The SOPAC stage in South Orange, NJ, this December 7, 2019 is set with a Christmas tree with twinkling white lights. Poinsettias are strategically placed in between an assortment of instruments — a grand piano, an upright bass, a drum set, and an electric guitar on a stand — and white snowflakes are projected on the walls of the sleek and modern auditorium.
The reason for these holiday trimmings is a unique Christmas Time is Here performance by one of the world’s preeminent jazz vocalists, Dianne Reeves.
Reeves, 63, was born into a musical family. Her mother played the trumpet and her father sang. Her uncle is bassist Charles Burrell, the first African-American musician to become a member of a major American symphony orchestra. Her cousin was jazz keyboardist/composer/producer George Duke.
Although Reeves was born in Detroit, she was raised in Denver. In 1971, she started singing and playing the piano. As a member of her high school band, while performing at a convention in Chicago, Dianne was noticed by jazz trumpeter Clark Terry who invited her to sing with him. She went on to study classical voice at the University of Colorado.
Reeves moved to Los Angeles, where she sang and recorded with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and Return to Forever drummer Lenny White. She also founded the group Night Flight with jazz pianist Billy Childs. After moving to New York City in the mid-1980s, she toured with singer Harry Belafonte.
In 1987, Reeves signed with Blue Note records. Her debut album, Dianne Reeves — featuring Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, and Tony Williams — was nominated for a Grammy.
Reeves went on to earn five Grammy awards including Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings — a Grammy first in any vocal category.
Featured in George Clooney’s six-time Academy Award nominated film, Good Night and Good Luck, Reeves won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the movie’s soundtrack. She also worked with legendary producer Arif Mardin on the Grammy-winning A Little Moonlight, an intimate collection of standards featuring her touring trio. Her most recent release Beautiful Life — another Grammy winner — was produced by Terri Lynne Carrington and features such jazz artists as Lalah Hathaway and Esperanza Spalding.
Reeves is the recipient of honorary doctorates from both Boston’s Berklee College of Music and New York City’s The Juilliard School. In 2018, the National Endowment for the Arts designated her a Jazz Master, the highest honor the United States bestows on jazz artists.
Inside the SOPAC auditorium, the lights dim and The Dianne Reeves Quartet featuring pianist Peter Martin, bassist Reginald Veal, drummer Terreon Gully, and guitarist Peter Sprague takes the stage.
Setting the mood for an evening of jazz, the foursome launches into their rendition of the standard, “It Could Happen to You.” With his John Scofield-like electric guitar sound, Peter Sprague tastefully handles the melody as Reginald Veal walks on the stand-up bass.
On his piano solo, Peter Martin clearly and precisely plays up, down, and around the melody as he shifts between coaxing a bright and a muted sound from his instrument while dummer Terreon Gully switches back and forth between brushes and sticks in supplying the rhythm.
The crowd applauds and Martin opens the next number on the piano setting an Afro-styled rhythm as an announcer says, “Please welcome Miss Dianne Reeves.”
Looking stunning in a black dress with white sequined jacket, Reeves takes the stage and immediately impresses with her rich, creamy smooth voice as she croons, “Hark! how the bells/Sweet silver bells/All seem to say/Throw cares away.”
Reeves’ musicians watch her with smiles as she performs this upbeat rendition of the Christmas classic, changing the melody and scat singing with her eyes closed as she pantomimes playing a horn.
The audience responds with avid applause and Reeves greets the crowd saying, “How are we doing? Thank you for joining me in my living room!”
Moving on to a Christmas tune with a slow bossa feel, Reeves performs “This Time of Year.” As she sings, Sprague accompanies her on the electric classical guitar played with fingerpicks. Impressing with her vocal range, use of dynamics, and her interpretation of the lyrics, Reeves croons, “Little girls and little boys/Dream of worlds full of toys/This time of the year/When Christmas is near,” before concluding with scat syllables on a live fade-out ending.
Up next is a beautiful rendition of Pat Metheny’s “Minuano (Six Eight).” As Reeves vocalizes the infectious melody on this lively piece of world music, she and percussionist Terreon Gully play off one another, at times, Gully playing on his drums with his fingertips.
Sprague’s guitar echoes the melody that Reeves sings before he and Dianne perform the melody in harmony. Gully adds additional vocals to the mix while Reeves stands surrounded by the music happening all around her.
Building in dynamics and intensity, bringing applause from the crowd, Sprague’s electric classical guitar work echoes the style of Earl Klugh, and Peter Martin fills in the middle simultaneously playing the grand piano with one hand and an electric keyboard with the other.
The crowd responds with enthusiastic cheers, and Reeves introduces her next number saying, “Last year, we lost three phenomenal women: Toni Morrison, Jesse Norman, and Diahann Carroll,” adding, “all three were inspirational,” and explaining, “They all are, to me, ‘Stellas by starlight.’”
Stretching the sound on a lovely legato interpretation of “Stella By Starlight” which showcases her vocal treasures and musicianship, Reeves sings, “That great symphonic theme/That’s Stella by starlight/And not a dream/My heart and I agree/She’s everything on this earth to me.”
Martin plays a chordal piano solo that morphs into an intricate melodic solo before Reeves re-enters, her warm resonant voice resounding with style, the performance concluding with enthusiastic whistles and applause.
Channeling Ella Fitzgerald, Reeves scat sings up, down, and around with ease and precision on “Let It Snow.” Audience members clap along as the quartet takes over with guitarist Sprague, pianist Martin, drummer Gully, and bassist Veal each taking solos.
Dianne calls out her approval as she listens to her bandmates with her eyes closed absorbing their vibe and energy while audience members bop and move in their seats.
The band watches Dianne as she sings, “The fire is slowly dying/And my dear, we’re still goodbying” before vocally improvising while ad libbing lyrics like “Put on some Netflix and chill!” and singing her way off the stage with style and personality.
