Vocal Jazz/Brazilian

11 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, LATIN: Brazilian Jazz



Details:
Avenue of the Americas is the critically acclaimed singer, multi-instrumentalist Tom Lellisâs newest recording. Tom is joined by internationally renown musicians, Brazilâs Toninho Horta, Camaroonâs Richard Bona, Kenny Werner, Dave Kikoski, Jeremy Steig and others singing works by Pat Metheny, (For Better Days Ahead), the Yellowjackets (For Wisdom), Horta (Olinda Wind) along with his original lyrics and arrangements of the Beatles, Ashford and Simpson and U2 as well as his original music.

eJazzNews says: "This is a jazz singer that deserves a high level of attention due to the sensational plateau he has reached within his craft."

Amazon's review: 4 1/2 STARS
Avenue of the Americas - Tom Lellis
Saturday June 24, 2006 âââââ Standards and new works with a terrific, unique Latin Flavor

Tom Lellis is a man of many talents as he so well demonstrates on this fine new CD. Not only is he a fine and pungent vocalist, but he also is a strong lyricist, composer and arranger (he also just happens to be proficient on the piano, keyboards, percussion, voice bass, and whistle!). But the full flavor of this collection in the mixture of jazz with Brazilian and popular music comes form Lellis excellent arrangements of songs we thought we knew - until he makes the lyrics his own.

Lellis' voice is a bit of Mel Torme but no further comparisons should be made. His style is easy, relaxed and full of scat and improvisations. He has collaborated on this CD with Toninho Horta's guitar, Richard Bona and Tony Marino, bass, Jeremy Steig flute, Kenny Werner and Dave Kikoski and Gary Fisher on piano, and Tommy Campbell and Frank Colon and Cliff Almond and Jorge Amorin on drums and percussion. It is a well tuned ensemble and serves Lellis well.

Included on the collection are Norwegian Woods, For Wisdom, Pure Imagination segueing into Waiting for Angela, Ain't no mountain high enough - 11 songs in all. This is one of those recordings for easy listening in the evening watching the sun go down - and the fire come up! Grady Harp, June 06

AllAboutJazz.com says:
Lellis has a superb feel for Brazil's subtle rhythms and harmonies, and his collaboration with Toninho Horta has been particularly memorable. Here, on âOlinda Wind,â Lellis uses Horta's joyful melody to celebrate playful rhythms, soft sea breezes, and the kind of dancing that melts your troubles away.
But the tour de force on Avenue of the Americas is the âNorwegian Woodâ suite, in which Lellis manages to refer to sixteen Beatles songs in a brilliant tapestry of shifting colors and moods.
Lellis imitates nobody, and his passion is evident in every word he sings. Refreshing!

Avenue of the Americas follows his last two CDâs, Southern Exposure, named Jazziz Magazines âBest CDâs of 2004â and Skylark, named âBest Vocal CD of 2002â by the Jazz Education Journal. Blending a unique vocal style described as âirresistibleâ (JazzTimes) with jazz and Brazilian influences and world-class musicians Tom produces more of the kind of vocal music Singer Magazine and Jazzreview.com both called âa taste of paradiseâ and DownBeat states, âTom Lellis has everything going for himâ.