SOPHIE MILMAN — In The Moonlight (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Widely regarded as one of Canada's best jazz singers, Russian-born, Toronto-based vocalist Sophie Milman changes tact slightly for her fourth studio album, In the Moonlight. The twinkling piano chords, shuffling, brushed stroke rhythms, and gentle brass instrumentation which defined her previous output are still very much in evidence, but having traveled to New York to record with producer Matt Pierson (Jane Monheit, Michael Franks), the Juno Award winner has capitalized on the opportunity to expand her sound by inviting a string ensemble on board for the first time in her career. However, avoiding the temptation to smother the timeless, smoky, jazz bar arrangements in layers of bombastic layers of strings, the pair only use their newly recruited musicians sparingly and when needed, with only the Duke Ellington standards "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Day Dream," and the Umbrellas of Cherbourg number "Watch What Happens" offering anything more than the occasional orchestral flourish. It's an approach which entirely befits Milman's intimate and understated cabaret tones, whose seductive French-language delivery of Serge Gainsbourg's "Ces Petits Riens" and expressive, timeless performance of the Gershwin classic "Do It Again," belie her twenty-something years. The constant low-key, candlelight vibes inevitably begin to wear a little thin, but luckily, Milman occasionally shakes things up a little bit, whether it's the sensuous bossa nova reworking of the Billie Holiday favorite "Speak Low," the toe-tapping swing jazz rendition of Jon Hendricks' "No More Blues" or, in a rare concession to the modern music scene, the yearning and heartfelt torch song treatment of Feist's folk-pop album track "So Sorry." Indeed, it's the latter's convincing transition which makes you wish that Milman would tackle more contemporary material more often. Nevertheless, In the Moonlight is still a beautifully arranged selection of songs which, while nothing particularly revolutionary, unarguably provides one of the classiest Sunday morning soundtracks of the year. Jon O'Brien
Tracklist :
1. Do It Again (03:48)
George Gershwin
2. Oh, Look At Me Now (3:26)
 Written-By – Bushkin, DeVries
3. Moonlight (5:29)
Written-By – Bergman, Williams, Bergman
4. Speak Low (4:26)
 Written-By – Weill, Nash
5. Till There Was You (4:01)
Written-By – Meredith Wilson
6. Watch What Happens (4:41)
Written-By – Legrand, Gimbel
7. Prelude To A Kiss (4:35)
Written-By – Ellington
8. Ces Petits Riens (5:08)
Written-By – Serge Gainsbourg
9. So Sorry (4:07)
Written-By – Feist
10. Detour Ahead (4:40)
Written-By – Ellis, Freigo, Carter
11. Let Me Love You (3:32)
Written-By – Howard
12. Day Dream (4:59)
Written-By – Strayhorn, Ellington
13. No More Blues (04:20)
Written-By – Jobim, Hendricks
Credits :
Accordion – Gil Goldstein (tracks: 5, 8, 9)
Acoustic Bass – Larry Grenadier
Acoustic Guitar – Romero Lubambo (tracks: 3, 6)
Arranged By – Alan Broadbent (tracks: 7, 10, 12), Gerald Clayton (tracks: 2, 13), Gil Goldstein (tracks: 5, 8), Julian Lage (tracks: 4, 9), Kevin Hays (tracks: 11), Rob Mounsey (tracks: 1, 3, 6)
Bass Clarinet – Charles Pillow (tracks: 7, 11, 12)
Cello – Jody Redhage (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12), Maria Jeffers (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Richard Locker (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12)
Clarinet – Mark Phaneuf (tracks: 7, 11, 12)
Clarinet, Alto Flute – Steve Kenyon (tracks: 7, 11, 12)
Clarinet, Flute – Aaron Heick (tracks: 7, 11, 12), Lawrence Feldman (tracks: 7, 11, 12)
Drums – Lewis Nash (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7, 10 to 13)
Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker (tracks: 6, 12)
Guitar – Julian Lage (tracks: 4, 5, 8, 9, 11)
Hair, Make-Up – Sandra Yang (2)
Harmonica – Gregoire Maret (tracks: 3, 13)
Harp – Tori Drake (tracks: 1, 3, 6)
Percussion – Bashiri Johnson (tracks: 3, 4, 6)
Piano – Gerald Clayton (tracks: 2, 13), Kevin Hays (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter (2) (tracks: 10)
Viola – Kathryn Lockwood (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Lois Martin (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12), Louise Schulman (tracks: 1, 3, 6)
Violin – Antoine Silverman (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12), Entcho Todorov (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12), Jonathan Dinklage (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Joyce Hammann (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Max Moston (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Olivia DePrato (tracks: 1, 3, 6), Sean Carney (tracks: 1, 3, 6)
Vocals – Sophie Milman  

