Jane Monheit - Never Never Land

Youthful singer Jane Monheit has a talent that is rare at any age; she can literally make people stop and listen. And we're not just talking about casual listeners, either. Accompanying Monheit on her debut recording, jazz veterans Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Barron are obviously just as bedazzled by this newcomer, supporting her honey-hued voice like a delicate jewel with tender care and immaculate taste. Even without their backing, Monheit can make time stand still, as she does with her a cappella intro to "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)." Singing the seldom-heard opening lines to the song, Monheit shows why she's an important new voice--her sure grasp of swing, lilting phrases, and spacious sense of dynamics are all rare things indeed. Monheit can also sing the blues, as she shows on "Twisted," which bears obvious touches of Joni Mitchell. And she swings like her other big influence, Ella Fitzgerald, on "Please Be Kind," "My Foolish Heart," and the gorgeous title track. A little experience will only add sheen to Jane Monheit's already accomplished artistry. --Ken Micallef Amazon.com

"More Than You Know. . ."

"Recording with these musicians was really scary - and the most amazing experience of my life. I never thought something like this would happen for me this young, if at all. I used to think I'd be doing weddings my whole life. And that would've been cool if I could have made a living singing. That's all I've cared about. We called the album Never Never Land because this is my Never Never Land. I'm in the dreamland I was always trying to get to." ~ Jane Monheit ~

Looking for something really jazzy, zesty and dazzling style of singing? Well, look no more! This is it - an album of ten tastefully recorded songs with sparkling melodies and delicate lyrics. There's a touch of Sammy Cahn. There's a dose of Jobim. There's a twist of Ned Washington.

I wouldn't even dare to compare her to any singer. That would be so unfair for I believe Jane Monheit and any singer for that matter have their own distinctive styles that uniquely identifies them from other singers. No two singers are exactly alike in terms of style and musicality. Ella was Ella, Diana is Diana, Jane is Jane. But I can definitely say considering her exceptional musical virtues that she's undisputedly one of the best modern-day jazz singers. With her profile and long wavy tresses, she looks like my beautiful niece who has a lovely singing voice and sings "Over The Rainbow" so well, not to mention she's also a model for a hair salon. (Hey niece Angel, do I get a pair of Prada?)

Have you ever heard "My Foolish Heart" recorded with a delicious Latin-flavored rhythm? This is it! It's one of my very favorites from all the tracks. The wonderful arrangement was written by Jane Monheit's music teacher, Peter Eldridge, and her fabulous interpretation is so full of Bossa Nova feeling, so zesty and lively. Ms. Monheit exquisite vocals really shine all throughout the song and not to mention that beautiful bridge - a sweeping sax solo by a talented soloist, Hank Crawford. And this is also one of the songs she sang when she joined the 1998 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition where she was second place and won a price of $10,000.00.

The beautiful and meaningful songs that will surely stir up your emotions and deserve replays include "My Foolish Heart," "Dindi" and "More Than You Know," which features seasoned guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and creative pianist Kenny Barron. To me, these songs with their sublime arrangements and interpretations are the very highlights of this album.

"More than you know
More than you know
Man of my heart I love you so
Lately I find you're on my mind
More than you know

Whether you're right
Whether you're wrong
Man of my heart I'll string along
You need me so
More than you'll ever know

Loving you the way that I do
There's nothing I can do about it
Loving may be all you can give
But honey, I can't live without it
Oh, how I'd cry, oh, how I'd sigh
If you grew tired and said goodbye
More than I'd show
More than you'll ever know
I love you, my honey
More than you'll ever know."

"Jane Monheit is a real professional at such a young age - intonation, phrasing, material - she's got it all." ~ Kenny Barron, Pianist ~
January 24, 2007

Polite applause for a decent debut, with some bright spots

Ultimately, the biggest problem with this recording is the song selection (similar issues with her 2001 Come Dream With Me). Ms. Monheit handles Jobim's Dindi very well. She seems feel very comfortable with his music and lyrics. On the other hand, her Twisted falls flat ... Similarly on My Foolish Heart and I Got It Bad ... there was something lacking. Frankly, I think it is experience ... as though she had no point of reference to call on and therefore was left relying on her lovely voice. Unfortunately, there are some songs that need more. That said, I totally believed her Never Let Me Go, to which she brought a sense of youthful fear of loss, and the result is very strong. Finally, Never Never Land is a 10. My sense is that at 22, and being told she was on the verge of a big career, she stood on the border of youth and adulthood and drew on all the emotions that come with that and put it all into the song.

