Lyn Stanley: London With a Twist – Live at Bernie’s
All About Jazz by C. MICHAEL BAILEY
Lyn Stanley hits her stride.
The Great American Songbook possesses a persistent resonance in our culture. It may be best defined as the Songbook as the popular music of the 1920s through the 1950s: Tin Pan Alley, showtunes and other popular music of the period. This block of songwriting remains a bedrock of jazz. The durability and longevity of the Songbook is owed first, to musical composition and lyric writing so rarified, a paucity exists among songwriters today. Secondly, most music listeners grow into the Songbook through their own life experiences. “Someone to Watch over Me” and “Lush Life” mean way more to the middle aged than they ever will to the young adult. Extrapolating from the admonishment by old jazz players to younger ones, “don’t play standards without knowing all of the lyrics,” young players are cautioned to leave these songs alone until they are older. Sam Phillips told Johnny Cash, after the latter’s first audition of gospel tunes, “go home and sin, then come back with a song I can sell.” Experience trumps technique, always.
LYN STANLEY, Favorite Takes London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s
JWVibe by Jonathan Widran August 6, 2019
Awarded Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year for 2018 by Los Angeles’ KKJZ, the country’s largest jazz station, interpreter extraordinaire Lyn Stanley’s heart and musical muse has been immersed in all things Julie London for the past year.
As its unique title might indicate, on Favorite Takes London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s, she finds a fresh and innovative way to create “Part 2” of a tribute series that began earlier in 2019 with the release of the 17- song sultry and sass masterwork London Calling: A Toast to Julie London.
In the liner notes and an exclusive full color booklet accompanying the CD, we learn about a challenging studio process called direct to disc recording, which bypasses the use of magnetic tape, recording audio directly onto an analog disc. Tracking live one number immediately after another leaves no room for fixing mistakes and requires a quick shift in mindset to the next tune in the cue.
Recorded at Bernie Grundman Mastering with five-time Grammy winning producer Allen Sides, the date finds Stanley vibing with a band so well-heeled and hipster that she calls them the Jazz Mavericks (pianists Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang, bassist Chuck Berghofer, guitarist John Chiodini, drummer Aaron Serfaty and percussionist Luis Conte).
It’s dazzling stuff that creates an exquisite audiophile experience, but don’t let all the tech coolness and star power distract you from enjoying Stanley’s magic at center stage. Buoyed by her cats, she winds, twists, bends and opens her heart via lush, lush, alternately whimsical/exuberant, whispery and intimate arrangements of classic London material that once again showcase Stanley’s effortless diversity and sense of reverence with adventurousness.
Just as on the first project, she slyly includes two outliers she imagines that London would have loved doing – in this case, sly, rambunctious takes on Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” (made famous by Natalie Cole) and Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell.”
Review: London With A Twist: Live at Bernie’s – Lyn Stanley
The Audio Beatnik
Don’t Make Assumptions
I know that London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s is an audiophile recording and I appreciate that Lyn has taken the effort to ensure that her albums are recorded, mastered and pressed to create vinyl discs that have the highest quality sound for playback. However, in this case, “audiophile recording” does this album a major injustice. I know guys who won’t even own an “audiophile recording” and it would be tragic not to get this LP or SACD right now. And yes, the LP is expensive, but there are less expensive ways to listen to this great album.
It’s full of songs we all know, starting with “Route 66″ and the Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac.” It continues with standards like “Blue Moon,” “Goody Goody,” “Body and Soul,“ and even “In the Still of the Night.” Lyn’s interpretations of these well-known songs make them both fresh and inspirational.
Top Jazz Talent
I don’t doubt that there are many others who agree with me when I say that Lyn is more than a singer who makes audiophile recordings. In 2018, she was named Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year by Saul Levine, programmer for KJZ-FM, Los Angeles’ top jazz station.
And, for London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s, as she has for her previous work, Lyn gathered around her some true jazz legends to be her “Jazz Mavericks.” They are Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, Aaron Serfaty on drums, John Chiodini on guitar and Luis Conte on percussion.
Lyn Stanley with Jack and Becky RobertsBecky and I visited with Lyn at the California Audio Show. I got my LPs autographed!
Well, It Is An Audiophile Recording Too
It’s the quality of the recording that makes this an audiophile album. After all, it is two direct-to-disc 45 rpm LPs that were not only mastered at Bernie Grundman‘s studio but recorded there as well. The recording and mixing engineer was Allen Sides. The lacquer was also mastered by Bernie Grundman. Oh, there is one thing about this LP that isn’t typical for an audiophile recording. The two LPs are Ferrari Red!
