CLICK
Dori
Levine
-
voice
Ed
Littman
-
guitar
Frank
Rubolino,
CADENCE,
July
2006
Dori
Levine
is
a
scatting,
swinging
Jazz
singer
who
posesses
a
coquettish
voice
to
lure
one
into
her
web.
On
CLICK
she
sings
in
duet
with
guitarist
Ed
Littman,
and
the
two
lovingly
caress
each
song.
Levine
takes
a
standard,
such
as
“It
Might
as
Well
Be
Spring”,
and
puts
a
personal
twist
to
make
it
brand
new;
yet
she
just
as
quickly
switches
to
present
the
lyrics
in
a
hip,
straightforward
fashion
to
give
the
piece
a
dual
personality.
Levine
also
has
a
sultry
side,
which
comes
out
when
she
glides
into
Nina
Simone’s
“Do
I
Move
You”.
Littman
gets
low
down
with
heavy
Blues
choruses
to
set
the
table
for
Levine
to
cook
on
this
one.
Levine
and
Littman
at
times
become
an
instrumental
duo
when
the
singer
turns
her
voice
into
an
instrument,
such
as
when
she
scats
her
way
into
an
unexpected
rendition
of
“Bye
Bye
Blackbird”.
Besides
the
standard
repertoire,
the
two
present
three
totally
improvised
pieces.
Dipping
low
or
rising
high
with
spirited
vocalese,
Levine
takes
off
on
these
joyous
rides
propelled
by
the
intertwined
freedom
flowing
from
Littman’s
strings.
The
lengthly
“Swipstitch”
gives
the
two
extensive
room
to
roam
the
outer
fringes
with
quirky
spontaneity
and
diverse
interactivity.
In
between
these
free
pieces,
the
team
reverts
to
the
ballad,
where
Levine
sings
with
sincerity
but
still
adds
her
original
phraseology
to
the
tunes.
Levine
and
Littman
have
plenty
of
fun
on
this
zesty
session;
they
have
a
difinite
feel
for
each
other’s
direction.
and
this
empathy
translates
into
a
delightful
musical
venture.
Jazz Improv Magazine November 2006
By Joe Knipes
A fresh and inventive take on the guitar and vocal duo format has
appeared from Dori Levine and
Ed Littman in the form of their new CD, Click.
It is a title that aptly describes the degree to
which the two musicians connect. Littman’s acoustic
guitar work employs a crisp, snappy attack
and a sense of propulsion behind Levine as
noted on “Pound
Cake.” Here and throughout, the
vocalist’s
sense of humor becomes another tool
in her bottomless bag of tricks. This opener on
which Levine wrote the lyrics, right away demonstrates
her ability to interact with the guitarist, as
she often plays the role of another instrument. The
takes on “It
Might As Well Be Spring” and “Bye
Bye Blackbird” use a similar approach
in opening the performances with syncopated scatting
and percussive string effects. Both
songs also showcase a style of delivery from
Levine that bears the stamp of American folk
music, one that reveals an individual approach. On
the former, Levine lays way back on the
beat and draws out the lyrics over Littman’s bossa
nova strumming. The latter distinguishes itself
with a much lengthier introduction, and the tune
itself appears somewhere around the three and
a half minute mark. Both are quite original and
almost impressionistic. Nina Simone’s “Do I Move
You?” is
in a country blues mode with Littman
plucking hard and bending strings. Levine is
up to the challenge as she toys with dynamics and
some emotive singing. Both musicians stay
true to the style with idiomatic phrases reminiscent
of originators like Robert Johnson. “Deep
Creep” is the first of three completely improvised
pieces, and it finds Littman out front for
several phrases. Levine joins in later, staying in
a limited vocal range, with phrasing that floats over
Littman’s
eerie chords and intervals that are played
on the lower strings. “But Beautiful” is treated
to a tender introduction from the guitarist and
a rubato reading of the lyrics. Here, Levine takes
great liberties with the melody as Littman plays
interesting counter lines, the two taking time to alternate leading
and following their partner in the
dance, with sublime results. “Tailgate” is
improvised and features the guitar repeating
a rhythmic phrase that leaves space Levine
to fill in with various vocal sounds. sustains
long phrases that include held notes, strange
effects, yodels, and scatting - all while
in a heated three-minute exchange with Littman’s
guitar. “Foolin’ Myself,” a
shuffle, is a short sweet
example of how these two complement each
other so well musically. The
final improvised piece, “Swipstitch”, the
longest at ten and one half minutes. Littman rubs
and scrapes his strings rapidly. Levine squeaks,
cackles, wines, in the beginning before an
abrupt halt. This moves into light interplay with
the two walking on eggshells. You may find
yourself giggling about one third of the way into
this piece, as the sounds become truly comical. However,
this is a great example of musicians
ridding the music of all pretenses favor
of creative interplay and living in the moment. On
the closer, “Over
The Rainbow”, Levine’s lazy
reading of the melody is supported hand-in-glove
by Littman’s
guitar. Click is a testament
to approaching music with
a sense of humor and fearlessness, and duo
has achieved some fine results.
