| CD Reviews - June 2009
by George Fendel
Shining Hour, The Oster-Welker
Alliance, Jeff Oster, vocals, Peter Welker, trumpet,
flugelhorn.
Funny thing about jazz singers. We often
decide who qualifies as a jazz singer within moments of hearing
a candidate for the first time. Jeff Oster qualifies. He
gets it. And believe it or not, he reminds me just a bit
of the great Dave Lambert. And like Lambert, he puts across
the meaning of a lyric as the composer intended it. Both
on ballads and on up tempo, boppy romps complete with just
enough improvisation, I repeat, Oster gets it. And when you
glance at the tune list, you know that Oster and his co-leader,
trumpet and flugelhorn man Peter Welker, get it from that
standpoint as well, including "Sweet Pumpkin,” "This
Masquerade,” and a host of Songbook Americana standards
like "Laura," "Sophisticated Lady” and "Speak
Low,” among others. Special kudos for Oster’s "Bean,” a
bebop romp fully equipped with a few bristling scat choruses.
Welker’s arranging is spot-on perfecto for an accompanying
group mostly about octet sized. Welker put it this way: " … I
honestly think that this is the best thing that I’ve
ever been associated with. Recording this music with this
group is a dream fulfilled.” I heartily agree, and
further hope that these guys get together soon for volume
two!
Jazzed Media, 2009, 69:39.
Copyright 2009, Jazz Society
of Oregon
May 2009
Jeff,
GREAT CD! Still a bit early in the year,
but definitely a "Best Vocal Release" of the year
candidate... . Congrats!
Laurence Donohue-Greene
Managing Editor
All About Jazz - New York
NEW YORK's ONLY HOMEGROWN JAZZ GAZETTE
VOXNEWS
by Suzanne Lorge
When it comes right down to it, there aren’t
many male jazz vocalists out there and when you find one,
especially one as good as Jeff Oster, pay attention. Oster
has a fantastic sense of time and what a scatter! It’s
like listening to a sober Chet Baker, without all that whispering.
Oster’s new CD, Shining Hour (Jazzed Media), with The
Oster / Welker Jazz Alliance, promises to be one of the best
debuts of the year.
All
About Jazz - New York l June 2009
New Jersey Jazz Society
Shining Hour
by Joe Lang
June 2009 The performer credit for Shining Hour (Jazzed
Media – 1042) is THE OSTER/WELKER JAZZ ALLIANCE. One
track and you realize that it is an album by vocalist Jeff
Oster backed primarily by a big band led by trumpeter Peter
Welker. A few tracks have a small group, with only
the guitar of Randy Vincent supporting Oster on his sensitive
reading of "Young and Foolish.” In his
liner notes Scott Yanow mentions that Oster has been compared
to Mel Tormé, while he also detects some Chet Baker
influences. To me his sound is closer to that of Jackie
Paris. That is a pretty impressive lineup of comparisons. Suffice
to say that Jeff Oster, who has recently returned to singing
after a 20-year hiatus, sounds like Jeff Oster, and that
is just fine, thank you. He has selected 12 pop and
jazz standards, and added an original, "Bean.” It
is nice to have what has become a rarity, a good, new, male
jazz singer. He covers both the ballad and swinger
sides with ease. The selections include "Sweet
Pumpkin,” "Sophisticated lady,” "This
Masquerade,” "Laura,” "I Keep Going
Back to Joe’s,” "Speak Low,” "My
Shining Hour,” "My Foolish Heart,” "Groovin’ High,” "Bluesette” and "A
Time for Love,” not a weak one among them. Oster
does indeed shine on Shining Hour. (www.JazzedMedia.com)
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Review from allaboutjazz.com
San-Francisco-based Jeff Oster has one of those happy-sounding voices that make you feel happy, too. Even a depressing kind of song like "Sophisticated Lady" leaves the impression that, after all of that "smoking-drinking-never-thinking-of-tomorrow" stuff, everything will turn out okay. But it isn't until Oster scats that you really submit to his affable sound and just want to be BJFF (best jazz friends forever).
— Suzanne Lorge CD/DVD Reviewer
All About Jazz - New York
Recommended New Listening June 2009
* The Oster-Welker Jazz Alliance— Shining Hour
(Jazzed Media)
— Laurence Donohue-Greene Managing Editor
Bev & Gano Evans
" TWO
4 JAZZ". SANTA FE PUBLIC RADIO - KSFR 101.1 fm
As you well know there are sometimes jazz performances
that are those rare and wonderful moments. Well, last night
in our living room we experienced one of those moments. The
Oster/Welker Jazz Alliance CD was perfection!
Talented writing, arranging, extraodinary musicians
and a true jazz singer. Can't wait to play this on our shows,
only problem is where do we start!
Congratulations to a fine bunch of jazz musicians
and to Jazzed Media.
Sat 6/20/2009 1:15 AM
From: Ken Borgers [jazzknob@me.com]
To: Grambojazz@aol.com
Re: Oster/Welker Jazz Alliance "Shining Hour" CD
on Jazzed Media
Graham,
Hello! Been meaning to write and thank
you for sending "Shining Hour." I agree with
you about the shortage of male vocalists. And most of
the ones that are around, even many who've achieved a lot of
success, have little understanding of the lyrics and no ability
to phrase.
Jeff Oster is an exception; he really is a fresh
voice, with great phrasing, and obvious appreciation for what
he's singing. Where's he been all this time? He's
obviously not just starting out. . . Anyway, it doesn't matter;
what does matter is he's arrived now! I partially agreed
with Yanow's assessment that he hears a little of Mel Torme
and Chet; also maybe a little Mark Murphy. But really,
he doesn't sound like either of them. He sounds like
himself.
I love the disc and have added it to my little
operation. My favorite tracks: Laura, I Keep Going Back
to Joe's, This Masquerade, and Sophisticated Lady.
Ken Borgers,
ATC Local Host/News Anchor KCRW-Santa Monica
"During the past 20 years, there has been
a major shortage of male jazz vocalists. The number of significant
male jazz singers under the age of 60 can be counted on one's
fingers. Jeff Oster, a Bay Area native, is both a new discovery
and a veteran.
While Jeff Oster's voice has been compared to Mel Torme, and I can hear a bit
of Chet Baker in his sound, he really sounds like himself. His choice of notes
and his phrasing let one know that he is a musician (although he gave up playing
trumpet a long time ago), his scatting is consistently inventive, he puts plenty
of feeling into his interpretations of lyrics and, most importantly, he is
fun to hear. There is a joy in his singing that is very easy to appreciate
and savor.”
Scott
Yanow, Jazz Critic
Author of nine books on jazz including "Swing", "Bebop", "Trumpet
Kings", "Jazz On Film" and "Jazz On Record 1917-76."
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