Dianne Fraser
You and I
(Blue Jazz Records)
Nov. 17, 2023
Reviewed by Elliot Zwiebach
Dianne Fraser is a Leslie Bricusse fan, and she uses her delicate voice to demonstrate her passion for his words and music on her first CD, entitled You and I. From the whimsy of “Pure Imagination” to the excitement of “Le Jazz Hot” to the emotions of “Feeling Good” and “Two for the Road,” this is an album to listen to over and over to enjoy Fraser’s performance and to pick up the nuances of Bricusse’s brilliant songs.
In addition to Fraser’s vocals, the CD provides a solid springboard for the instrumental excellence of a trio of musicians: pianist Todd Schroeder (who produced the album and also arranged the songs, including several seamless medleys), bass player Adam Cohen, and drummer Denise Fraser, the singer’s sister.
Although Dianne Fraser is most effective in her mid-range, she demonstrates that she is fully up to the task of modulating her way through the demanding progression of notes at the end of an enticing, mostly French-language version of “Le Jazz Hot” (music by Henry Mancini, from Victor/Victoria).
Her voice soars on a terrific medley that combines a stirring “This Is the Moment” (music by Frank Wildhorn, from Jekyll and Hyde) with a solid “Once in a Lifetime” (written with Anthony Newley, from Stop the World—I Want to Get Off), which has effective backing from Cohen’s bass.
She also offers a smoothly earnest reading of “Crazy World” (music by Mancini, from Victor/Victoria) in a medley with “If I Ruled the World” (music by Cyril Ornadel, from Pickwick) that falls right into her sweet spot.
One of the CD’s highlights is a duet with guest singer Damon Kirsche on a delightful mashup of “Look at That Face (written with Newley, from The Roar of the Greasepaint/The Smell of the Crowd) and “Something in Your Smile” (Dr. Dolittle). Fraser opens with a playful approach in the first song, arranged in a jazzy style that gives it a distinct sound on the album, with Kirsche supplying his rich baritone on the second song before they each alternate singing portions of the other’s song in beautiful harmonies.
The CD opens with a pairing of “At the Crossroads” with “After Today” (both from Dr. Doolittle), Fraser goes from gentle contemplation on the first song to a more dynamic take on the second. Other cuts feature Denise Fraser’s effective percussion on her sister’s sweet, ethereal reading of “Pure Imagination,” Schroeder’s delicate accompaniment on a breathy version of “Feeling Good” (Greasepaint/Crowd), and a warm reading of “Happiness” (Scrooge) that Fraser ends with a sweetly sustained note.
The final two cuts on the 33-minute album are a sincerely sung “You and I” (Goodbye, Mr. Chips), and a lovingly light “Two for the Road” (music by Mancini, from the movie of the same name).
