Claassen, Fay
Challenge, 2010, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 16.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 
O’s Notes: Fay is upbeat and swinging starting with Betty Carter’s “Tight”, the first of a dozen cool covers. The session is appropriately titled Sing! as Claassen does just that paying homage to many of the jazz divas before her. The venerable WDR Big Band backs her! We enjoyed the scatting on “Umhome” and the cat and mouse opening with Ludwig Nuss (tb) on “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”. Fay shows excellent versatility singing a little bossa nova on “Felicidade” then swinging on “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby”. We also enjoyed Karolina Strassmayer’s sax solo on “Be Cool”. There is a lot to enjoy here and we certainly did!
Publicist: Braithwaite & Katz
