Rave Review for Dianne Reeves at the Weil Center

 

Friday evening Dianne Reeves and her jazz quartet brought their soothing contemporary jazz to the Weil Center at 

Santa Rosa State University.  Reeves (b. 1956, Detroit) is one of our most talented and highly awarded jazz artists.  

She's received 5 Grammy Awards spanning from 2001 - 2015; including Best Jazz Vocal and Best Jazz Album.  Reeves' rich contralto voice and unique interpretations created an uplifting and soothing experience.  Her onomatopoeic, emotive scat vocals have a hypnotic pull making nonsensical 

syllables reverberate with vibrancy.  The underlying musical accompaniment to Reeves' scat elevated the symbiotic 

artistry between instruments and vocals.  It's futile comparing Reeves to greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah 

Vaughan, but Reeves and her peers Cecile McLorin Salvant and Esperanza Spalding all deserve to be esteemed on the 

highest plateau.  Reeves said "I look back at Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan ... and I say, okay, they set a standard 

of excellence.  I listen to them not for what they are doing but to study where they are coming from because for me, jazz 

is life experience."  In addition to Reeves' scat numbers, I enjoyed her heartfelt rendition of "Smile" and her original 

composition "Nine" which captured the exuberance & earning of youth and the mounting wisdom and liberation that 

comes with age.  In her banter she shared her COVID comatose experiences and the empathy garnered from our 

shared isolation.  Her admiration and connection for her bandmates was profuse. Peter Martins on piano was sublime 

and guitarist Romero Lubambo (b. Brazil) with whom she shares a lifelong  collaboration and friendship was astounding 

along with the bass player and drummer.  Harry Belafonte is among the iconic artists Reeves has performed & recorded 

with.  "My friend Harry Belafonte is an activist and musician, an extraordinary man who has taught me the power of 

words and that music can be used to heal and educate people."  The evening of cool jazz was filled with alluring music, 

warmth and camaraderie.