Andrea Claburn: Nightshade

Lot 49 Labs LLC
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Nightshade

San Francisco-based Andrea Claburn isn’t well known beyond the schools where she earned two bachelor of arts degrees, the musicians with whom she has worked, and the still limited audiences before whom she has performed ... but that’s about to change. This debut album presents an artist who is both a terrific vocalist, and a talented songwriter and arranger. She composed five of these 12 tracks, and arranged all but one.

Claburn was brought up with music; her mother was a classical pianist, and young Andrea began piano lessons at age 6, and added violin two years later. “I think like an instrumentalist,” she has noted, “because that’s where everything began for me.”

She has a delightfully warm voice, phrases beautifully, and “thinks in jazz.” 

Claburn also has great taste in accompanists. The backing musicians here are excellent: Matt Clark (keyboards), Kasey Knudsen and Teddy Raven (saxes), Erik Jekabson (trumpet and flugelhorn), Rob Ewing (trombone), Sam Bevan (bass), Terrence Brewer (guitar), Alan Hall (drums) and John Santos (percussion). One track, “Steal Away,” also utilizes violinist/violist Mads Tolling and cellist Joseph Hébert.

I’m particularly impressed by Jekabson, one of the tastiest horn players I’ve heard in quite some time.

Several tracks pay homage to musical greats, such as Ellington’s “Infinite Wisdom,” Betty Carter’s “I Can’t Help It” and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark.” Claburn’s original compositions more than hold their own.

This is an enjoyable treat, and an outstanding debut album. I’ve only one minor caveat: Several tracks end too abruptly, which is a bit jarring. Other than that, this lady’s debut is a sure winner.

Electric Squeezebox Orchestra: Cheap Rent

OA2 Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Cheap Rent

This big band jazz orchestra, native to San Francisco, often is known as ESO by Bay Area fans. 

The ensemble is quite large: Twenty-four musicians are identified, although the grouping for each chart is limited to 17 artists. ESO fields six trumpets, five trombones, six reeds, and six in the rhythm section, including a guitar. Trumpeter Erik Jekabson is identified as the leader.

Three of these 10 charts are by familiar artists: Wayne Shorter’s “ESP,” Mel Tormé’s “Chataigne Grilles” and Herbie Hancock’s “People Music.” The rest are written and arranged by band members. The menu covers several genres: 1970s grooves, New Orleans strut, bop, swing, funk and more. Everything swings nicely and is performed smoothly.

Each chart allows plenty of space for solos, and these artists don’t disappoint. Northern California jazz fans love this group, which has a regular gig every Sunday evening at Doc’s Lab, in the North Beach neighborhood. Don’t miss them, next time travel takes you to San Francisco.