Having made his recording debut at the age of 78, Richmond-based Ed Reed is on a roll. His first two recordings garnered rave reviews, awards and a spot on NPR's "Piano Jazz."
His recently released third album, "Born to Be Blue," shows the singer making the most of his ninth-inning rally, lending his distinctive phrasing and mellow tone to an intriguing mix of standards and "Who woulda thought?" tunes.
Now 82, Reed started singing professionally in his 20s but quickly derailed his career with a series of drug-related prison stints. (Not that prison was a creative vaccuum - neighbors at San Quentin include fellow addicts Art Pepper and Frank Morgan.) Clean and sober for 25 years now and working as an substance abuse educator, Reed slowly began working his way back into the music business in the 1990s, working his way up from local restaurant gigs to major festivals and international tours.
"Born to Be Blue" amply shows that Reed has found his muse. With decades of hard living behind him, Reed's voice isn't on the butter-smooth side of the jazz spectrum. Instead, he makes his mark with spectacular control and a grand sense of phrasing. Reed has a marvelous knack for knowing just how much room a lyric needs to breathe, timing his pace and pauses to build emotional impact.
The album's most dramatic example is a powerful reading of Blossom Dearie's "Inside a Silent Tear," a tale of loss and hurt that Reed tells with a finely honed sense of restraint that amplifies the impact of deeply felt lines such as "Sometimes I tried so hard/I stumbled along the way."
Other treasures include a thoughtful rendition of Abbey Lincoln's world-wise "Throw It Away" and a playful romp with Jon Hendricks' lyrics for "Monk's Dream."
Reed is ably assisted by an ace crew of Bay Area instrumentalists throughout. Pianist and regular accompanist Randy Porter masterfully supports Reed and makes the most of his time in the spotlight, including a lyrical solo on "She's Funny That Way." Guest player Anton Schwartz adds plenty of color and depth on tenor sax, including a delightful solo turn on "All My Tomorrows."
Reed celebrates the album's release next week with a Monday performance at Yoshi's Oakland.
Send tips, comments and good karma to the author.
Comments