Photography by
Waseem Ghattas
New York All About Jazz July 2008 No. 75
My Little French Dancer - Diane Hoffman (s/r)
Jim Santella
Honoring a departed friend through her latest album, singer Diane Hoffman tells stories
that provide a clear glimpse of the heartache and depression that follow such a loss. Her
“Farewell, Noelle” provides the facts while her interpretation of “When Did You Leave
Heaven” provides the feeling.
Tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon, guitarist John Hart and pianist Oliver Von Essen
provide a big lift, keeping the session immersed in a jazz arena through statements that
recall Rollins, Montgomery and Monk respectively. Rhythms vary from upbeat beguine
to remorseful ballad on a program that includes “Gone with the Wind,” “Close Enough
for Love” and “When Love Was All We Had.” Each harbors a statement of love lost,
memories retained and a void existing where there was once companionship.
Hoffman’s similarity to Carmen McRae comes through with a forceful, don’t –hold-back
approach where seamless phrasing pushes lyrics forward without hesitation.
The grit in her voice and a touch of angst ensure a dramatic session steeped in
experience.
“Well, You Needn’t” and “Blackberry Winter” provide the best evidence of her strengths,
“Sunday in New York” recalls the good times with a light spirit amplified by Weldon’s
upbeat tenor and “Two Years of Torture” has fun with the blues. To celebrate a life and
mark the passing of a close friend, Hoffman has created this program with care. She
recalls both sides of her dear friendship through music; she’s saddened by the loss, but
buoyed by the good times that were had together.
Winthrop Bedford
Jazz Improv
This is an impressive swinging recording. Hoffman’s intonation is perfect.
She delivers the music with emotion and great command of the language and
melody. She uses vibrato and bends notes with superb taste, pointing to the
depth of experience with this music. At certain moments I heard a glimpse
of Carmen McRae- but Hoffman clearly has her own voice. Her articulation is
bell- clear and consistent, and she is lithe as she dances through the
various styles and tempos embodied in the songs on “My Little French Dancer.”
Edward Blanco
ejazznews.com
An accomplished painter, New York- based jazz singer Diane Hoffman paints a
musical portrait of jazz vocals with her latest release providing new reads
to a mixture of uncommon standards. Using a rich textured voice the lady
reaches and sings with power as she fronts an ensemble that provides
excellent musical support. Hoffman’s portrait of love songs, bluesy ballads
and straight standards paints one very jazzy album clearly making “My Little
French Dancer” a must.
John Book
therunoffgroove.blogspot.com
Diane Hoffman is a jazz vocalist who is very expressive in her work. Perhaps
it comes from her love of painting or being able to utilize her painting
skills to create art in any form. She does this on her new album, “My
Little French Dancer,” where she goes back to a number of standards for new
interpretations. How are these interpretations? Quite good actually, with
new renditions of “Close Enough for Love,” “You’re My Thrill,” Sunday in New
York,” “Two Years of Torture” and “Well You Needn’t.” Hoffman throws in a
lot of surprises by either changing the tempo and style, or adding something
that adds a bit of new to the traditional. She also offers a sad song to a
friend who passed away, “Farewell, Noelle.” Rather than dwell on loss, it’s
a celebration of the life of a good friend, and that unexpected approach is
something she utilizes throughout “My Little French Dancer”.
Thomas R. Erdman
JazzReview.com
My Little French Dancer is a jazzy CD that does what many jazz vocal CDs
fail to do: present a set of good tunes without affectation. Hoffman’s
voice harkens back to the great cabaret singers of the 1940’s, as well as
including touches of the late Carmen McRae’s phrasing. The voice is slightly
meaty, which only enhances her delivery at climactic moments. On “Close
Enough for Love” the accompaniment erects a frantically exciting tableau
that pushes Hoffman’s phrasing into an electrifying result. She has just
enough grit in her style to make the tune muscular. It works splendidly. On
ballads like “When Love Was All We Had” and “Blackberry Winter” her voice is
able to caress the lines with a pleasing sympathetic quality. All-in-all
this disc is a handsome presentation of a fine singer.
Michael Gladstone
allaboutjazz.com
Jazz vocalist Diane Hoffman’s decision to open “My Little French Dancer” with “Gone
with the Wind” is indeed a wise one. There are perhaps a dozen or so top echelon jazz
singers who have provided a vocal version of this jazz standard. Hoffman’s version is an
up-tempo one that remains right in there among the best. Hoffman’s other song choices
are also laudable and her decision to perform them in more unusual tempos is a measure
of her ability to take a chance by singing outside of the box. “Close Enough for Love”
and “You’re My Thrill” provide a new perspective in terms of hearing the lyrics when
sung up-tempo. Even Alec Wilder’s “Blackberry Winter,” normally an intimate ballad, is
presented at a more contemporary pace. There are lots of other pleasures to derive here
including a fine blues drenched version of “Two Years of Torture” which finds Hoffman
very comfortable in this subgenre, a surprisingly fresh version of “Yellow Days” and a
churchy organ touch on Peter Nero’s “Sunday in New York.” The musicianship of
pianist/organist Oliver von Essen, drummer Ulysses Owens, Bassist Peter Martin Weiss,
guitarist John Hart, sax man Jerry Weldon and Don Militello on Fender Rhodes is
perfect.
tomhull.com
She has the voice, the nuances, the sense of humor, the repertoire.
Marc Nolis
MazzMusikaS Free-zing
Diane Hoffman, a painter as well as a jazz singer, uses a painter’s skills to choose her
songs and to add just the right mix of splash and color. She reinterprets “Gone with The
Wind” as a fast paced samba and brightens “Close Enough for Love” with Latin gusto.
She takes “Blackberry Winter” and “You’re My Thrill”, traditionally done as ballads, and
makes them totally her own. Hoffman, knows herself well, choosing material and
sidemen for maximum effect. DianeHoffman’s latest CD, My Little French dancer, is a
sure audience pleaser.
Dan Singer
In Tune International
Here’s a superb unusual 11 song CD by a unique and impressive singer. “When Did You
Leave Heaven” is sung as a blues and it really delves deep into a romantic let your hair
down sentiment. And then she swings “Sunday in New York. Her finger-snapping
version amazingly delightfully moves along. “You’re My Thrill” is sung with its seldom
heard verse. Diane kicks it up, way up, in an amazing up tempo version. “Blackberry
Winter” is crooned as a lovely vocal. With just a slight beat, this most romantically
charming song becomes even more glorious. Just wait until you hear her swing take on
“Gone with The Wind.” Diane swings the dickens making it a breezy storm windy
experience.
Chris Spector
Midwest record
This is the real deal, swinging club jazz by a throaty, swinging chick that knows how to
deliver the goods. The kind of music that’s irresistible. Hoffman is a wonderful find. This
smoking set is going to muscle its way into your Ipod and not leave, particularly if you
dig adult songs that cook.