AVA LOGAN - Melody Breyer Grell

Thursday, 02 October 2008 10:01

Tweet this article !

While there are some comparisons in the liner notes to Ella Fitzgerald, if forced to make comparisons I would say that Logan's voice is closer to that of Natalie Cole's. She has a natural creamy sound and sunny demeanor. In many of the tunes, she displays a well-produced middle top range that can be belted or blended into a dreamy mix.

I think every artist has a right to revisit the classic standards or hits. It is unimaginable that it could be declared that Madame Butterfly was done too often and it has to rest for a while. Great music never loses its appeal and it appears that jazz is now in the realm of classical music. Once an art form reaches the avant garde stage, it usually signals the full cycle of the music's development, and artists have a chance to reinterpret the music in their own image. I think of Maria Callas totally owning the music of Bellini although it was written centuries ago. Now heralds the time for singers to strut their stuff and see what they can add to the songs that have been made immortalized by Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Julie London and, more recently, Dianne Reeves. It is not easy to keep it fresh. That is where the creativity of the artist and arranger are tested. Ava Logan's effort is an honorable stab at just that. With her simple, pristine interpretations, there are no great offences; the Songbook sounds safe and homey with some real pros backing her up - most notably the guitarist and producer Henry Johnson.

The disc starts off with a sunny, swinging “Day In, Day Out.” I would have wished it a tad slower as the bottom of the notes sound a bit compromised, but I do not feel that it is a vocal issue, just that she might have needed some space to really nail it. Still, it is very promising opener, followed by one of my personal favorites, “Too Close for Comfort.” I have found that the title track, “So Many Stars,” (Sergio Mendes/ Marilyn & Alan Bergman) is one of those songs that is deceptively simple, yet not at all easy to pull off--a slower, more sensual pace and some more nuance of phrasing could have made it a real knockout.

It is a delight to hear the great underexposed song “Wild Is the Wind.” Ms. Logan adds a twist to “Day Dream” by doing it as a duet with her producer, Henry Johnson. She is even more reminiscent of Natalie Cole on this cut, as Mr. Johnson brings Nat King Cole to mind and we are reminded of the popular duets CD featuring father (posthumously) and daughter. “Detour Ahead” is done with an untraditional Latin beat--not exactly a smooth road; more a bumpy ride--and that might appeal to listeners who are fatigued with the usual leisurely pace of this great tune.

So Many Stars is an intelligent CD; a labor of love performed by Ava Logan - a vet with a voice.

More on this singer and samples of the CD at www.avalogan.com – Early October finds her performing in Illinois, where she lives (in the Chicago area). Her CD can also be sampled and purchased at the website, CDbaby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/avalogan.