Andrea Wolper - The Small Hours
Artist: Andrea Wolper
Title: The Small Hours
Label: Varis One Jazz
Catalog Number: 4024569310123
Reviewed by Eddie Becton
The Small Hours, Andrea Wolper’s latest release, is a very soothing collection of passionate songs. Wolper, a vocalist, executes twelve tracks with meticulous phrasing where every word curls oh-so-slowly off her tongue. Accompanying her on perhaps the most emotion-laden track, Night Time Was My Mother, is Frank London (trumpet, flugelhorn), who plays alongside every syllable of Wolper’s, and Ken Filiano (bass). On tracks such as Small Day Tomorrow and Dancing on the Ceiling, other key contributors include Victor Lewis (drums) and Jamey Haddad (drums).
You and the Night and the Music differs from most of the tracks in that it has a safari-like melody, but does not detract from the overall tone and feeling of the disc. To the contrary, this track actually enhances the energy of the other eleven tracks. Wolper also demonstrates her versatility by juxtaposing You and the Night and the Music with blues-based Gray, Not Blue. Affif and Filiano do yeoman’s work, giving this track its head-hung-low blues energy.
Today is one of the more up-tempo tracks on the disc. Filiano’s walking pattern and Affif’s crisp notes give the track its toe-tapping melody while Wolper sings around accompanists. She also displays creativity during the piece with the requisite amount of scat singing. Her sassy approach makes this track even more aurally appealing.
The Small Hours is a reminder that the voice is the “first instrument.” The way Wolper elicits emotion and passion suggests she actually cares about singing, and is not simply going through the motions. The Small Hours is strongly recommended, in large part, because each track tells a unique story. And, the variety of moods and tones, interestingly, compliment each other, in some cases, while being drastically different.
Track Listing: Dancing on the Ceiling/ You and the Night and the Music/ Gray, Not Blue/ Night Time Was My Mother/ Crazy Love/ Rendezvous in Providence/ Today/ Not Sleeping in Your Arms/ Little Suzie’s Humming/ Moanin’/ Small Day Tomorrow/ I Like You, You’re Nice.
Personnel: Andrea Wolper – vocals; Ron Affif – guitar; Ken Filiano – bass; Victor Lewis – drums; Jamey Haddad – drums; Frank London – trumpet, flugelhorn; Lou Marini – flute.