Review of 'Vibe Over Perfection' by Scotty Barnhart

From the opening bars of the first track Blue Skies, to the final chord of the classic tune, Nature Boy, the exquisite, soulful, rich, and crystal clear voice of phenomenal jazz vocalist Jamie Davis warms the heart and soul. And being true to the title of his second recording date leading a first rate big band, the Vibe will make your fingers snap and your feet pat the floor in swingin’ rhythm.

On this recording by the San Francisco bay area legend, now a world famous stylist who swings harder than ever, Jamie Davis makes clear, just as he did on his last world-class recording, It’s A Good Thing, that he is without question the heir apparent to the grand and magnificent throne built by master jazz vocalists Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Jimmy Rushing. Davis displays his rich array of talents – from his effortless delivery of lyrics to his getting inside of the beat on every track – which allow him to stretch, pull, twist, turn, and shape each classic song from the great American songbook into his own personal set of gems.

As one of the musicians who appears here with Davis and the incomparable Count Basie Orchestra, it was a pleasure listening to him do what the great Basie drummer Sonny Payne said Frank Sinatra did to him – Sinatra swung him! This is what Jamie Davis does. He swings all of those around him, which is an art in and of itself.

In 2008, it is refreshing and uplifting to hear an artist such as Jamie Davis. He is grounded in the understanding and realization that the great American songbook, when placed in the hands of great musicians, is proof positive that people still believe in presenting the very best to the listening public. From the 1930s classic Pennies From Heaven, in which drummer Gregg Field lays down an irresistible groove for Davis to deliver his soulfully swingin’ lyrics, to the 1970s pop hit You’ll Never Find, of which I know the late Lou Rawls would be smiling and moving to its solid pulse, Jamie Davis and his musicians leave you feeling good. Real good. It felt good in the studio as we recorded the tracks and it feels good to sit, listen and savor to it privately or with friends, just as you will find for yourself.

The hallmark of any progressing artist is consistency. Musicians such as Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Nat King Cole just kept getting better and better, and the same can now be said about Jamie Davis. In my capacity as a jazz musician, and jazz historian, the aforementioned comparison takes on an even greater meaning. For Jamie Davis has clearly established his position in that elite line of jazz master vocalists from Louis Armstrong and Jimmy Rushing, to Joe Williams, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Hartman.

The music Davis chose for this date is as demanding as anyone could ask for, but warmly pleasing and danceable, which further demonstrates his great versatility. It also proves again the age-old adage that “it is not what you do, but how you do it.” With the outstanding musicians here, who happen to be members of The Count Basie Orchestra, the world’s most swingingest jazz orchestra now in its 73rd year of existence and going strong, and with perfectly tailored arrangements for Davis by Bob Ojeda, Tom Hart, Dave Hanson, and Aaron Lington, Davis finds himself in completely comfortable territory which allows for him to shine on every level. As Wynton Marsalis once said, “either you have the right musicians or you don’t.” Davis clearly does have them yet again. All vocalists will no doubt be envious of his supporting cast.

On tracks such as Nature Boy, which begins with the irresistible groove made famous by pianist Ahmad Jamal’s version of Poinciana, to the beautifully arranged The Look of Love, and the soulful swagger of If You Want Me To Stay, the saxophones and brass have been masterfully voiced to provide the perfect canvas for an artist such as Davis to paint, if you will, a vocal masterpiece. Hello, the timeless classic by Lionel Richie, is given new life by Davis and is reminiscent of the incomparable Sarah Vaughan, complete with unpredictable nuances in lyrical understanding.

In other words, Jamie Davis knows his material thoroughly and therefore is able to make each performance sound new, no matter how famous or how old the song is. This is a remarkable achievement and one that solidifies his position as one of the most important vocalists in the world today.

So sit back and relax in your favorite chair or wherever you listen to your music and put this disc on. With an intensity of grooves and attention to detail captured here for you, let Mr. Davis and his musicians lift your spirits and make you feel good. That is what good music is all about. As a musician who knows, it is all about the feel of what is happening and not the pursuit of a perfectly executed passage on any particular instrument.

It’s the feel – the vibrations in the music. Or, as Jamie Davis demonstrates time and time again, it is about striving for Vibe over Perfection. And as we told him upon the completion of this recording – mission accomplished.

Scotty Barnhart
Trumpeter
The Count Basie Orchestra
Author, The World Of Jazz Trumpet