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Andy Bey in Paris
Saw Andy Bey at the Sunside last night for an hour-long set. Loved it! I was afraid maybe his voice wouldn't sound as great live as in the studio, but it was the other way around. His richly textured baritone voice reveals itself fully live.
He sang standards such as "Mountain Greenery," "There Will Never Be Another You" and "I'll Remember April," as well as "Tuesdays in Chinatown," "Someone To Watch Over Me" and a scatted version of Parker's "Cheryl." He accompanied himself at the piano - not a bad pianist, not terribly polished but he knows his way around and is always interesting. His arrangements of the tunes were hip and surprising.
He's a highly original singer, with his mix of gospel, bop, croonerism and intimately crafted arrangements, and his performance was fresh and in-the-moment: he's capable of beautifully suave phrasing but there's nothing slick about him. He had the audience hanging on his every syllable. Very, very pleasing concert.
He has a new album out, "Chillin' with Andy Bey"--haven't heard it or the previous one, "Tuesdays in Chinatown" but I plan to get them both.
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