Explosive jazz vocal magic VA Virginia Schenck – BATTLE CRY: I described VA’s vocal work as “down to earth” when I first reviewed her in issue # 165, and on her new album, her explosive jazz vocal magic is even stronger… before I move on to the songs on the album, please watch this great video where you can watch/hear VA up close…
…you’ll find other great videos when you SUBSCRIBE to VA’s YouTube channel, as did I… DO it.
VA’s new album is just what the title says it is… a cry out for listeners to wake up… there’s a superb quote from Virginia in the liner notes – “If music is resistance, then jazz is freedom. Resistance is my mission, and freedom is my goal.” – As you listen to her vocal on the 6:31 “Hear My Battle Cry“, you’ll realize that VA knows exactly what she wants to tell you… her core members, pianist Kevin Bales, bassist Rodney Jordan, and drummer Marlon Patton are joined by tenor saxophonist Kebbi Williams, guitarist Rick Lollar and spoken word artist James Benson, and they make this one of the best jazz performances you’ll listen to in 2020!
The bass intro for “Sackful of Dreams” segues very nicely into some excellent piano, and then Virginia’s vocal joins in most vibrantly… I predict that this piece will be getting some MAJOR airplay on jazz stations around the globe.
My vote for personal favorite of the nine offered up for your inspiration, though, is definitely “Abraham, Martin & John“… Virginia’s powerful performance on this great song will bring her message home clearly for you!
I give VA and her players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99 for this very strong musical adventure. Get more information about this fascinating singer at Virginia’s website. Rotcod Zzaj
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