SOPHIE MILMAN - Make Someone Happy (2007) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Sophie Milman exudes confidence on her second solo effort, though she draws material from a much wider range of music styles for this session. The singer is still a fine interpreter of standards and show tunes, offering a flirtatious "People Will Say We're in Love" as a solid opener and an imaginative setting of "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" that showcases harmonica player Gregoire Maret and pianist Paul Shrofel. The addition of a droning opening vamp in "Fever" updates Peggy Lee's hit while keeping its hypnotic flavor intact. Arranger Cameron Wallis is added on tenor sax for Milman's torchy interpretation of "Make Someone Happy," while he wrote the bossa nova "Reste (Stay)" in which she negotiates the multilingual lyrics flawlessly. The singer swings like mad in Shrofel's playful "So Long, You Fool." Some of Milman's choices from pop don't work quite as well. Composer Randy Bachman is an added guest for his "Undun" (a hit for the Canadian rock band the Guess Who), though it sounds bogged down. A number of Stevie Wonder's songs have become favorites of jazz musicians, but "Rocket Fever" quickly becomes tiresome and never shakes its pop flavor. Sophie Milman deserves high praise for not playing it safe and taking some chances for this outing, which is warmly recommended. by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1     People Will Say We're in Love 3:08
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
2     Something in the Air Between Us 4:12
Marc Jordan / Steven MacKinnon
3     Rocket Love 4:33
Stevie Wonder
4     So Long, You Fool 3:04
Paul Shrofel
5     Matchmaker, Matchmaker 3:16
Jerry Bock / Sheldon Harnick
6     Like Someone in Love 3:30
Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke   
7     Make Someone Happy 4:00
Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne
8     (It's Not Easy) Bein' Green 4:41
Joe Raposo
9     Reste 3:21
Cameron Wallis
10     Fever 5:13
Eddie Cooley / John Davenport
11     Undun 3:38
Randy Bachman
12     It Might as Well Be Spring 3:36
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
13     Eli, Eli (A Walk to Caesarea) 3:39
Hannah Senesh
14     Stay 3:31
Cameron Wallis
15     Save Your Love for Me 4:49
Buddy Johnson
Credits :
Randy Bachman - Composer, Guitar (Electric)
Guido Basso - Flugelhorn
Jerry Bock     Composer
Vern Dorge - Flute (Alto)
Robyne Dunne     Hair Stylist
Alan Hetherington - Percussion
John "Snakehips" Johnson - Clarinet (Bass), Flute
Anne Lindsay - Violin
Grégoire Maret - Harmonica
Sophie Milman - Vocals
Kieran Overs - Bass
Rob Piltch - Guitar
Paul Shrofel -     Arranger, Composer, Piano
Claudio Vena -     Viola
Jill Vitols - Cello
Cameron Wallis - Arranger, Clarinet, Composer, Flute, Sax (Tenor)

