Review:

on 2012-11-07 Michael_Morrison Said:

From San Francisco area comes an amazing Jazz Vocalist known as Benn Bcaot who just released his second release to date known as -Stolen Moments in 2012.

Bio: Originally hailing from McComb, Mississippi, Benn Bacot's early musical experiences came from singing in church choir and the R&B, Soul and Blues music that was prevalent in the area. Choral music from school choirs and Broadway tunes from musicals also played a part in his early education. A move to the west coast provided the opportunity to combine this early training with extensive vocal training at Blue Bear School of Contemporary Music. Singing in groups for Bay Area Artist Razz Kennedy and Stephanie Bruce gave him the opportunity to develop his own style and encouragement to strike out on his on. The result was 1999's style defining "Retro Nouveau!", a recording of standards given new life through updated arrangements and voicings. Now in San Francisco, his latest release entitled Stolen Moments features a winning combination of working with David Austin as arranger, engineer and musical director on subsequent CD's "My Romance" and "What Love Is!" and the soon to be released "STOLEN MOMENTS" and before that's done he is already working on his next project. A tribute to big band jazz and blues singer Joe Williams.

I always listen to the opening track extremely carefully. It's the opening track the artist has personally selected to hit your ears first and foremost. The opening track "If I Were You sets the stage rather well for a modern day Jazz CD like this. It was a passionate intro piece that stuck in my head with a brilliantly delivered with a richly woven Contemporary Jazz texture with melodies that have serious melodic staying power. Music will remind you of many classic Jazz singer of the past like Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartmen, Billy Eckstein, Otis Redding and Joe Williams. To be honest I can't say enough about Bacot's musical appeal and overall vocal style. Rather than showboat, he sings a song the way it's supposed to be sung - from the heart "Stolen Moments" features Bacot's quartet which is: Benn Bacot (vocals), David Austin (Piano), Bob Blackenship (Drums), Chuck Bennett (Bass and Trombone) and Madeline Duran (Saxophone and Flute) "Stolen Moments" captures a very pure and genuine sound that is classic vocal Jazz and will touch the listener both emotionally and spiritually. Bacot has a sound that favors many classic Jazz giants of the past yet with a modern day conservative feel. It's simple yet brilliant and passionate. I've never heard an artist so skillfully combine so many era's into one unique sound. Weather this is by design or simply by accident it's amazing. The songs that stuck with me the most were "Sesame Mucho" and "They Raided the Joint."

If there was one word I would use to describe Benn Bacot it would be passion. This CD will simply make your day a more entertaining place, but there is an undeniable soulful passion beneath Bacot's singing that can't be taught in any textbook. Benn Bcaot is the genuine article vocalist/composer/performer, but it's obvious to me his primary goal as an artist is to make the world a better place one song at a time.

written my Mindy McCall
edited by Michael Morrison

send review comments to: indiemindymccall@gmail.com
Rating: 9/10