This week we take one inimitable jazz vocalist covering the material of two highly-original songstresses throughout history; add one of the finest quartets of instrumentalists led by a force-of-nature music director with mad-jazz piano skills; then let the party effervesce & pop its cork. That’s what folks who caught Denise Perrier’s Bessie, Dinah & Me experienced at the Rrazz recently, when Perrier brought her generous 2-hour set to the Hotel Nikko’s nightclub. 

Perrier was decked out like a gilded jazz-age human abstraction of deco masterpieces (along the lines of the Chrysler building’s sleek, elegant lines), a beaded ensemble topped by a tiara fit for a queen of jazz & wrapped in a fur stole, equal parts élan & verve. If you’ve not had the immense pleasure of capturing Perrier, one thing you will note: she is a complete original. No one sings or sounds like this divine diva. Perrier’s interpretations are unique, vibrant & perfectly her own special creation. Superb. 

Perrier’s deep understanding of the delicious, naughty, bawdy double-entendre of Bessie Smith’s work didn’t require a “wink-wink-nudge-nudge” to make it work. “I call them ‘Dirty Little Ditties,’” Perrier laughs as she shares her take on Bessie Smith’s best [not-so] hidden-meaning songs. This woman, exuding confidence & elegance, lets the hem of the undergarments of these tunes show enough to let you know she’s a woman of experience.

Such assuredness with this type of material is what sells it: where others would lean into the double-meaning, Perrier’s approach pulls back on the gas pedal & allows the listener to cruise along & delight in the fullness of the lyrics.

No place is this more apparent than in the classic “Sugar in My Bowl” which is full to overflowing with innuendo. Music director & pianist extraordinaire Tammy Hall gives Perrier a hand in pulling back on the overt by wafting in some slight gospel overtones at times, which of course makes the bite of the lyrics juicier in its contrast. Simultaneously, trumpeter Mike Olmos counterpoints that with some sultry, saucy requisite bump & grind, so the accompaniment embodies both sides of the innuendo, allowing Perrier’s down-the-middle, straight-ahead approach to shimmer. 

Kicking the party into high gear, with the quartet grooving off of the singer & each other, Perrier’s rendition of “I Got What it Takes” leaves no doubt in one’s mind that she does, in-point-of-fact, have what it takes & more. The audience let their hair down with her & the hoots, hollers & clapping all around the room had the joint jumpin’. 

“St. Louis Woman” has long been a favorite & now I have a new standard by which to measure the song. “Incomparable” is the most accurate moniker for Perrier. Hall’s virtuosic range of styles & vast musical knowledge give her an uncanny ability to highlight a vocalist’s subtext. Taking cues off of Perrier’s contemporary, fresh approach to this tune, at times Hall would slide in phrases seemingly from iconic Stevie Wonder riffs, which nestled Perrier’s singular, sensational approach to this classic. 

The “Dinah” portion of the evening had tunes you’d expect but not as you’d expect them. Not a misstep on any of these & always a brilliant surprise from any & all on stage. Word count prevents me from singing the praises of each moment, though I must give the musicians their due as well. This is probably the most funky I’ve seen bassist Daniel Fabricant play, catchin’ the groove moving around the room & giving it back. If you ever have the opportunity to catch Mike Olmos play, please, do go. What this man can do with a trumpet, the colors he elicits & the emotions he pulls out of musicians & audiences alike, is superb. And Kent Bryson was, as always, just spot-on, in-the-groove & in the zone. Tammy Hall’s mastery of guiding these musicians, combined with her exquisite playing & her connection to the vocalist’s nuance, is the stuff of jazz dreams. 

Thank you, Miss Perrier, for bringing us a sparkling evening of entertainment & for assembling such fine musicians to make this a most memorable evening. For more about Perrier’s upcoming gigs & CDs, please visit DenisePerrier.com.


gop back