Open Web Player
Probably because she first came to my attention as a movie star--and as the polar opposite of the screen sirens who stirred the hormones of a teen-aged boy--Doris Day somehow never reached me as a singer. It's been only in recent years that her voice, with its consistency, vibrancy, power and freshness, inerrant pitch and sublime musicality, has led me to collect her recordings. There's no question in my mind now that she was the real deal--a seasoned trouper who learned her craft in the '40's and could hold her own in front of any of the big bands--probably even without a microphone. There's an "edge" to every one of her performances, but nothing was forced. Moreover, as anyone who has seen her as Calamity Jane knows, she was the complete package: the voice, the persona (if that's an accurate term for so natural a presence), and the indomitable, unflagging spirit were all one.
Karen Oberlin's generous album (18 tunes!) is both a heartfelt homage to the great forebearer and a sparkling and highly personal set of performances that would do any present-day singer proud. She replaces Doris's tightly spinning vibrato with a smoother, more "contemporary," tone and employs more dynamic contrasts than Doris, allowing today's sensitive microphones to catch subtle shadings and vocal inflections. On "Que Sera," for example, the second "will be" in "whatever will be, will be" becomes not a repetitious iamb but an unexpected trochee in the artist's playful, dramatically effective emphasis on "will." On "It's Magic" she practically makes us associate the magical with the miraculous in her slight pause and then embracing of the critical word.
Credit, too, the always surprising arrangements of pianist Peter Firth and the sensitive accompaniment provided by two of New York's finest--David Fink (ironically, a favorite bassist of Andre Previn, who accompanied Doris on one of her most memorable albums) and Kenny Washington (also the preferred drummer of hard boppers like Johnny Griffin).
Oberlin includes the little-known jewels, such as R&H's "Nobody's Heart," alongside the '50's Hit Parade songs. But even the latter sound like staples in the Great American Songbook (newly minted ones at that) thanks to the inspired musicianship, good taste, and respect for the overseeing muse that is in abundant evidence throughout the project. The entire program is a labor of love, one that no listener (even someone who doesn't remember Doris) can't help but love.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
