration by Proulx and K. Lawrence Dunham (let’s have more of these!), but of course there are tunes closely associated with Chet like “Let’s Get Lost” and “I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes).” All the ingredients and sensibility are there and it doesn’t exactly get too eerily like its subject (except sometimes).

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
January/February 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org