In Your Own Sweet Way; A Tribute To Dave Brubeck by Sabine Kuhlich & Laia Genc

Label: Double Moon Records
Year: 2016
Released on LP: No
Released on CD: Yes

Tracks

When You Wish Upon A Star
It’s A Raggy Waltz
Three To Get Ready
Strange Meadow-Lark
Those Clouds Are Heavy, You Dig
Take Five
In Your Own Sweet Way
Koto Song
Sweet Slumber
Blue Rondo A La Turk
Emily
Unsquare Dance
Blessed Are The Poor
For Mara
The Message

Reviews

New York City Jazz Records

Not many singers take on Dave Brubeck’s compositions, probably because his melodies contain tricky intervals and are often written in odd time signatures that are not usual for vocal repertoire. Two German musicians have now set a standard for vocal interpretations of Brubeck’s work with In Your Own Sweet Way: A Tribute to the Great Dave Brubeck (Double Moon), the “heart project” of Sabine Külich (vocals, saxophone) and Laia Genc (piano).

The pair approaches almost all of the tunes lightly and whimsically, whether usual suspects like “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo à la Turk” or lesser-known pieces like “Unsquare Dance” or “It’s a Raggy Waltz”. As with many horn players, Külich’s scatting is clever and effortless. Equally as impressive are the sections where the two improvise on their respective instruments, with Külich using a more traditional jazz vocabulary and Genç a more modernist one. Their improvised conversation is especially strong on “Blessed Are The Poor”, which offers some of the few somber moments on the disc.