Artist : FAY VICTOR ENSEMBLE

Title   : The Freesong Suite

Label : Greene Aveue Music

Cat#.  : GAM 0091

Genre: Contemporary Jazz

Reviewed by Jim Hoey

Fay Victor is a jazz vocalist and voice teacher who has paid her dues. She gigged in NYC in the early 90’s and then resided in Europe (with the Netherlands as home base) through 2003, playing with the likes of Odetta, Gloria Lynne, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Misha Mengelberg,  Gary Lucas, Vijay Iyer, Michael Attias, Michael Moore, Duck Baker and Steve Coleman.

On her latest release, The Freesong Suite, she is teamed up with collaborators Anders Nilson (guitar), Ken Filano (bass), and Michael “T.A” Thompson(percussion). They present 9 original compositions that float effortlessly between experimental, traditional and bluesy jazz. What’s interesting about these pieces is how Victor uses a slow, soulful delivery that is disciplined enough to avoid the cliches of many popular jazz vocalists who can be too indulgent or abrasive. She has a smoothness of tone that is experimental, but not unwound or unhinged, and she’s backed by solid musicians who are obviously playing off of her, waiting for her breath to run its course until they come in with their next phrase or solo.

As a credo, The Freesong Suite relies on improvisation to move from place to place. This is in contrast to many less-adventurous releases that might have sacrificed the magic of spontaneity in order to seem more palatable by mapping out complete tracks note for note. On this disc, there may be quiet moments or some parts stretched out, but overall the level of playing is so high that any stumbles quickly turn into the next charmed moment.

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