Bottom line, this cd shows us why there was a buzz about her potential and proves that if you want to sing torch songs it's probably better to have a few miles on you first. July 11, 2006

My second favorite Monheit CD

After her "Live" album, this is my favorite. True, "Taking a Chance" has its moments, but this CD is purer, probably because it is her first. I prefer the "Live" album because Jane really lets loose more than she does on the studio albums, showing more of her potential to become a soulful jazz singer. "Soul" probably is the key word, because it's part of jazz and yet, it isn't easy to come by for an academically-trained, middle-class, rather tame "mermaid" who grew up in a musical family that supported her ambition to become a professional singer. (And I mean ambition; she has to have worked hard to get to the point of making her technically proficient singing sound so effortless.) Maybe great musicians and artists have to come from unhappy families and poverty (often programmed for self-destruction, thus taking them from the world too soon), but I suspect that Jane Monheit will get better with age and that her life experiences will give her music deeper and deeper color and feeling. But her technical prowess is certainly enriched by her obvious love of the music she sings and the great singers she emulates without immitating. Don't let anyone fool you; she feels something in every song she sings. It's just that sometimes it isn't deeper than what anyone else with her experience could feel, and the only difference is that she has the voice to express it. That said, listening to this marvelous, complex and well-trained voice is a huge pleasure.

This album features some very beautiful material. I especially like "Detour Ahead." Talk about feeling! As usual, the back-up musicians are excellent. I prefer Joel Frahm on tenor Sax, but David Newman, who also plays flute here, is great. Nice to hear an alto sax used well, too. The bossa nova arrangement of "My Foolish Heart" achieves the "sound of surprise" criteria of jazz. "Twisted" reminds us that Jane grew up listening to her parent's Joni Mitchell albums--and recognized Mitchell's frustrated jazz singer. (Jane sings one of Mitchell's original compositions on her "Come Dream with Me" CD.) The song "Never Never Land" reminds us of the singer's childhood spent with Disney movies. Jane's tastes are influenced by her love of movie and stage musicals. For those of us who would prefer to hear her sing jazz, Monheit will always have something, but she is more than a jazz singer: ballads, show tunes, Brazilian and popular songs fill out her repertoire. She will also frustrate listeners who want to "hear it sung straight" because she always puts some improvization on it, if not always some funk (though she does do that once in a while on the "Live" CD). February 12, 2006

Here We Go Again

Oh-oh! Yet another blatant attempt to seduce us with artifice over substance. This Angelina Jolie look-alike is the industry's next "jazz singer/diva/sex symbol"(think Diana Krall). She meticulously and obsessively oversings; never mining the meaning of the words, but singing by rote, dinner theater style. Her idea of improvising is equally mechanical: she strings together every possible combination of notes relating to the chord change. An earlier customer review praises Monheit for singing all those "# 11's"; that's exactly what's wrong with her approach. Technique and academic knowledge are a poor substitute for warmth and intimacy. All in all , she leaves me cold. As for praise proffered by her "hired gun" studio musicians, old-school jazz players are often - unfortunately - the last people to connect emotionally with the lyrics of standards they've played as instrumentals thousands of times, and they often value "chops" above communication in a singer. But we, the listeners, want that connection. Jane Monheit is mannered, pristinely aloof and oddly unmusical, despite having a technically formidable and undeniably pretty voice. My advice would be to give this bland and banal CD a pass and buy anything by Shirley Horn.
January 29, 2005

I like Jane Monheit

After talking with some friends of mine I decided to take a chance and buy the album. My jazz director doesn't like her, but I think she is a wonderful musician. I think she has a beautiful voice, and she's not to hard on the eyes either. Her singing on this album is superb, "Detour Ahead" gave me chills the first time I ever heard it (and once in a while now). Her intonation is near perfect, and she has a genuine warmth to her voice. I find this album is definately in my top 40 albums I own. (Proud to say I recently added the 500th album yesterday) My reccomendation? Buy this album, you won't be dissapointed. May 17, 2004

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