MY IDEAL is a real joy to listen to.
Dot Time Records
Catherine Russell – Vocals; Sean Mason – Piano
MY IDEAL is a stunning album from renowned Grammy-nominated vocalist Catherine Russell and the brilliant pianist Sean Mason.
Catherine Russell comes from jazz royalty. Her father, Luis Russell, played with King Oliver’s Chicago band in the mid-1920s and later became a prominent bandleader, recording numerous sides under his own name. In 1935 he took the helm as Louis Armstrong’s musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, was a trailblazing musician who sang and played guitar in The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first integrated all-women band in the US.
MY IDEAL is Catherine Russell’s ninth album as a leader. Before that, she toured and recorded with legends like Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.
Sean Mason’s knack for blending traditional jazz with modern influences sets him apart in the jazz world, making him a much sought-after pianist, composer, and music director. He has performed and recorded with jazz greats like Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride, and Dave Liebman. Sean has also contributed his talents to various roles in Broadway and off-Broadway shows.
Andy Razaf and James P. Johnson’s clever and humorous ‘A Porter’s Love Song (To A Chambermaid) opens the album. I think Russell picks songs she truly loves. She caresses words, lingering on some, rushing some, stretching some out, not wanting to let them go. She uses dynamics to highlight words, ends a phrase with vibrato, and sometimes pulls back on the beat. She is a master at playing with the drama of a song. Mason plays stride piano with such effortless ease and relaxation that it feels fresh and vibrant, rather than like a mere relic from jazz history.
The most recent song on MY IDEAL is from 1966, with some tracks going back to the 1920s. Maurice Chevalier was one of the first to record ‘My Ideal’ in 1930. Russel takes this classic, with its beautiful melodic lines and intricate harmonies, and turns in a truly stunning performance.
Russell loves performing songs by 1920s female blues singers, songs full of love, hardship, and resilience. Her take on Spencer Williams’ ‘Ain’t Got Nobody To Grind My Coffee’ is faithful to the original and refreshingly modern, capturing the raw emotion and the storytelling essence of the blues. Mason’s barrelhouse piano would have sounded right at home in a New Orleans speakeasy.
If I had to pick a favorite song, it would be Irving Berlin’s ’The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.’ There is something almost childlike the way Russell approaches this song, and there is joy in her voice that always shines through, making each phrase sound like a celebration. Mason may be her perfect “dance” partner the way he matches her tempo variations, pauses, and emphasis on notes and phrases.
Russell said, “Singing with the great pianist Sean Mason allows for the freedom to have fun and be in the moment.” That freedom and joy are evident in every track, making MY IDEAL a real joy to listen to.