SOPHIE MILMAN - Sophie Milman (2006) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Sophie Milman's debut reveals a gifted young jazz vocalist who swings with a surprising degree of maturity. Though born in Russia, she has called Canada home for some time and is joined by some of the country's best jazz musicians. Milman isn't afraid to take a few chances and seems to be quite comfortable with her own voice rather than copying others, as young performers have a tendency to do. Her upbeat treatment of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" is full of spirit, while she's clearly having fun in the somewhat campy 1960s-flavored arrangement of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." Pianist Bill King (who is also one of Milman's two producers for this project) provides superb accompaniment to the singer in "I Feel Pretty," which evolves from its original setting into a lively bop setting featuring saxophonist Pat La Barbera. Among the newer compositions, Milman excels in her interpretation of the breezy "Lonely in New York'" (briefly showcasing guitarist Reg Schwager and violinist Lenny Solomon), though the bland pop song "Back Home to Me" sounds like something taken from a Norah Jones CD. Sophie Milman clearly has the ability to turn heads in the jazz world; all she needs is the opportunity to be heard. by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1    Agua De Beber (Water To Drink) 3:55
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
Lyrics By – Norman Gimbel
2    I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby 3:24
Composed By – Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics By – Dorothy Fields
3    Guilty 4:06
Composed By – Harry Akst, Richard Whiting
Lyrics By – Gus Kahn
4    My Baby Just Cares For Me 3:34
Composed By – Walter Donaldson
Lyrics By – Gus Kahn
5    Back Home To Me 3:37
Composed By – Gavin Courtie
Lyrics By – Liz Radford
6    The Man I Love 5:33
Composed By – George Gershwin
Lyrics By – Ira Gershwin
7    Lonely In New York 3:14
Songwriter – Bob Dellaposta
8    I Feel Pretty 4:51
Lyrics By – Leonard Bernstein
Music By – Stephen Sondheim
9    La Vie En Rose 4:51
Lyrics By – Edith Piaf
Music By – Louiguy, Marguerite Monnot
10    My Heart Belongs To Daddy 4:21
Written-By – Cole Porter
11    Ochi Chemye (Dark Eyes) 2:18
Lyrics By – Yevhen Hrebinka
Music By – Traditional
12    This Time Of The Year 5:01
Lyrics By – Brook Benton
Music By – Clyde Owens
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Artie Roth (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), Marc Rogers (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Alto Saxophone – Pat LaBarbera (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10)
Baritone Saxophone – Phil Dwyer (faixas: 10)
Drums – Davide DiRenzo
Guitar – Reg Schwager (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), Rob Piltch (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Harmonica [Chromatic] – Guido Basso (faixas: 6)
Percussion – Alan Hetherington (faixas: 1, 5)
Piano – Bill King (3) (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), John Sheard (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Trumpet – Steve McDade (faixas: 10)

SOPHIE MILMAN - Take Love Easy (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Some critics might dismiss Sophie Milman as simply another pretty female singer, yet with her third CD, she continues to show an adventurous spirit, tackling standards and obscurities while also forging ahead into pop. Retaining many of the musicians from her previous release, Make Someone Happy, the upbeat alto offers a hip take of Duke Ellington's long overlooked "Take Love Easy," exuding sex appeal and backed by guitarist Rob Piltch, bassist Kieran Overs, and percussionist Mark McLean (who also arranged it), with a brief solo added on soprano sax by PJ Perry. Pianist Paul Shrofel contributed the breezy bop vehicle "That Is Love," which showcases Milman in her best light. She soars in the brisk treatment of the old chestnut "Day In, Day Out," starting in a samba setting and switching to bop, featuring alto saxophonist Wessel Warmdaddy Anderson. Her ventures into pop remain a mixed bag. "I Can't Make You Love Me" has been recorded often, just not in a jazz setting. Milman is boosted by Steven MacKinnon's chart, which adds several horns in the background, so it ends up deeper, even if there is little risk-taking by the singer. Milman can't help but be influenced a bit by Joni Mitchell as she interprets the folksinger's "Be Cool," though she remains remarkably subtle in her approach. Less successful are her renditions of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" and Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover," both of which are hampered by their bland melodies and forgettable lyrics. But with this generally strong release, Sophie Milman remains one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation. by Ken Dryden  

Tracklist:

1 Beautiful Love 2:59
Haven Gillespie / Wayne King / Egbert VanAlstyne / Victor Young
2 Take Love Easy 3:15
Duke Ellington / John Latouche
3 I Concentrate on You 4:17
Cole Porter
4 Day in, Day Out 3:24
Rube Bloom / Johnny Mercer
5 Be Cool 4:12
Joni Mitchell
6 My One and Only Love 4:35
Robert Mellin / Guy Wood
7 I Can't Make You Love Me 4:30
Allen Shamblin
8 That Is Love 2:48
Paul Shrofel
9 Love for Sale 4:30
Cole Porter
10 I'm on Fire 4:03
Bruce Springsteen
11 Triste 3:25
Antônio Carlos Jobim
12 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover 4:37
Paul Simon
13 Where Do You Start? 4:13
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Johnny Mandel