Monica Ramey and the Beegie Adair Trio Album Release: at Nashville Jazz Workshop (Nashville, TN) Sun. December 9, 2012

Monica Ramey and the Beegie Adair Trio Album Release

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

On her sophomore release, Monica Ramey further establishes herself as a first-rate interpreter of the jazz canon. Eschewing scat improv or excessive vibrato, Ramey opts for a subtle approach, finding the beauty in the melodies that made songs like “Witchcraft,” “Lullaby of the Leaves,” “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” and “You Fascinate Me So” the classics they are. That’s not to say Monica Ramey and the Beegie Adair Trio is a by-the-book exercise — Ramey has a knack for phrasing, at times employing an almost conversational approach that suggests she’d be pretty good at musical theater too. She’s especially effective on ballads like “I’ll Close My Eyes,” “Change Partners” and “Fly Away” (co-written by Adair and Lori Mechem), which showcase the delicate timbre of her voice. And she proves she has the one indispensable skill to be a successful jazz singer: selecting a terrific backing band. Pianist Adair, bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Chris Brown are the cream of Nashville’s crop, particularly when it comes to accompanying vocalists. Local jazz stalwarts George Tidwell (trumpet) and Dennis Solee (saxophone, flute) make guest appearances.

—Jack Silverman