Tuesdays In Chinatown

Album review

Vocalist/pianist Andy Bey is in fine form on Tuesdays in Chinatown, the third installment in a comeback series that began in 1995 with Ballads, Blues & Bey and continued with 1998's Shades of Bey. Here Bey continues to explore fairly eclectic repertoire. His jazz roots are well represented with standards such as "I'll Remember April," "Invitation," "Little Girl Blue," and "Just Friends." There are also two beautiful songs by Milton Nascimento, "Bridges" and "Saidas e Bandeiras" (the latter sung in Portuguese), as well as a (so-so) cover of Sting's "Fragile." Bey's vocal is entirely wordless on the Bix Beiderbecke composition "In a Mist," one of the disc's more ambitious undertakings. The best cuts, however, are the first and the last: first, the lush and mellow title track, featuring John Sneider on flügelhorn; last, Big Bill Broonzy's "Feelin' Lowdown," a self-accompanied slow blues that showcases Bey's gift to full effect. Bey is backed mainly by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Victor Lewis, with guitarist Paul Meyers playing a major role on four tracks. Appearing as guests are Ron Carter, Marty Ehrlich, Steve Turre, Earl Gardner, Mino Cinelu, and more. Geri Allen crafted the horn arrangements; one only wishes there were more of them.

© David R. Adler /TiVo