1.Bring It Back
2.I'm Shooting High
3.I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
4.You Got To Swing and Sway
5.Aged and Mellow
6.The Darktown Strutters Ball
7.Lucille
8.You've Got Me Under Your Thumb
9.After The Lights Are Low
10.I'm Sticking With You Baby
11.Strange As It Seems
12.Public Melody Number One
13.I Cover The Waterfront

Catherine Russell: Vocal, Percussion (6,10)
Matt Munisteri: Guitar, Arranger (6,8)
Lee Hudson: Bass (Except 6)
Mark McLean: Drums, Percussion (6)
Andy Farber; Tenor Saxophone, Arranger (1,2,3,7,12,13)
Jon-Erik Kellso: Trumpet, Horn Arrangement (4)
Brian Pareschi: Trumpet (Except 1)
Dan Block: Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone (5), Clarinet (4)
John Allred: Trombone
Mark Lopeman: Baritone Saxophone
Nicki Parrott: Bass (6)
Glenn Patscha: Hammond B-3 Organ (6,9,10)

A dynamic exploration of great American music as well as her own lyrical roots, Catherine Russell is set to drop a new standard for jazz vocalists on Feb. 11. Bring It Back is an introspective look at the earliest days of improvisational music with the smoldering passion that is a deeply personal connection to her pioneering mother and jazz vocalist Carline Ray. Sadly Catherine's mother left us shortly after the completion of this stellar recording but her legacy lives on through the artistic triumph of her daughter. The inspiration of her father and former Louis Armstrong band member Luis Russell is never far from the forefront as Russell does a lyrical exploratory on what is indeed the roots music of this great country.

Despite the obvious pain of the loss of her mother there is an unbridled optimism that permeates Bring It Back which is not a melancholy look back but a celebratory look ahead. Swing, that ever present intangible that much like love is hard to describe but oh so easy to feel is the silent but deep river of soulful expression running just below the surface as the ten piece orchestra raises the stakes with a harmonic groove that is nothing but fine. The Russell spark ignited the 1952 Johnny Otis number "Aged and Mellow" while her emotional shell is gently pealed back with the Duke Ellington tune "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart."

This is a personal if not slightly conceptual release. Caroline Ray's Vocal Sides was released shortly before her death and this sublime release may well serve as the catalyst for what may well stand up as the best vocal release for 2014. I know it is early but...it is what it is. Catherine Russell does not need an arsenal of runs and tricks to sell a tune, she crawls inside a song and gets comfortable with the listener invited along for the ride. A singer is someone that can find pitch. A vocal artist tells stories and takes you along for the ride. Catherine Russell is a vocal artist. ---criticaljazz.com

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1. Under the Spell of the Blues
2. I'm in the Mood for Love
3. Wake up and Live
4. Ev'ntide
5. Romance in the Dark
6. I'm Checkin' Out, Goom'bye
7. No More
8. Satchel Mouth Baby
9. Everything's Been Done Before
10. Don't Leave Me
11. I Haven't Changed a Thing
12. Everybody Loves My Baby
13. He's All I Need
14. Whatcha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Swing?

Personnel:
Catherine Russell (vocals)
Matt Munisteri (guitar)
Dan Block (clarinet, alto saxophone)
Andy Farber (tenor saxophone)
Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet)
John Allred (trombone)
Mark Shane (piano)
Mark McLean (drums)

Catherine Russell is a throwback vocalist, old school. Russell is a captivating story teller when it comes to all things love. Strictly Romancin' is an extension of Inside This Heart of Mine but with a slightly more organic twist. While Russell can never be accused of the same kind of self indulgent pretentiousness found in some vocal artists today, here Russell goes the opposite direction. Musical diversity, an eclectic journey of tales of primal nature of love to that of the more esoterically oriented. Catherine Russell seems to have mastered the transition from vocalist to story teller with relative ease and this natural if not infectious self assurance is immediately transferred to the audience in a form of sonic chemistry that is literally undeniable. Naturally with taste subjective then ten different people may walk away with ten different takes on the same song become the natural communicative style in which Russell works her craft is a virtual lock to mentioned more than a half dozen times.

The ability to shift dynamics on the fly is what can make a good singer a great vocalist, become a master and you turn into a vocal story teller with an almost innate ability to transform an individual to a different time and a different place. This skill is a rare gift that I personally do not believe can be taught. "Under The Spell Of The Blues" with an elegant swing and an earnest delivery from Russell there is a subtle yet smokey swing with the remembrance of a time gone by in chronological years but not in musical honesty and this is where Russell shines brightest. Nothing is forced. While the average "jazz diva" should be working with the yellow triangle next to them that states: "Danger - Pretentious Artist At Work" - Russell makes old school new cool! The iconic standard "I'm In The Mood For Love" is carried off with an old school subtlety but is silky smooth with just the hint of a smokey finish to go down satisfying! "Don't Leave Me" has a slight blues infusion while not over bearing there is room for even more but nothing can derail what is a virtually flawlessly paced release.

Strictly Romancin is a virtually flawless release from concept to the last note, as entertaining a release as you may hear from the vocal side of the jazz idiom all year. Catherine Russell is far more than a singer, she is an entertainer with a first call lineup surrounding her to simply take a good thing and make it better. --- criticaljazz.com

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