JEANIE BRANDES
Sample Reviews

L.A. JAZZ SCENE

 

Jeanie Brandes At Catalina Jazz Club

— by Bob Comden

Singer Jeanie Brandes performed for a one-night engagement at Catalina Jazz Club in May (2010). She was celebrating her CD release party and was backed by fine musicians – Robert Kyle on tenor sax and flute, Randy Landes-bass, Tom Zink and Shelly Markham on pianos and B. Gordon on drums. Brandes is a very energetic singer, who shows a lot of confidence. She uses a lot of hand gestures to get her point across. She started the set with a lively "Night and Day," putting a lot of feeling into her rendition. Kyle and Zink added strong solos. "A Day In The Life of a Fool" was done as a slow samba, with Kyle adding a pretty flute solo. Brandes sang with a lot of spirit and the rhythem section added strong support.

"What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?" started out with Landis on bass, setting the tone. Brandes used a strong vibrato and lots of hand gestures, making for a dynamic version. "Where Or When?" was done at a nice, easy tempo, and Brandes' vocal flowed nicely throughout. Kyle's lush tenor added sensuality to the tune. Brandes seemed to be more a cabaret singer than a jazz singer, but she presented herself well. Brandes did a tribute to the late, great Hank Mancini, as she sang "Moon River" for a pretty rendition. "Two For the Road" is a tune not often performed but Brandes sang it well, with fine accompaniment from Zink. She also did a good job on "Like A Lover." Markham took over the piano chair and accompanied Brandes on "The Folks Who Live On the Hill" for a fine version. "One For My Baby" and "The Party's Over" were done as a medley. "Here's That Rainy Day Feeling" was beautifully performed by Brandes and her fine musicians and closed out the set.