Jackie Ryan with John Clayton & Friends - Listen Here - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The original soundtrack from the musical InchBelles de nuitInch sends us back to 1946 and the twilight days of France's notorious Inchhouses of prostitution,Inch which had been tolerated but were now threatened with closure by the Marthe-Richard law. The songs here are poetic, and filled with tenderness and mischief in their portraits of the prostitutes, madams and pimps who made up this nocturnal underworld. Both words and music were written by the composer, actor, singer and director Jonathan Kerr, who also plays an inestimable role in the musical. This album is carried high by the writing and by these remarkable singers and musicians, all of which shows edible precision in the way the record mixes the authenticity of France's InchchansonInch genre with swing jazz. It takes popular art to the stars.

Extraordinary, a world-class talent! At the very top level of jazz vocal art. - LA Times. Jackie turns up the heat on the thrilling tour de fource through the range of romantic feelings. 14 songs each portraying a specific emotional stage of a relationship, from first loves to last. Legendary Red Hollowayignites the session with his soulful sax, backed by Jeff Hamilton on drums (a 2006 Grammy nod for his Diana Krall CD) plus Tamir Hendleman (piano) and Larry Koonse (guitar).

Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Jackie Ryan teams up with special guest jazz masters Toots Thieleman's on harmonica, Ernie Watts on saxophone, and a host of other top flight musicians on this unique CD of jazz, swing, gospel, samba and soulful ballads. Highlights include Toots' solo on the beautiful love song InchEstate,Inch sung by Jackie in it original Italian, as well as Watts' soulful sax solo on the exotic songs of lament, InchSari,Inch sung in the native language of Brazil's neighbor, Suriname. Three different jazz bands back up Jackie on this CD, and members include Cannonball Adderly drummer Roy McCurdy, bebop pianist Jon Mayer, Duke Ellington trumpeter Allen Smith, and Sarah Vaughan drummer Omar Clay. (First received 9/8/03)