Brantford Expositor, November 2010 - Concert with Guido Basso - Review by Murray Charters

"Now here is a voice for the future of jazz."

Online Version

A tremendous additional treat for this concert was vocalist Carol McCartney. Now here is a voice for the future of jazz. By turns silky and smooth, warm and enveloping, and still soaring across a huge range of notes and expression, McCartney has it all. Her voice can be clear and limpid when needed, then cloudy and troubled, always deeply expressive of the song at hand.

Her superb articulation was tested with Jon Hendricks's words for Jobim's famous early bossa nova tune, "No More Blues," but it's even more fun to watch the slow unfolding of lyrics in McCartney's soulful renditions of ballads such as Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You." And all the subtleties of her talents were visible when she sang "More Than You Know" to the sparkling piano of Sherwood (in tribute to Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald) and a novelty piece by Bobby Timmons, "Dat Dere," with just the solid bass of Collins.

Her modest stage manner precluded mention that her current CD was on sale, but, since it includes Sherwood and Basso and three of the songs from Wednesday night, it is an excellent reminder of why the full house at this season opener was still so enthusiastic at the end of this happy family reunion.

Murray Charters is a Brantford-based musician, teacher and writer whose regular column, "Murray's Music," can be found each Saturday in The Expositor.

Check out Earshot! Online's fabulous Feature Interview with Carol McCartney!

Check out Ted O'Reilly's review in Wholenote Magazine this month...

“[Carol McCartney is] sweet and swinging, warm, dramatic and rhythmically assured at all tempos. The last word Carol sings is 'Goodbye', but I hope she soon says 'Hello' again.”

Ted O'Reilly, Wholenote Magazine

CD Reviews: Carol McCartney, “A Night In Tunisia”

eJazzNews.com

By Edward Blanco

Online Version

From Ontario, Canada comes the latest terrific jazz vocalist from what seems to be one excellent crop of singers from these northern parts. Carol McCartney presents us with her first solo album and what an album it is! “A Night In Tunisia” features ten oft heard standards delivered with spice and electricity from a heck of a vocalist. McCartney, a great looker as well, possesses a sexy voice that projects and reaches high notes with effortless ease.

For this first effort, the lady records with a cast of musicians that serve to provide superb musical support and is another reason this CD plays so well. Joining McCartney here are John Sherwood (piano), Dave Young (bass), Terry Clarke (drums), Reg Schwager (guitar), Bob Brough (sax), Chase Sanborn ( trumpet/flugelhorn), Geoff Young (guitar, track 5), John Macleod (flugelhorn, track 5), special guests: Peter Appleyard (vibes, track 1) , Guido Basso (trumpet/flugelhorn, tracks 1,6,7).

The great selection of standards begin with Brooks Bowman’s “East of The Sun,” where McCartney’s voice caresses the lyrics in booming style backed up by the horns, Sherwood’s piano play and a nice contribution from Appleyard on the vibes for an impressive start to the session. Schwager’s guitar introduces the lovely bossa-shaded rendition of Cole Porter’s “I Concentrate On You” voiced with warmth and passion by the singer.

Dizzy Gillespie would have been proud to hear this version of his classic and title tune, “A Night In Tunisia.” With some well place scatting, McCartney swings with the tune giving way to a torrid sax solo from Bob Brough immediately followed by the pianist with one of his best runs.

McCartney sings from the heart on the beautiful love ballad, “You Don’t Know What Love Is.” She turns cheerful and lively on the familiar Van Heusen/Mercer piece, “I Thought About You,” then proceeds to deliver an enchanting rendition of the great Johnny Mandel love song, “The Shadow of Your Smile” accompanied by Guido Basso’s beautiful flugelhorn passage.

The bouncy and exciting Samba-tinged “No More Blues,” and “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye round out the set finishing off an excellent recording. Folks this is one album you got to hear and when you do, I guarantee you will be more than pleased. Carol McCartney delivers a riveting performance and comes away making a musical statement with her vocals that exclaims “I’m here and I’m good!”

Jazz CD Offers Cool Vibe, Stellar Vocals

The Belleville Intelligencer, July 2007

by David Reed

Carol McCartney has been making waves for years as a guest with many of Canada's most revered jazz players.

Now she has brought those circles of friends together to lead her own stellar collection of jazz standards.

McCartney is a tasteful and inspiring vocalist with impeccable taste and musicianship.

McCartney's core group features Dave Young on bass, Terry Clarke on drums, John Sherwood on piano and the tasty guitar stylings of Reg Schwager. Other players of note include Chase Sanborn (trumpet), Bob Brough (sax), Geoff Young (guitar), and John MacLeod (flugelhorn).

East of the Sun features the legendary Peter Appleyard on vibes, while the incomparable flugelhorn of Guido Basso soars through the Shadow of Your Smile.

Cole Porter's I Concentrate On You has a bossa nova groove with a rich flugelhorn solo by Sanborn. You Don't Know What Love Is features Young and MacLeod trading solos.

Other highlights include a fresh take on Dizzy Gillespie's title track, Cole Porter's Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, Jobim's No More Blues, and lesser-known standards like Dat Dere, I Thought About You and Jersey Bounce.

The theory of surrounding yourself with masters has paid off well for McCartney, but I am convinced that she would be equally impressive singing with a solo piano. I would love to hear her sing in any format.

Carol McCartney will be performing with Bob De Angelis on August 16 at the Regent Theatre, in the opening concert of the 2007 Prince Edward County Jazz Festival.

Earshot!

The National Campus & Community Radio Report, July 2007

by Jim Dupuis

I first heard Carol McCartney sing on a track on Bob Brough's CD A Decade of Favorites. I quickly replayed the song. Now she has released her own CD.

Carol McCartney has chosen a mix of jazz/swing/show standards, along with an obscure pop tune for her first solo CD titled A Night in Tunisia. She has included a good mix of ballads, blues and up tempo tracks. The mix allows her to show her versatility as a vocalist. She apparently can sing at any tempo and her phrasing is beautiful. These talents shine through on the Latiny version of "No More Blues" and the 'coda' "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye".

She has previously appeared on a couple of saxophonist/composer Bob Brough's CDs and has toured frequently with big bands. For this CD she has included Brough and many talented veterans of the Toronto/Montreal jazz scene including guest appearances by the legendary vibes player Peter Appleyard and horn god Guido Basso.

An average vocalist could sound good with the band she has assembled, but McCartney takes risks and her vocal prowess shines through in "Dat Dere", where she sings with only the backing of the great Dave Young's bass. The same can be said for "You Don't Know What Love Is" where, for the most part, she is paired with only Geoff Young's wonderful guitar.

Many young vocalists (and too many comedians) attempt to skat and very few pull it off. After listening to Ella Fitzgerald, maybe they might listen to Carol McCartney skatting on the tracks A Night In Tunisia and "Jersey Bounce". Then they might get the idea.

This is a very good mainstream jazz CD featuring outstanding musicans and classic vocals.