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Critical Acclaim for A New Take From The Journal of the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors Sue Matsuki (vcl); Chris Hajian (tpt); Bob Kindred (ts); Gregory Toroian (p, arr); Gene Bertoncini (g); Ned Mann (b); Ronald J. Tierno (d). New York, October/November 2000. Speaking of Happiness/ Bluesette/ I’m Gonna Miss You/ You Brought a New Kind of Love/ Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars/ Astrud/ I’ll Close My Eyes/ It’s Nice Weather for Ducks/ I Whistle a Happy Tune/ Whistling Away the Dark/ Moondance/ Runaway/ Love Is Blind/ Have You Got Any Castles, Baby?/ the Shadow of Your Smile/ the Shining Sea/ Shaking the Blues Away/ Anticipation. TT 58:53. Sue Matsuki is well known in New York, where she’s an award winning regular in clubs, when not performing in musicals and opera. Her groove is jazz— she won the 2002 MAC award for best jazz vocalist, and this disc brings her to a wider audience. Matsuki is her married name— she’s Connecticut born, of Swedish-French descent. Her style is somewhere in the good region of Irene Kral. Her approaches to these new and old songs are dead on, whether blues, ballad, or rhythm is the right choice. And with the fine band and superb arrangements, she can turn on a dime. The instrumental contributions match Matsuki’s singing. The rhythm section is flawless, enhancing and never interfering. Several passages are lovely duets for Matsuki and bass, guitar, or piano. The Al Cohn-like tenor of Bob Kindred nicely complements the singer on several tracks, and arranger-pianist Greg Toroian matches Matsuki’s versatility and taste, whether in support or solos. Each track is a gem. In an ideal universe, this album would go platinum. Art Hilgart
"I’m a big fan of yours…you knocked me out!" Amanda McBroom
"Your CD is wonderful – it’s great to hear the songs and hear the joy with which you sing!" D.C. Anderson
"This CD is a must have…I just fell in love with the song choices, the arrangements, and Sue’s wonderful phrasing and interpretation." Julie Reyburn
"I was knocked out by your recording! Your song selections, your arrangements, your voice and your ear for jazz are stunning. And, you have such passion. I had no idea of the scope of your talent." Sammy Goldstein
"This is my initial response, straight from the heart: I just finished working on a film involving the supernatural. And an element of it had to do with the conjuring of spirits of those who went before (living and dead) in order to create something new and alive. And I thought about that as I was listening to the CD tonight. I felt George Shearing and Eddie Jefferson draw close. Out of the corner of my eye in the darkened corner there was Cleo Laine with John Coltrane, but when I looked over they were gone in a purple mist that seemed to hold reflections of Nichele Nichols, Mundell Lowe, Stan Getz and Diane Schuur. With the scent of Julie London in the air around me. But none of that is exactly right. The instrumentation and arrangements were superb, your performance marvelous, the concept incredibly well executed. But those are all individual elements…and what I heard was a single entity, a living thing that swept around me and took me away into a nicer place that I have been in a long time." Richard Steinberg
"Another treat for jazz lovers is Sue Matsuki’s album, A New Take. Matsuki, who won the 2002 MAC Award for Best Female Jazz Artist, has crafted an album with musical director Gregory Toroian that gives a new spin to old jazz standards and a jazzy spin to some contemporary songs. Thus, jazz chestnuts like "The Shadow Of Your Smile" and "Bluesette" are given a fresh coat of paint and songs not usually associated with jazz, such as Carly Simon’s "Anticipation" and Janis Ian’s "Love Is Blind," are given new shadings. Matsuki has a fresh, unaffected voice that envelops the songs like a glove, giving equal attention to melody and lyric (a rarity in the jazz world)." Jonathan Frank, Talkin’ Broadway, October 2002 "...Matsuki has a clean, clear and unaffected voice that is both lovely and interesting ... she uses it artfully and sings with sincerity ... now's the time for her to spread her wings and take off..." David Hurst
"...get your hands on this recording -- one of the best I've listened to all year!" Stu V. Hamstra
"...I adored the selection of songs and was particularly thrilled with the way you did Have You Got Any Castles..." Margaret Whiting
"...Sue Matsuki has A New Take, a jazz disc with the marvelous Bob Kindred on tenor sax making it more interesting than your average release. When Matsuki plays with the lyric on the slower tempos...like I'm Gonna Miss You, penned by Mel Tormé which is beautifully done...no over-the-top angst but rather a light touch of sad melancholy..." Lesley Alexander
"...Sue Matsuki meant one thing with the title of her CD A New Take. You can add one more: take it home. Fresh and exciting, this is jazz that neither loses the melodic line nor the meaning of the lyrics. The arrangements have style, the singing has warmth and sincerity, and the ultimate compliment is that the CD wears well on the ear. As soon as you hear the album once through you’ll likely want to hear it again..." Barbara & Scott Siegel
