Sarah Partridge: I Never Thought I'd Be Here

Origin Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: I Never Thought I'd Be Here

Numerous vocalists have become actresses, but I can’t think of many performers who took that trip in reverse. Sarah Partridge is one of those rare examples, and she enjoyed modest success for a decade on TV and the big screen, including an appearance in Risky Business with Tom Cruise. Then fate stepped in: While spending an evening with friends at The Improv, they talked her into participating in a karaoke contest. 

An agent in the audience was enthralled, and signed her up; thus began her musical career.

As often is the case, her love of vocal jazz had begun at home; her father was a huge fan of icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Chris Conner, Irene Kral and Sarah Vaughan. Fortunately, Partridge has a voice that matches their talents, and that led to her success in what has become a 20-year career.

Partridge is featured regularly at many well-known jazz clubs across the country, and this is her fourth album. She has a wonderfully relaxed voice, which is great for both popular standards and jazz genre tunes. Although her first three releases focused on the American Songbook, she switched gears and wrote (words and music) all but one of the tracks here. The exception — “Around the Corner” — is by Alan Farnham, this album’s pianist, arranger and producer.

He and Partridge are joined by six other excellent musicians: bassist Bill Moring, drummer/percussionist Tim Horner, tenor saxman/flutist Scott Robinson, trombonist Ben Williams, and guitarist Paul Meyers. Partridge’s son, Ben Stein, is guest guitarist on the track “Runaway Train.”

This is a great album for listening or dancing. And if Partridge shows up at a lounge in your area, be sure to visit her.

Mark Sherman Quartet: Live at the Bird's Eye

Mile High Records
By Ric Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 2.5.09
Buy CD: Live at the Bird's Eye

Mark Sherman began his musical career as a classical pianist, and played with the Cleveland and Boston Symphony Orchestras before he discovered jazz.

During his early years as a jazz man, and while studying at Juilliard, he was a percussionist; because of his earlier training as a pianist, the switch to vibraphone and marimba was preordained. He met — and performed with — Wynton Marsalis while at Juilliard; Marsalis' endorsement paved the way for Sherman's first contract with Columbia Records.

He initially made his living doing studio work in New York City, but soon was working with back-up groups for some of the top vocalists in the music business. Sherman was part of the Peggy Lee Quintet for seven years, and also backed up luminaries such as Lena Horne, Liza Minnelli, Mel Torme and the jazz duo of Jackie and Roy.

Sherman's extensive discography includes seven albums as a leader, almost 50 as a sideman, and another half dozen as a producer.

The quartet used for this double-CD release — recorded live at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland — features Sherman (vibes), Allen Farnham (piano), Dean Johnson (bass) and Tim Horner (drums). Seven of the 10 tracks were written and arranged by Sherman; the remaining three are covers of the ballads “You Don't Know What Love Is,” “There Is No Greater Love” and “Moon River.”

The result is what I'd call “thinking man's jazz”; the melodic lines are clever, complex and carefully arranged, and the solos are melded into those lines thoughtfully. Everything swings nicely, although at times Sherman's vibes work convey a “Gee, look how fast I can play!” feeling.

No doubt, though: The guy is a master of his instrument.