Janis Siegel

Friday Night Special

TELARC CD-83566

Janice Siegel, vocals; Joey DeFrancesco, Hammond B; Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Peter Bernstein, Russell Malone, guitars; Buddy Williams, drums; The Siegelettes, background vocals

Credentials long established, Janis Siegel continues to carefully select her musicians to provide the hip sounds she so obviously loves. With a bunch of musicians of this quality the lady would have had to perform very badly (which she didn't) to mess up this CD. Houston Person gives his all and contributes mightily with his throwaway riffs. Malone is, as always, perfectly attuned to what is happening and manages to push just a little to some place even better. Bernstein, of course, is no slouch. DeFrancesco is so low key hip at some points that you wonder how anyone could get that cool on a Hammond B3. Janis Siegel comes off very well on "Ill Wind". They all get a really nice groove going on "There's A Small Hotel". Person punches a good solo, with DeFrancesco filling admirably before he gets into his own solo. "Misty" is simultaneously flip and hip, and everyone goes out with an obvious sense of joy and accomplishment.

by LawrenceBrazier

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