In addition to the limited edition LP, when the set was recorded, it was also captured on a Recording of The Masters (RMGI) Studio Master 468 at 30ips reel-to-reel tape. when the set was recorded. A PCM file was also captured at the same time at 192/24 bit.
What If I Already Have London Calling?
Then you are twice blessed. They are both incredible albums. Think of London Calling, which we reviewed here, as a Bently and Live At Bernie’s as a Ferrari! One is a finished sounding work like you might hear at a Pop’s performance in a symphony hall, and the other is like a trip to a jazz club to hear a live band and singer. I highly recommend both albums first for the music and second because, like Tony, the Tiger used to say, “They’re GREAT!”
Lyn Stanley, London With A Twist: Live at Bernie’s
Marc Phillips in The Vinyl Anachronist
When I received my LP copy of Lyn Stanley‘s London With a Twist: Live at Bernie’s, I got the Super Primo Ultra Edition. Many of you will only splurge on the numbered Limited Edition LP, a two-LP direct-to-disc 45 rpm set that was not only mastered at Bernie Grundman‘s studio but recorded there as well. Your copy might even be signed by Lyn, something she’s dedicated to doing for her fans. With the Super Primo Ultra Edition, however, you get to meet Lyn at Ocean Way Recording with recording engineer Allen Sides and then get driven by Lyn to Bernie Grundman Mastering where Lyn will show you how and where everything happened. As you listen to this album for the first time, both Lyn and Allen will give you insights into what happened during the recording and how difficult it is to pull off a direct-to-disc recording in this day and age.
Solidly swinging jazz vocals Lyn Stanley – London With A Twist/Live At Bernie’s
By Dick Metcalf, editor, Contemporary Fusion Reviews July 18, 2019
Solidly swinging jazz vocals Lyn Stanley – LONDON WITH A TWIST/LIVE AT BERNIE’S: When it comes to ultra-hip solidly swinging jazz vocals, Ms. Stanley has no equal… she’s no stranger to our pages… my latest review of her work was for her “London Calling” album, where she got very high marks. Her performance on Bobby Troup’s jazz classic “Route 66” video below is just superb…
…the video production is totally professional, & will give you some real insights into the hipness we cruised through when we took that route back in the day… be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Lyn’s YouTube channel, too, where you’ll find many more superb video performances.
Lyn’s always “on time”, as you’ll hear when you listen to her super-cool rendition of “Goody Goody“… jazz vocal performances this good are rare indeed… so GET YOUR COPY today!
In addition to Lyn’s stunning vocals, you’ll also hear Otmaro Ruiz, piano; Mike Lang, piano; Chuck Berghofer, bass; Aaron Serfaty, drums; John Chiodini, guitar and Luis Conte, percussion… swingin’ & rockin’ songs like “Pink Cadillac” will have you tappin’ your toes & finger-poppin’ right along with the group… I predict this one will be getting some MAJOR spins on jazz stations all across the globe.
The tune that impressed me most strongly of the dozen offered up is “Body And Soul“… lush & mellow, you’ll easily picture yourself in that smoky late-night jazz club as you listen to this one!
I give Lyn & all her players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99. Get more information about this Lyn & her album on Lyn’s website. Rotcod Zzaj
Aural Musings – Lyn Stanley — London With A Twist – Live At Bernie’s
@JohnMauriceCrossettIii
Music: 4.5
Sound: 5
Anyone who has followed Lyn Stanley through her previous six albums knows two things: first, that she can now be numbered among the upper echelon of jazz singers active today, and second, that she is always pushing herself to make each album better than the one before it. And in this regard she has succeeded admirably. Every album she’s released has shown marked improvement over her previous effort both musically and sonically (yes, Lyn Stanley takes her audiophile cred very seriously). But Ms. Stanley is not one to rest on her laurels. And while she could have simply recorded another impressive jazz vocal album that would have been her best yet, with this, her seventh album, Lyn has upped the ante considerably by not only stepping away from the normal studio efforts she has been doing so well, but going straight to a form of recording we hear little of today (though it was big in the 1970’s and 80’s thanks to labels like Sheffield Labs) and doing a direct-to-disk album, though unlike the 70’a and 80’s versions, this one is done at 45 rpm. This takes guts, not only to attempt such an endeavor, but to do so without any label backing whatsoever funding her attempt. Once again, as she has done in all her previous albums, Lyn Stanley has put her own money literally where her mouth is by funding this album entirely on her own dime
MidWest Record Entertainment Reviews, News, and Views
http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1547.html
LYN STANLEY’S FAVORITE TAKES/London With a Twist-Live at Bernie’s: Talk about taking unplugged to a new level of the game… Stanley revisits a bunch of the Julie London tunes she recorded on her tip of the cap to London, but she cuts them all over again, live direct to disc in a session that crackles like it was in front of a live, appreciative audience. There’s a few curve balls in the song stack so that you don’t feel like you are buying the same album twice but over all, this top jazz vocalist could have you buying the same album twice without you registering a complaint. The first time was solid and this one matches it and goes even farther. This really is a true artist cruising along at the top of her game. Hot stuff.
