Jeff Colella's fresh take of this gorgeous classic puts the heartbeat pulse of Chris Colangelo's upright bass at the center of his unique arrangement. Colella's re-harmonization transforms the mood so that it's more late night sweet nothings than a desperate plea, a caressing feel enhanced by Sylvia's deeply interpretative vocals and the compressed beauty and warmth of Ron Stouts flugelhorn.

Body And Soul

Eleanor Rigby

One of Sylvia’s personal favorites, this haunting tale goes back in time, and speaks to the heartache a woman experiences when for the first time she sees that her husband is in love with another woman. Jeff Colella’s spare arrangement and bell-like piano touch highlight Sylvia’s more-in-sadness-than-anger take on a song that’s indelibly linked to Nancy Wilson.

Guess Who I Saw Today

A fever dream of desire written by Mexican concert pianist and composer Consuelo Velazquez, “Besame Mucho” has rarely sounded so sultry. Otmaro Ruiz’s masterly arrangement features a gorgeous, slow burning tenor solo by the great Bob Sheppard that simmers at the same blue-flame intensity as Sylvia’s aching vocals.

Besame Mucho

The title track for the glossy 1955 film starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds, “Tender Trap” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn as a vehicle for Ol’ Blue Eyes. Arranged by Kim Richmond, the song “features a wicked piano solo by Christian Jacob and some suave tenor work by Bob Sheppard,” says Sylvia, who swings with insouciant grace over the savory brass accents.

Tender Trap

With Sylvia’s lyrics and Christian Jacob’s lustrous music, this song is one of the album’s standout tracks, an intimate piano and voice duet that evokes the abiding pleasure and pain that love so often brings.

Sweet Surrender

Pianist Jeff Colella’s sleek and sensuous arrangement of Cole Porter’s timeless tale of romantic obsession reunites Sylvia with drummer Kendall Kay, bassist Chris Colangelo, and Colella, the original band from her debut release Dangerous Liaisons. Bruce Babad’s flute quickens the pulse while another perfectly distilled flugelhorn solo by Ron Stout enhances the reverie.

Night and Day

Clearly, Sylvia hasn’t forsaken the jazz-noir sound she perfected on her two earlier albums. Every detail of Kim Richmond’s arrangement heightens the sense of loss, from Brian Swartz’s gleaming trumpet to David Hughes’s haunting bowed bass chord that fades into the ether as the narrator disappears into the night.

Angel Eyes

You can tell a lot about a musician from the company she keeps. Ever since Sylvia Brooks started performing in the jazz realm, she has collaborated with some of Los Angeles' most expressive and accomplished players. From the beginning Brooks distinguished herself with her empathic ability to inhabit a song, turning classic and original tunes into taut and emotional tales. With her soon to be released 4th album coming out in Spring of 2022, she is telling her own stories now.

Sylvia Brooks

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