Trombonist/composer/arranger and bandleader
Scott Whitfield has sung on a few of his earlier albums, but on this occasion he dives in head first, concentrating as much on vocals as his trombone playing. This session, which concentrates on songs popular in the 1930s and 1940s, has a strong cast of instrumentalists, including guests
Bucky Pizzarelli,
Marvin Stamm,
Scott Robinson (heard on the rarely featured bass sax), plus
Whitfield, his rhythm section and the Manhattan Vocal Project (the leader plus three instrumentalists, all of whom double on
Four Freshmen-like harmony vocals). But
Whitfield just isn't a strong enough vocalist to devote an entire CD to singing, which makes it difficult to hear this release all the way through in one sitting. His originals on this date are also less memorable than those heard on his earlier Summit recordings, though his arrangements of familiar standards are enjoyable. The vocal highlights feature
Cheryl Bentyne, especially her adept handling of
Bill Evans' "Adagio in Pearl" (a vocal treatment of "Bill's Hit Tune"), though she is hampered a bit by
Whitfield trying to keep up with her vocally. This isn't a bad release, but as many singing jazz instrumentalists have realized over the years, unless you are an outstanding vocalist, it is best to take only occasional turns at the mic. ~ Ken Dryden