Personnel: Patricia Barber (vocals, piano); Charlie Hunter (8-string guitar); Michael Arnopol, Marc Johnson (bass); Adam Cruz, Adam Nuzzbaum (drums).
Recorded at Chicago Recording Company, Chicago, Illinois in May 2000. Includes liner notes by Chip Stern.
Patricia Barber is one high-profile contemporary jazz singer (and pianist) with a decidedly literary bent. (She has included self-penned material on any number of her albums.) NIGHTCLUB (2000) however is a straight set of jazz standards and remains one of her most successful outings. Like her peer Cassandra Wilson, Barber possesses a husky, sultry contralto which she deploys in mostly understated fashion. The singer does not lack for passion however. Her versions of Cindy Walker's "You Don't Know Me" and Cole Porter's "So In Love," for instance, are suffused with longing, a characteristic of all of Barber's slow numbers. Another highlight: a stretched-out version of Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," in which the pianist gets to exercise her considerable chops. Throughout, bassist Marc Johnson provides sympathetic, adept support.
Professional Reviews
CMJ (10/2/00, p.30) - "...A very interesting set of jazz and pop standards....A sharp set that finds Barber in stunning form..."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/02, p.69) - Included in Mojo's "Best Jazz of 2001".
Mojo (Publisher) (4/01, p.106) - "...Barber effortlessly conveys that final-set-of-the-evening intimacy for a high-class album of low-key standards...expertly reworked to suit her intense, after-hours persona..."
