Nancy Kelly And Her Trio

As Hot As It Gets

Concert Review by: John Gilbert

Venue: Michael D's Jazz Club (Camarillo, CA)

July, 20-21 2002 - "THIS PERFORMANCE WAS QUITE LITERALLY A CLINIC IN THE ART OF ENTERTAINING AND SINGING" - A Musician
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Nancy Kelly-Vocals
Chris Colangelo-Bass
Tim Pleasant-Drums
Dino Losito-Keyboard
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"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory." - Sir Thomas Beecham
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Nancy Kelly held the audience in the palm of her hand for two magical nights at Michael D's Santa Rosa Jazz Club. Thomas Beecham was right when he said, "Magical music never leaves the memory" and Miss Kelly was the enchantress that cast her dazzling spell over those in attendance. From Jonathan Winters to the busboys, from the waitstaff, to the cognoscenti, each and every attendee was caught up in the moment. To say that Nancy Kelly is an entertainer is like saying Chopin was a piano player. She exceeds the boundaries of an entertainer, She is a dynamo one moment and a singer of love songs the next. The ballads have a deep 'inside the soul' beauty that defies the simple words that one can write.. Her rhythmic movements on stage are the emotions that she gives to the song, one can sense what she sings being translated into the ballet of her mind.

The tunes were the tunes that we hear often, "Till There Was You" and some not so often heard, like Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge's classic, "Let Me Off Uptown" .."Jeannine" was performed with a mixture of humor and pure jazz singing. (Chris Colangelo had an inspired Bass solo on this piece). "Twisted" featured some delightful rapid fire persiflage that had not only the audience but the musicians themselves applauding. The tunes all had one essential element, they swung like the Flying Wallendas, even the ballads had that intangible sense of swing.

Dino Losito at the Piano, backed Miss Kelly flawlessly and his solos were good old fashioned be-bop offerings that gave the proceedings the justice it deserved. It has been said that Tim Pleasant is a "minimum of fuss, and a maximum of taste". He was the perfect choice for this occasion. He was smiling like Billy Higgins at the pure joy this remarkable event engendered.

Chris Colangelo has a style all his own, I call it "Macho Philly," with an air of sophistication. Colangelo was more impressed over this show than I have ever seen him before. His excitement was evident. There were even people with cell phones standing by the bandstand trying to call others so that they could hear the sounds ......

One band member was heard to say, "A clinic in jazz singing was held tonight, I wish every singer in L.A. was here to see how it should be done". One knowledgeble listener remarked, "She is the best that I have ever heard". Every musician in the crowd, and every customer (to a person) were giving accolades. Nancy Kelly is the consummate entertainer and the ultimate jazz vocalist, she scats properly and with authority. I will say without the slightest degree of hesitation, that Miss Kelly is the best female jazz singer that I have ever heard, bar none....I repeat, bar none.

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Nancy Kelly Swings In Los Angeles

A Supernova On Earth

Concert Review by: John Gilbert

Venue: The LightHouse, The Crowne Plaza, Tony's Steak And Seafood (Los Angeles, CA.)

April 22, 24, 26, 2004 - One of the most energetic explosive events known, is a supernova. While many supernovae have been seen in the past (in other galaxies) they are rare events in our own galaxy. The same can be said of jazz musicians, an explosive event is rare in this day and age where most singers sound like Minnie Mouse on helium and the intrumentalists sound like new years eve noise makers.

In the past week at the Crowne Plaza in Los Angeles, Tony's Steak And Seafood in Ventura and The Lighthouse at Hermosa Beach, there were some "explosive events" right here in sunny California.

First consider a gathering of the best musicians in the jazz world along with the foremost jazz singer in this galaxy, Nancy Kelly.

At the Crowne Plaza..Miss Kelly's stratospheric orbit was launched by The genius of pianist Theo Saunders, Bassist extrodinaire Chris Colangelo, and the tasteful drumming of Tim Pleasant. This was ground zero to be followed by a magical night at Tony's Steak And Seafood, with the piano mastery of Drew Salperto and Nancy's favorite Bassist Chris Colangelo and of course the scintillating Miss K herself.

