Lyn Stanley - The Moonlight Sessions Volume Two - Hybrid SACD

"Hot on the heels of her late-spring release of the well-reviewed The Moonlight Sessions, Volume One, Southern California songstress Lyn Stanley issues her fifth recording, The Moonlight Sessions, Volume Two.

The award-winning, internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist once again demonstrates her gift for mining classic material and making it her own. Stanley takes listeners on a delightful sonic journey, from her unique takes on familiar tunes including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “The Very Thought of You” to her sensitive approach to too-seldom heard gems like “That Old Feeling” and “Smile.” Stanley ventures beyond the Great American Songbook to turn her tasteful eye—and voice!—to popular songs from the mid-’70s such as “At Seventeen” and “The Summer Knows” (from the film The Summer of ’42)." "Highlights from The Moonlight Sessions, Volume Two include: “How Deep is the Ocean”:

Stanley shows off her range on this tune, which opens with a tender vocal-piano duet before giving way to a cool, “All Blues”-flavored swinger with some very tasty trombone from Bob McChesney. “I’ll Be Seeing You”: Rich strings and understated guitar combine, with Stanley’s voice floating lusciously on top. “Since I Fell for You”: From the rarely heard verse to the final note, Stanley delivers the lyric with a persuasive ache. Rickey Woodard’s bluesy saxophone offers a brilliant contrast with her velvety voice. “Makin’ Whoopee”: Stanley lives up to her sultry reputation, bringing a leisurely tension to this long-time fave. “At Seventeen”:

Check out the bittersweet world-weariness and sophistication of Stanley’s take on Janis Ian’s #1 hit single from 1975." "Joining Stanley on The Moonlight Sessions, Volume Two is a top-flight band of in-demand players, including pianists Mike Garson, Christian Jacob and Tamir Hendelman; bassist Chuck Berghofer; drummers Ray Brinker, Bernie Dresel and Joe LaBarbara; percussionist Luis Conte; guitarist John Chiodini; trumpeter Chuck Findley; saxophonist Rickey Woodard; trombonist Bob McChesney; harmonica wizard Hendrik Meurkens; and harpists Corky Hale and Carol Robins; strings: Budapest SSO.

Stellar recording quality makes The Moonlight Sessions, Volume Two an audiophile’s delight, and the creative arrangements will appeal to casual listeners and engage hard-core jazz aficionados. With two entertaining top-quality releases under her belt in 2017 alone, Lyn Stanley’s long-time fans and recent followers will look forward to discovering what fascinating new projects the singer has next on her agenda." She has also added songs to this special project from the country and pop genres and added arrangement twists with jazz applications that modernize them as they delight your ears.

On board for The Moonlight Sessions are her stellar cast of musicians. Piano: Mike Garson, Christian Jacob and Tamir Hendelman; Bass: Chuck Berghofer; Drums: Joe La Barbara, Ray Brinker and Bernie Dresel; Jazz Guitar: John Chiodini; Percussion: Luis Conte; Harmonica: Hendrik Meurkens; Harp: Corky Hale, Carol Robins; Trumpet: Chuck Findley; Trombone: Bob McChesney; Tenor Sax: Rickey Woodard are all on board and recorded. This project’s arrangers include, Mike Garson, Christian Jacob, Tamir Hendelman, John Chiodini, Steve Rawlins and Doug Walter. Lyn Stanley is the Executive Producer with Co-Producers Lyn Stanley, Mike Garson and John Chiodini.

The recording engineers for this project are Al Schmitt and Steve Genewick. As always, the album is mastered by Bernie Grundman.

Tracks were recorded at The Village Recording Studio D in Los Angeles, California in February 2017.

"I am re-listening to the Moonlight Sessions Volume Two, and every aspect of the CD is perfection. The choice of songs bring back some of the best standards of all time, some of which have been too long neglected. The mix, the musicians, and the incredible delivery by Lyn Stanley make this CD, in my opinion, one of the best American Songbook recordings of this decade." - Saul Levine, KKJZ (KJazz)