All About Jazz, Italy by Vittorio Lo Conte
**** Four Stars
Avant-garde singers have always demonstrated the
incredible possibilities of the human voice expanding improvisationally
far beyond standards. Dori Levine and Ed Littman convincingly succeed
in defining both artistic elements; improvisation and standards.
Both of these elements are found in compositions like Bye Bye Blackbird
and Over the Rainbow. This melding demonstrates a coherance that
nearly grazes genius.
When we listen to this work we are amazed by their audacity. Their
work shows the vitality of the spirit of Jazz classics as well as
the creativity and innovative energy of the great interpreters. They
are detached from the mainstream tendencies to search for a public
that would follow something new.The skill of guitarist Ed Littman
is masterful as well. He further expands the already existing wide
vocabulary of the music languages; it’s a pleasure for lovers
of good music!
In their new original pieces the two artists move toward all the
possibilities of the modern avant-garde without denying their Jazz
roots.
This is an important recording of Vocal Jazz. It’s
authors successfully dare to brilliantly overcome the challenges
on their path. A positive force is behind their notes. This element
has almost shamanistic aspects in the voice of Dori Levine rendering
every listening of the recording interesting.
translated from Italian by Silvia Franci
Koo-Koo (NA1031)
Dori
Levine
Michael
Levy
voice
-
piano
Four
Stars
by
Vittorio
Lo
Conte
for
the
www.allaboutjazz.com/italy
translated
by
Giacomo
Franci
The
music
produced
by
New
Artists
Records
doesn't
take
into
account
the
demands
of
the
market.
The
results
are
unusual
CDs
like
the
duet
of
singer
Dori
Levine
and
pianist
Michael
Levy.
We're
talking
about
free
improvisations
and
two
famous
standards
that
Levine's
voice
transforms
almost
into
contemporary
pieces.
Her
hallucinated
interpretations,
above
all,
of
the
evergreen
"Lover
Man"
catch
the
nature
of
this
standard,
a
piece
where
it
is
surely
difficult
to
say
something
new,
but
this
duet
succeeds
with
this
intention
around
the
piano
with
the
diction
so
unique
and
so
grounded
in
the
Jazz
tradition.
On
the
other
side,
Dori
Levine
gives
life
to
the
text
with
her
voice
so
profound
to
attract
the
attention
on
every
syllable
pronounced;
exploring
the
deep
meaning
of
the
words
to
give
them
a
new
dimension
to
the
listeners.
Perhaps
we
can
compare
with
the
great
Jeanne
Lee,
for
example,
the
duet
of
this
Afro-American
singer
with
the
pianist
Ran
Blake
recorded
in
the
60's.
The
free
improvisations
of
the
duet
have
not
much
to
do
with
academic
character,
they
breathe
Jazz,
it's
voices,
it's
notes,
it's
diction,
it's
smoky
nights,
a
dialog
in
the
free
idiom
that
can
insert
two
standards
and
can
attract
the
listeners
used
only
to
mainstream
or
to
creative
music.
Cadence
Magazine
August
1999
-
Frank
Rubolino
If
sultriness
were
patentable,
Levine
would
hold
the
patent.
She
vocalizes
on
a
uniquely
spontaneous
program
with
pianist
Levy
with
a
moody,
down-to-earth
style
that
projects
her
voice
as
an
improvising
instrument
in
tandem
with
the
piano.
Yet
she
can
also
ooze
out
emotion
as
a
torch
singer,
placing
her
in
a
dual
attack
role
as
a
Jazz
vocalist.
Stoking
the
fire
for
Levine
is
Levy,
who
carries
on
a
love
affair
with
the
keyboards
with
his
mesmerizing
development
of
the
songs.
Playing
in
fully
improvised
mode,
Levy
creates
the
heat
of
smoldering
embers
that
places
emphasis
on
the
lower
end
consistent
with
Levine’s
voicing.
These
two
creative
performers
develop
each
selection
through
acute
listening
and
interaction.
You
can
hear
each
of
them
take
fragments
of
the
other’s
notes
and
turn
them
around
in
a
new
variation
on
the
theme.
Levine
approaches
each
song
with
the
originality
and
inventiveness
that
marks
the
work
of
Jeanne
Lee.
She
gets
moody,
pensive,
or
alternately
highly
excitable
and
injects
a
creative
spirit
into
every
note.
Whether
scatting
in
non-word
phrases
or
melting
steel
with
her
sensual
twist
on
lyrics,
she
comes
off
as
an
inventive
artist.
Similarly
Levy
exists
in
her
same
world,
crafting
deep-toned
and
weighty
improvisations
full
of
substance.
He
broods
over
a
tune,
reaching
down
into
its
bowels
and
emerging
with
lustrous
gemstones.
As
a
team,
these
two
are
captivating
in
their
moodiness.
They
raise
the
level
of
Jazz
vocal
originality
several
notches
and
are
definitely
worth
hearing.
Jazz
Times
June
1999
-
John
Murph
"The
Duo
delves
deep
into
the
throes
of
cerebral
celebration
.
.
.
with
intriguing
dialogues
. .
.
"