...I’ve always been a fan of Ms. Matsuki so it is no surprise to me that her CD A New Take is such a delight. With the solid base of Gregory Toroian’s inventive and insightful arrangements, and the assistance of a great studio band (with special appearances by Gene Bertoncini and Bob Kindred), Sue delivers a recording that presents standards in new wrappings. Her clear, soothing vocals and clever stylings make for an hour or so of pure joy..." Stu V. Hamstra
"...WOW!!!! Let me know when I can buy one. By the way, two chorus people wanted to know who the singer was...I told them...they both loved the voice and the music. If it is heard, it will be sold..." Bob Diamond
"...Your singing shows a quiet confidence that’s impressive on a first recording. It’s clear that you know you have the right to express your feelings, you truly mean what you say, and you can say it without unnecessary ornamentation. AND, you can swing!..." Annie Dinerman
MY TAKE ON "A NEW TAKE" If you know Susan Matsuki, you'll recognize your friend from the exuberant cover art right through the last thrilling "take" on this impeccably arranged, engineered and performed disc. If you don't know Susan Matsuki, after you've taken this jazz-driven journey you'll feel like you've had a long, rich conversation and will be looking forward to the next one. The concept for "A New Take" is simple: fresh, often daring, always inventive new interpretations of standards, rarities, and a number of surprising – and successful! – contemporary songs that have been so artfully re-imagined by Susan and her extraordinary arranger/pianist Gregory Toroian that they feel completely new. The recording captures performances of such immediacy and intimacy that you expect to hear ice cubes clinking and chairs shifting. I almost applauded sitting in my comfy chair in the dark under the headphones. Susan sings with a calm confidence that allows her to swing from pathos to playtime with equal assurance and focus. *** A favorite track? That's hard. But what Susan does with Carly Simon's "Anticipation" will make you forget about catsup commercials forever. There is real artistry here. If you are a jazz fan and appreciate an artist who takes genuine risks with stunning success, you will enjoy this CD. And yes, Susan is a friend of mine... but oddly enough listening to "A New Take" was the first time I have heard her sing. I know her much better now.
"A New Take" - CD Review I've been watching Susan Matsuki's career develop for years and welcomed the chance to review her new CD. When I received it, I played it straight through, then played it again, then AGAIN. This is a CD that's liable to stay in my CD changer right next to Nancy LaMott. The album is a compilation of steamy sultry jazz takes on standards and pop tunes, remarkably arranged by Gregory Toroian. Matsuki is always a pleasure on-stage, but she truly comes alive in the studio. Unlike many cabaret performers who don't translate well to the recorded medium, Matsuki brings emotional intensity and vocal insouciance to her debut album. She is joined by the stellar musical performances of Gregory Toroian on piano; Ned Mann, bass; Ron Tierno, percussion; Chris Hajian, trumpet; Gene Bertoncini, guitar; and Bob Kindred, sax. This album has all the seductive silky jazz stylings that the Linda Rondstadt/Nelson Riddle albums should have had. Toroian is truly a find, both as an arranger and pianist, and the album is all the more impressive because of its debut status. Some of my favorite cuts include Rodgers & Hammerstein's perky I Whistle a Happy Tune juxtaposed with Mancini & Mercer's evocative, mysterious Whistling in the Dark, and an extremely fresh take (hence the album title) on Van Morrison's Moondance. Mel Tormé's I'm Gonna Miss You is a lesser-known gem, cycling through a year of lonely holidays (far superior to Stevie Wonder's similar I Just Called To Say I Love You which tries to say the same thing without as much sophistication). Jobim & Lees' Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars evolves into a driving, pulsing version of Basia Trzetrzelewska & Danny White's Astrud with amazing band solos by both Toroian and Kindred. Matsuki's take on Carly Simon's Anticipation still makes me forget the ketchup commercial, as I mentioned in a previous review. I think perhaps my favorite cut is an arrangement of Del Shannon & Max Cook's Runaway with Janis Ian's Love is Blind, with great Memphis-style piano from Toroian and ethereal vocals from Matsuki. *** On the whole, A New Take is a recording that cabaret artists with dozens of albums under their belt would be proud of. As a debut, the album is remarkable.
Dear Readers: Re: A New Take
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Visualize, if you will, a secluded nightclub on 52nd Street NYC during its heyday in the 50's, with the likes of Billie Holiday, Sylvia Syms and Mabel Mercer standing with their combos, looking elegant and regal. That is the picture you get when Sue Matsuki and her group begin their set at Arci's Place. What a treat this show is! Gregg Culling
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These are his sweet words…