Sing jazz

This time in Singapore I found some accessible jazz. The Singapore Jazz Club hangs out at the Sultan Hotel . This night they were featuring Sicilian singer Daniela Ruggieri with a backing trio for their Thursday Vox series. Thursday nights are usually a duo format with pianist Mario Serio and a singer but this night was with a full band, as it turns out, to celebrate Daniela’s birthday (impolite to say which one, but a significant one). Daniela sang a series of jazz standards, Willow weep, Summertime, Ipanema, Route 66, Comes love, Wonderful world (many were requests by friends and family on the night) but my favourites were some Italian songs that I hadn’t heard, Estate by Bruno Martino, but especially Quando (“Tu dimmi quando, quando”, not the hugely-known Quando, quando, quando). Lovely tune. I especially enjoyed Daniela’s scatting, which was lively and clever (she had studied piano seriously in earlier years and I reckon that showed). Mario had a great feel for simple eighth-note lines that spelled out the chords to perfection. Bassist Ivan sounded great and did some lovely solos up in thumb position and stepping down to the lowest notes. I was particularly taken by one triplet line that sequenced down through several octaves. Drummer (and husband) Massimo did an understated and sturdy job both in spelling time and laying out some neat solos. Nice to finally get out to some Singapore jazz and especially nice with the Italian and celebratory connections.

Daniela Ruggeri (vocals) celebrated her birthday at the Singapore Jazz Club in the Sultan Hotel with Mario Serio (piano), Ivan Lombardi (bass) and Massimo Alioto (drums)