Bman's Blues Report

Jazz Great Cheryl Barnes Charts Billboard CD Meteoric rise to number 5 starting the week of May 16th Earlier this month Ms. Barnes received two prestigious awards from the Black Women in Jazz & The Arts Association and now she adds this meteoric rise on the charts.  Cheryl received the coveted Best Black Female Video of the Year award along with the Best Black Female Record of the Year Award prior to the CD sky rocketing number 5 spot on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Album chart.  

I just received the newest release, Listen To This , from Cheryl Barnes and although not my primary fare, a well done jazz/blues release none the less. Opening with a jazz swinger, Like Jazz Barnes shows that she has the voice to carry off classic jazz singing. Joined by John Hammond on piano, Phillip Cabasso on bass, and James Hughart on drums this track sets the pace for this release. That Afternoon In Harlem has a cool syncopation and breezy piano work by Joel Scott complimented by Wali Ali on guitar and Carl Saunders on trumpet this track is strong. On classic ballad, Why Did I Choose You? , Barnes shows her more expressive side in the delicate execution of this well done track. Hammond is back on piano with Rahn Coleman. Title track, Listen To This is a full blown swinger with full orchestration. Cabasso on piano and Hughart on on drums are joined by a full house of horns like Nolan Shaheed on trumpet solo, Rickey Woodard on sax solo, Jamie Horvorka, James Ford and Brian Swa...