(A.T. 3108)
Lyn Stanley’s “London With a Twist Favorite Takes Live at Bernie’s” charms with modern classics
LemonWire.com By Dodie Miller-Gould – July 12, 2019
Lyn Stanley continues to amaze fans and critics alike. Her latest release, “Lyn Stanley’s Favorite Takes London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s” is a direct-to-CD recording. Without the convenience of magnetic tape, or the opportunity to edit or “fix” later, the music is recorded directly onto an analog disc. The musicians play straight through, and if a mistake is made, either they stop playing or they continue.
London With A Twist – Live At Bernie’s D2D
Audionet.com by Liu Hansheng (Translated)
This is a two-set, 45-turn, challenging, straight-on vinyl record. It was composed of Lyn Stanley’s accompaniment team, recording team, and sculptor team. It took two days to complete 12 songs. Before they officially started recording, they actually rented another studio, and the whole process ran once. The preview was not counted. In the two days of the official recording, Lyn Stanley played eight times with each side of the orchestra (three songs).. You may want to say, what is the difficulty of this? Of course, it’s difficult, because all the singing and accompaniment are directly into the slicer through the pre-tuned mixer, you can imagine how much psychological pressure everyone has!
Media Alert: Lyn Stanley’s Favorite Takes London With A Twist Live At Bernie’s (ATM 3108) Street Date: June 30, 2019
Lyn Stanley, vocals; Otmaro Ruiz, piano; Mike Lang, piano; Chuck Berghofer, bass; Aaron Serfaty, drums; John Chiodini, guitar; Luis Conte, percussion
UPC Code: 672713983095
http://vnu.a32.myftpupload.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIh39s3cqTQ
CD Review: http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1547.html
LYN STANLEY’S FAVORITE TAKES/London With a Twist-Live at Bernie’s: Talk about taking unplugged to a new level of the game… Stanley revisits a bunch of the Julie London tunes she recorded on her tip of the cap to London, but she cuts them all over again, live direct to disc in a session that crackles like it was in front of a live, appreciative audience. There’s a few curve balls in the song stack so that you don’t feel like you are buying the same album twice but over all, this top jazz vocalist could have you buying the same album twice without you registering a complaint. The first time was solid and this one matches it and goes even farther. This really is a true artist cruising along at the top of her game. Hot stuff.
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Lyn Stanley’s “London With a Twist Favorite Takes Live at Bernie’s” charms with modern classics
Lyn Stanley continues to amaze fans and critics alike. Her latest release, “Lyn Stanley’s Favorite Takes London With a Twist Live at Bernie’s” is a direct-to-CD recording. Without the convenience of magnetic tape, or the opportunity to edit or “fix” later, the music is recorded directly onto an analog disc. The musicians play straight through, and if a mistake is made, either they stop playing or they continue.
The result is a vibrant album that finds Stanley making classics sound like her own. Songs originally done by a range of artists from Cole Porter to Bruce Springsteen, take on a different vibe with Stanley’s sultry voice giving them life.
Two songs not to miss on the album are “Pink Cadillac” and “In the Still of the Night.” Her voice and phrasing and the stellar soundscape created by the skilled musicians she plays with make songs that people have found exciting for decades will allow audiences to re-think them, and perhaps find a new appreciation for them.
In 2018, Stanley was named Female Vocalist of the Year by Saul Levine, programmer for KKJZ-FM, Los Angeles’ top jazz station. She has been amassing an audience since 2010. Her albums have sold steadily, which is no easy feat for someone who built a jazz career seemingl y out of nowhere, except from a place that loves the genre.
Stanley is joined on “Favorite Takes…” by Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, Aaron Serfaty on drums, John Chiodini on guitar and Luis Conte on percussion.
