Back from Baku, off to San Diego. Looked for a while like this trip might get scrapped, and that would have been a shame. I’d rather hang out with writers at the Holiday Inn in San Diego than quaff cold Xirdalans at the bar at the Park Hyatt in Baku any day.
Anyway, there’s much to catch up on – I spent a lot of time listening to new music on the way to Baku and back.
Beth McDonald- Home
- At Last: Love Songs and Lullabies
Both Discs Released – January 12, 2009
In public appearances, one of Beth McDonald’s performances is a tribute show to Peggy Lee, and it’s not hard to understand why – there are a lot of similarities. A sort of detached cool, polished to perfection, but almost…almost unapproachable.
But Ms. McDonald is a songwriter, too – and one of my favorite of the original tracks is on the “Home” album – titled “Second Guessing.” The liner notes say it was inspired by a friend going through marital turbulence. One of the questions I ask about original material – is does it simply touch on personal things (“The wind blew through the window today…”) or does it touch on themes that are more universal. This song won me over with the final line: “I guess only time will tell | If I want you to hold me | or I just need to be held.”
In short, her original material stands up just fine against the standards.
Ms. McDonald fronts a Washington, DC, area band – the New Legacy Jazz Band. The band’s leader, Alan Dale is on drums. Props to the horn guys – Tim Leahy on trumpet and flugelhorn and Jon Mathis on trumpet (and guitar).
But it’s Ms. McDonald’s voice that shines here. Versatile, whether handling blues, ballads, lullabies or her sultry take on Peggy Lee’s signature song, “Fever.” And although I firmly believe Muppet songs are best performed by performers clad in felt, I’ll forgive “Rainbow Connection” on the “At Last” disc – if only for Ms. McDonald’s winsome handling of the material.
I wouldn’t mind hearing Ms. McDonald and the guys let go a little – I’d gladly trade a little of the polish of these works to hear her and the band open the throttle a couple of notches. But that’s just picky. My favorite of the pair is “Home.” But both discs represent work of the highest order, and are highly recommended.
Artist Website – MySpace
(Photo by Terri Zollinger – www.terrizphoto.com)
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