During intermission, we chat with several audience members who share their opinions of tonight’s concert thus far.
Says Cherise from Atlantic City, “Dianne Reeves is a virtuoso musician. Her voice is amazing, and she touches on all levels of emotion.” Explaining, “Her voice — it’s so poetic,” Cherise adds, “She’s a powerhouse performer who is so enjoyable to listen to, I couldn’t help but move to ‘Let it Snow.’”
Mark from Newark agrees adding, “Dianne Reeves’ voice is an instrument — it’s a God-given gift. I hear Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn in her voice,” before concluding, “They just don’t make singers like this anymore.”
Act II begins with Reeves and Co. performing “Christmas Waltz.” The band sets the mood and groove on this arrangement in 3/4 time which features unusual accents. Reeves sings, “Frosted window panes/Candles gleaming inside/Painted candy canes on the tree/Santa’s on his way,” before Terreon Gully sings harmony with her as she scats, and Peter Martin plays a happy-go-lucky piano solo to avid applause.
Taking some time to chat with the audience, Reeves reveals, “I was born in Detroit and grew up in Denver.” Relating a story about leaving home at the age of 18 or 19, Reeves recalls, “I drove to California in my Datsun ‘Honey Bee.’ For my first holiday away from home, it was 87 degrees at the beach,” prior to noting, “I listened to the music of Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell there, and it became the soundtrack of my life.”
Here, Reeves performs a poignant and dynamic rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “River.”
Singing with passion, “It’s coming on Christmas/They’re cutting down trees/Putting up reindeer/Singing songs of joy and peace/Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on,” Reeves makes the song her own. Crying with emotion and nuance on this R&B-infused arrangement, lights dim as she brings the song to a close with her ad-libbed vocalized ending where she sings, “I’m going home to all the things I know.”
The crowd cheers and Reeves and the band respond with a Latin-flavored version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Reeves entrances the crowd with her soulful vocal interpretation, and Peter Sprague fingerpicks a twangy solo on his electric classical guitar while Reginald Veal deftly accompanies him on the electric bass.
Improvising on both the melody and the words, Reeves vocalizes a story about arriving home at the airport singing, “Gonna be home/We didn’t have no Uber/Cab was too expensive/Somebody gotta go pick that girl up!” Even Reeves’ band members laugh when they hear her intimate, personal, and funny improvisation which the audience clearly loves, too.
Next up is a rhythmic world music arrangement of “A Child is Born” where Reeves sings with feeling and Terreon Gully plays a drum solo in triple meter incorporating rhythms introduced by Dianne.
After dancing to the music of the hot band, Reeves pops out high notes and even incorporates a snippet of “The Little Drummer Boy” into her vocal improvisation.
The crowd goes wild and Reeves responds by saying, “You ask them to have me come back, and I will come back!” to which a fan yells out, “It’s your energy!”
For her final number, Reeves performs her interpretation of Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here.” On this mellow and sweet arrangement, Reeves sings, “Christmas time is here/Happiness and cheer/Fun for all that children call/Their favorite time of the year.”
Following a slow and jazzy instrumental interlude, Reeves vocally improvises, “Ladies and gentlemen/The best gift I have to give to you is just singing/I want you to feel good/Feel the love and give it back all day long.”
She also impressively vocalizes the introductions of all of her band members improvising, for example, “Peter Martin/My long time pianist,” “Peter Sprague/My zen master,” “Terreon Gully/The heartbeat, the soul,” and “Reginald Veal/Always in the moment/I stand where I can feel the bass/Makes me do things I can only do in this spot.”
Continuing, “How do you like my band?/Do you love my band?” the audience hoots and hollers to which Reeves responds, “Thank you/We wish you peace, light, love, and strength/May all of your stories have a happy or meaningful ending!”
The packed house stands as Reeves graciously bows, accepts flowers from a fan downstage, and smiles and waves goodnight.
As audience members filter out of the SOPAC auditorium, we chat with several in attendance who share their reactions to tonight’s performance.
Whereas Harriet from Montclair calls Dianne Reeves’ talents “Remarkable,” Kate from Bloomfield notes, “She’s so classy, and the warmth she gives is incredible.”
Sylvia from Glen Ridge contends, “The different levels of a song that she takes you to are fantastic.”
Juanita from Plainfield calls Dianne Reeves’ performance tonight “Awesome,” and Deborah from Little Falls refers to it as “Electrifying!”
John from Plainfield asserts, “To see Dianne Reeves live is an incredible experience — that’s the difference a multi-Grammy award winner can make.” Continuing, “She’s a superb artist and her command of the stage is amazing,” John explains, “I’d see her again, especially here at SOPAC. I like that it’s such an intimate venue, and the sound and lighting here are excellent.”
Jackie from Plainfield agrees adding, “This is the first time I’ve seen her, but it won’t be the last. She’s phenomenal! Her range is incredible and she is so personable with the audience. I’d recommend everyone come see her.”
Daneen from Maplewood tells us, “Altogether, I’ve seen Dianne Reeves 12 times, but each time is like the first time. It’s always a different show for her.” Adding, “She has so much energy, and I love the way she interacts with the audience,” Daneen concludes by adding, “She has such a wonderful personality, and her voice is like an exquisite instrument.”
Lastly, we chat with Beverly from Bloomfield who sums things up in a single word — “Brilliant!”
To learn more about Dianne Reeves, please go to diannereeves.com. For information on upcoming performances at SOPAC — including Masters of the Telecaster with Jim Weider, G.E. Smith, and Larry Campbell on February 7; Jim Messina on March 5, violinist Damien Escobar on March 29, and Aaron Neville on April 16 — please click on sopacnow.org.
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