Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Daniela Schächter: Vanheusenism: A Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen

3

Daniela Schächter: Vanheusenism: A Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen

By

Sign in to view read count
Daniela Schächter: Vanheusenism: A Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen
Italian pianist and singer Daniela Schachter goes into the "songbook" genre on this CD, doing lively spins on the work of songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, a man responsible for more hits than I realized. I knew he had written several songs for Frank Sinatra but until seeing them here, I hadn't realized he also had a hand in standards like "Darn That Dream" and "Here's That Rainy Day."

Schachter's voice throughout the set is mature and melodic enough to give the songs life but the key to the CD's success is her piano playing and arranging which revitalizes slow ballads like "The Second Time Around" and "Polkadots And Moonbeams" with propulsive energy reminiscent of Chick Corea. She does "All The Way" instrumentally, bringing all sorts of romantic embellishments out but keeping the melody mostly intact while a medley of "Like Someone In Love" and "Imagination" is done to a relaxed swinging strut that allows Schachter space to show off her scatting skills and Mike Tucker the chance to do one of several swooping tenor sax solos.

"Call Me Irresponsible" is a duet for Michael O'Brien's tremulous bass and Schachter's intimate singing, "But Beautiful" sports a sophisticated funk-gospel groove and "I Thought About You" rides the CD out on a wave of honky tony piano. The title track is a swoony Schachter composition that pays tribute to Van Heusen while incorporating a few of his melodies.

This is a stylish tribute that shows the elegance and force in Daniela Schachter's singing and playing. She brightens these familiar melodies up into something fun and new.

Track Listing

Here's That Rainy Day; Darn That Dream; Come Fly With Me; Like Someone In Love/Imagination; The Second Time Around; Vanheusenism; All The Way; Polkadots And Moonbeams; It Could Happen To You; Call Me Irresponsible; But Beautiful; I Thought About You.

Personnel

Daniela Schächter: piano, vocals; Mike Tucker: tenor saxophone; Michael O'Brien: bass; Mark Walker: drums.

Album information

Title: Vanheusenism: A Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Self Produced

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.