We got our first review of my D2D album. Many thanks to Jim Hynes of Making a Scene.
https://www.makingascene.org/lyn-stanley-favorite-takes-london-with-a-twist-live-at-bernies/
Favorite Takes – London With a Twist- Live at Bernie’s
Catalog # ATM3108
We introduced you to jazz vocalist Lyn Stanley back in December 2017 with her double CD-set of the Great American Songbook classics., Moonlight Sessions Vol. 1 and Vol 2. You may want to reference that for her amazing back story. In 2018 she released her tribute to Julie London, with London Calling; A Tribute to Julie London and now we have another, her most unique project yet with her seventh album, Favorite Takes – London With a Twist- Live at Bernie’s. Although London is in the title, there are only four selections here that are reprised from her tribute album, the others are Songbook and (some surprising) pop and rock songs including Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” and Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell.” Lyn says, “I always find something of my own. Julie did pop songs, and if she can segue into pop, why can’t I? I’m not pretending to be Julie, I’m honoring her.” Notably, even though London’s husband Bobby Troup wrote “Route 66” London never performed it although Stanley kicks off the album with it.
Beginning her career from literally nowhere in her fifties, under the mentorship of legendary jazz pianist Paul T. Smith (Ella Fitzgerald) in 2011, It’s not only Stanley’s sultry voice that sets her apart from other vocalists in the intensely competitive field of female vocalists; it’s her attention to details. She has impeccable taste in selecting songs, almost like jazz’s version of Emmylou Harris. Beyond that though, is her knack for planning , whether it’s cover art, liner notes, sound quality, arrangements of selection of musicians. On the latter, she consistently plays with the world’s best jazz musicians. She’s a Do-it-yourselfer in a major way, having sold over 40,000 albums worldwide. She has accumulated a fervent fan base and audiophile following. Her time is now. Stanley was awarded Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year for 2018 by Saul Levine, programmer for KKJZ- FM Los Angeles, the station with the largest jazz audience in the states.
The unique and adventurous nature of this album is perhaps a bigger story than the exquisite music. This is recorded live in the studio as a direct-to-disc album with instantaneous mixing and no editing. This process bypasses magnetic tape, recording directly onto an analog disc. The sound quality is impeccable, as would be the case for Stanley’s penchant for audiophile pristine production. The process requires nerves of steel, no flubs allowed. There is no opportunity to “fix’ mistakes later. Not many of these are made in the modern era and Stanley has become just one of five singers who have created a direct-to-disc vocal album containing at least three songs and over 12 minutes of music.
Stanley says, “There’s a stigma about achieving ‘perfection.’ It takes the art out of what you’re doing if you have to follow what someone else declared to be the rules of engagement,” Stanley declares. “You can run with your creativity if you don’t have to have perfection. What you hear on London with a Twist is what you’d get on stage for real.”
She would have to have world class musicians to pull this off. There is no stopping except for a few precious seconds between songs. The high-stakes can inhibit musicians and make them stick to the tried and true instead of breaking creative ground. However, the band–guitarist John Chiodini, pianists Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang, bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Aaron Serfaty, and percussionist Luis Conte–“didn’t hold back, they played as live as they could,” Stanley notes. She points out that she chose to release the takes based on their performances rather than her own: “I picked the ones where I loved what they did.” There was a buzz of solidarity in the studio, with the vocalist and the musicians brainstorming and collaborating to develop arrangements on the spot. By the end of the session, the players had devised a new moniker for themselves: “The Jazz Mavericks.”
Another challenge is adjusting to the shifting moods of the tunes in the three- to five-second separations between songs. On just one album side, Lyn Stanley’s interpretations run the emotional gamut from the easy swing of “Route 66,” through rollicking “Pink Cadillac,” to the heartfelt “Lover Man” But despite the pressure-cooker situation, Stanley and The Jazz Mavericks shift through all the feelings, including “You Never Can Tell,” seemingly effortlessly, delivering a dozen tunes with a relaxed, creative, swinging sound.
As the title of this CD suggests, these are a dozen tunes culled from two days of recording. A limited pressing of 2000 albums are available (unless they are already gone) for audiophiles. Here are some other pertinent details:
Recorded live at Bernie Grundman’s Mastering Studio, Hollywood, California, January 19-20, 2019. Recording and mixing engineer: Allen Sides; assistant engineers: Steve Genewick, Beno May, Scott Sedilla; disc mastering engineer: Bernie Grundman. Formats: Double LP, Super Audio CD
Lyn Stanley is fearless and continues to push the envelope.
Jim Hynes