5 Stars from Critical Jazz!

I totally dig the cover art. Even a hard charging post bop critic like yours truly likes a little pop of color now and then and that is exactly what you get with the latest release the self titled debut from Joy Mover.

Mover’s a singer/songwriter whose penchant for jazz works far better than some of her contemporaries. Bottom line is I have heard more than a dozen of the singer/songwriter variety whose musical destiny will be happy hour at the local Marriott every Friday night. Mover is clearly not one of the run of the mill lounge lizards and to seal the deal she is joined by a first call band of talent that most singers will never have the opportunity to work with and herein lies the key to the success of this release. A group effort. The band is not an afterthought, they do not play around or behind Mover but instead play “with” her and that makes all the difference in the world. Another key to success is that good singers are a dime a dozen but a singer that is a rock solid lyricist simply raises their game not to mention their odds at success. Mover does both.

There are two tunes on this release that I immediately wondered if she could pull off. Mover takes “Nature Boy” is the jazz version of the sexy little black dress while doing an intoxicating samba riff on this classic. The other tune that gave me cause for concern was the standard “Fever” which Mover along with the help of this killer band is a reinvented swing tune breathing new life into a tune that for some has seen better days. Impressive. Joy Mover kicks things off with an original “Have You Ever Loved?” which is a bright and breezy samba number followed by “Maria’s Song” which has a wonderful Joni Mitchell vibe going on. The original rap which opens “Till There Was You” is not exactly in my wheelhouse but Mover pulls it off effortlessly to show a nice contemporary side that simply adds to the alluring ebb and flow of this release.

I have reviewed more than two dozen female singers with maybe a dozen that can double as a lyricist and while I have heard some dynamite talent, the vast majority are stale, tired and predictable which is everything Mover is not! Vibrant energy, great phrasing, that special gift of connectivity that can not be taught places this release in the upper eschelon of vocal jazz release this year be they male or female. Pure entertainment.

For a debut release it is one of the more impressive vocal outings you may hear. I gotta give it to her!  5 stars!

Originally posted at:  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/08/joy-mover-joy-mover-2012.html