The sun was hot at Hermosa Beach and so was Nancy Kelly as she mesmerized the Lighthouse audience with her magic. Her worthy constituents, Ray Pizzi (Tenor), Jack Sheldon (trumpet), Greg Eicher (bass), Steve Cotter (guitar) and the venerable Bobby White on drums, supplied the fuel..Nancy and the boys rocked the house to thunderous applause. Kelly held the band and the crowd in the palm of her hand.

The musicians were effusive in their praise, with Pizzi saying "Nancy Kelly, you are the REAL THING, simply awesome"..Jack Sheldon smiling impishly in approval and Cotter and Eicher anxious to resume the swingfest again soon.

Back to ground zero at the Crowne Plaza...The minute Nancy Kelly hit the stage and sang the first tune, the audience was transfixed and the ensemble was ecstatic. It was just one of those nights, just one of those fabulous flights when pure jazz ruled the night and electricity filled the room.

By the time "Till There Was You" and "Jeannine" "More Than You Know" and the sassy blues "Ain't Nobodies Business" was performed, it got hotter than baked grits at a down home church social.

Clearly inspired by Nancy Kelly, and Vice versa, Theo Saunders was spellbinding, his solos were beyond superb and his comping for Kelly plumbed the depths of emotions from tenderness to G force drive

Colangelo was never better, time was automatic, his solos were a work of art and he wove a tapestry of brilliant colors to draw upon...

I will repeat the essence of Tim Pleasant, and that is..."A minimum of fuss and a maximum of taste"..No vocalist could ask for more, his accents and embellishments were perfect and as my friend Artt Frank would say "He was in the moment"

This was the first of three clinics that Nancy Kelly would put on, I say clinics because from the first note to the last it was a lesson in jazz singing, scatting, and SWING, absolute unadulterated swing and you know it don't mean a thing if you can't hang with swing.

If swing was gold, Nancy Kelly would be the richest woman on earth..So would her trio of cohorts...

To call it just a gig would be a disservice, it was a supernova in JAZZ.

It was an intimate setting at Tony's in Ventura, with a nice crowd. Drew Salperto was joined by the ubiquitous Chris Colangelo on the 'wood'. Again the reaction from the crowd was a mixture of cheers and applause after each tune. I have been at Tony's many times since the days of Leroy Vinnegar, Billy Higgins et al and I have never heard a response like this..EVER. The owners were pleased, the waiters were transfixed and even the chef came out to see what 'swing' looked like in person..A fan turned to me and said "I am blown away, I get goose bumps during every tune" An elderly gent, a stroke victim actually began to cry and wave his arms...

Salperto was at his best infusing the tunes with sensitivity and professionalism and Colangelo was, as always, magnificent. This too was an event to remember and Kelly will return in the fall to Tony's and to Clancy's Crab Shack in Glendale, Ca

Nancy Kelly and the NEW Lighthouse All Stars made a bit of history in Hermosa Beach, when for the third night in a week, Kelly wowed a knowledgeable, hip group of listeners...

The scat bag of Kelly made Jack Sheldon pause with his trumpet half way to his lips, Pizzi leaned to Kelly and said, " You are unbelievable" Steve Cotter and Greg Eicher responded with, "That is Pure Swing, We have to line up some gigs"

Nancy Kelly traded fours with Pizzi and Sheldon to the delight of the listeners , she takes no prisoners.

Bobby White is 78 years of age in actual life, but is only 20 when he plays the drums. White has the command of his instrument and is hip to backing a vocalist and he solos like a champ. He is as good as his Art Pepper days.

Nancy Kelly, plus Jack Sheldon, Ray Pizzi and Cotter and Eicher made the world pause in it's orbit for a moment and smile in satisfaction at this swinging jazz supernova. It was an experience to savor till the next time. After all, like Pizzi, Kelly has the vocal range of the King Ranch in Texas, a ballad style to melt your heart and swings like the Flying Wallendas. It gets no better than this, only different. Jazz ain't dead, it still struts its stuff, led by giants like these incomparable musicians. Case Closed. Until next fall.