Music News and Notes – Record Spotlight

MOTEMA – For her 2011 CD Who Knows Where The Time Goes singer-songwriter Rondi Charleston brings forth and puts a new spin on a pleasurable cross section of timeless pop standards, along with several originals. A smooth as silk jazz lounge vocalist, Ms. Charleston more than acquits herself on superb covers here, including the lead off title track—composed back in 1967 by the late, great Sandy Denny. The late Sandy Denny’s version was always renowned for its flower-power folk sentiment, but Rondi puts a cool jazzy, near upbeat spin on it and makes it radio friendly for a new generation of quiet storm jazzers. Ditto for refined Rondi covers of timeless classics from the pens of A.C. Jobim, (“Wave”), Stevie Wonder (“Overjoyed”), Percy Mayfield (“Please Send Me Someone To Love”) all topped off by a very interesting CD closing cover of “Freedom Is A Voice” written by Bobby McFerrin. For the four originals, Rondi finds a song writing partner in Lynne Arriale. A refined jazz singer with a penchant for uncovering the essence of what makes a song a classic, Ms. Charleston gets solid backup from a range of players including jazz guitar great Dave Stryker, co-composer Lynne Arriale (piano), Clarence Penn (drums) and others. The title track gets a fine arrangement from Dave Stryker and Pete Levin. The CD sounds and looks fine and is topped off by an extensive booklet of pics filled and liner notes by Rondi.

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