The Next Best Thing?

by Bob Powers

G21 Music Writer

To read this article in Deutsch, Francaise, Italiano, Portuguese, Espanol, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, copy and paste the complete URL ("http://www.g21.net/ps117.html") and enter it in the box after you click through.

Bob Powers

Kitty Margolis may be the Next Big Thing. Her fourth album from her own Mad-Kat label shows solid evidence that this young lady has the chops to cause discerning fans of jazz and pop music to take notice. "Left Coast Life" (she comes from California) contains some of the best music these aging ears have heard in many moons.

The album opens with a frantic version of "I Want to Be Happy," nearly four minutes of delightful jazz, with Eric Crystal's saxophone playing a zippedy do-dah in support. The next track, "It's You," has music by Joyce Cooling (who also plays guitar on the album) and words by Margolis. Spare in accompaniment, "It's You," may remind you of a ratcheted-down Manhattan Transfer. At a precise six minutes, it's one of the highlights of the CD.

Margolis wrote "You Just Might Get It," a comic treasure that may remind you of such composers as Dave Frishberg or Ben Sidran. It's based on the advice that one should be careful what one asks for. Crystal's tenor saxophone plays an important role in keeping the jazz side squarely out front.

Next Margolis tackles the Roger Waters of Pink Floyd tune, "Money," in which she shows that she can slide part way to the rock side without problems. The accompaniment is spare, just guitar and percussion. The result allows Margolis to use her voice as an instrument. The result pleases.

Randy Newman can do wicked things with a lyric, often straddling the line between commentary and comedy. His "Lonely at the Top" gives Margolis ample opportunity to show off her comic capabilities and she makes the most of them. This satire has a rough edge so common to Newman's take on the world.

"Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" gives Margolis the room to show that she can take a good lyric and make it into something magical. If memory serves, this Frank Loesser tune was first recorded by June Christy during her days with Stan Kenton. It's a beautiful composition and Margolis inoculates it with charm and makes the words take on an extra meaning. The accompanying cello backup by Jamie Sieber makes it my choice as the album's most affecting moment.

This album illustrates that Margolis has an outstanding ear for songs that will suit her highly individual style. "Devil May Care," a Bob Dorough ditty, opens Margolis to the opportunity of scatting. The standard, "Without a Song," is sung at a breakneck pace without destroying the words of this fine old composition.

Rosemary Clooney has recorded a number of songs by Dave Frishberg, evidence that the songwriter pens material of substance, as well as humor. Frishberg's "Heart's Desire" (written with Alan Broadbent) proves perfect for Margolis, as it opens with a brief accordion solo, then Margolis moves in with a lazy, enticing vocal that again shows her abilities to make songs her own.

The album winds up with a complicated version of Cy Coleman's oldie, "The Best Is Yet to Come" and the Tom Waits song, "Take It with Me," so beautiful that goose bumps may occur.

Here's a sample of Ms. Margolis's music.

I've been playing this CD for about ten days as I write this. Under ordinary circumstances, once I've written a review the CD goes into my stacks and may not emerge for months, if ever. But "Left Coast Life" contains such magic that it's going to remain close to my CD player for a long time.

The Mighty Poncho

The Latin music scene was hard hit last year by the deaths of a number of household names. One of the greatest who departed was the fabulous Tito Puente, whose music had thrilled me since my high school days, a long, long, long time ago.

Still around to make magic music is Poncho Sanchez, whose percussion abilities have made him one of the true treasures of Latin Jazz. Fans of Sanchez should be delighted to know that there's a bountiful array of music available on the Concord Picante label.

Just released is a brand new album, "Latin Spirits." The album reflects Sanchez' diversity, from his childhood as one of 11 children in Norwalk, Calif. to his current status as one of the leading Latin performers in the world. "Latin Spirits" reflects his diversity; songs pay attention to Havana, New Orleans, San Juan, and New York. His work takes a look at the past, too, with Louis Jordan's mid-40's hit, "Early in the Morning," to the Wayne Shorter tune, "Ju Ju."

Also worth a look is the double album, "Keeper of the Flame." Here Concord Picante offers a great buy, two classic albums ("Sonando" and "Boem Sabrpsa!" for the price of one. Originally recorded in the early '80s, the albums were the first that Sanchez made for the label. They're definitely worth hearing.

+++ The Previous POWERSSOUND +++ THE NEXT POWERSSOUND +++