Review Of Live At The Azure Cafe

from www.muzikreviews.com – September 20, 2006 by Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Matthew Fogg and Nicole Hajj - Live at the Azure Cafe

Matthew Fogg & Nicole Hajj had a history before this album came together. They met and found a mutual admiration and respect for one thing, the art form of jazz.

It is unusual to release a debut album as a live recording, but the duo decided this was the best way to present their music at the time. Live At The Azure Café was released in 2005 and received with open arms from the jazz community.

The mixture of jazz standards and originals is as compelling as it is enriching for the casual listener or connoisseur. Music like this has a particular audience, one that can appreciate good music and the changes it can go through in a live setting. It is quite simple actually, if you have a love for good music, this CD will find a way into your heart.

Besides the beautiful tones and elegant vocal style produced by Nicole, Matthew provides fresh arrangements via his exemplary piano playing. They get plenty of assistance from their friends, too. Shawn Boissonneault (drums, percussion) is a long time friend and collaborator of Fogg’s, Brad Terry (clarinet), Andy Rice (acoustic & electric bass), and Lucas Cantor (guitar), round out the sound and form an ensemble that would rival any other band out playing jazz music today in a public venue. I would go far beyond that, actually, and say that this is several notches above any typical nightclub performance. This is a group of musicians right in the middle of their creative element.

A select group of people provided the necessary audience ambiance, and the live sound resonates clearly and crisply throughout this recording. There is not any other idiom that flourishes more in a live setting than jazz, I can attest to that fact. After seeing countless concerts over the years there are a few jazz shows that I cannot seem to forget, and I know why. Improvisation breathes new life into songs you have heard a hundred times before. Take “My Funny Valentine” for instance. You instantly recognize the tune, however, the musicianship puts a different spin on the standard and brings it right into the new millennium by giving due respect to the past and adding bits and pieces of today for a sound that is unforgettable. Fogg & Hajj have a special chemistry and the music that they make will give you the sense of being there, you can feel the creative energy and sparks flying. That is quite convincing since I was not there to actually witness the performance.

First Review of Morgan, Fogg, & Grimmett’s This Is What You Want

from www.MuzikReviews.com by Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Morgan Fogg & Grimmett - This Is What You Want

This is one of those great CDs where I have a hard time figuring out where to start, which is a good omen for the artists.

Morgan Fogg & Grimmett say This Is What You Want, and you know what? It most certainly is. This is a great indie release; there really is not a thing about it that I dislike. It helps to have a deep love and understanding of the jazz idiom to feel this way. Jazz is not and never has been cut and dried. What this band accomplishes in the twelve tracks on this CD is to shine a light on all the best components of the genre. Rather than performing dutifully, they give the genre all the respect it deserves and have fun at the same time.

The three featured artists are Matt Fogg (Piano, Wurlitzer 200A, Hammond C3, and Fender Rhodes) Cheri Gaudet Grimmett (vocals), and Scott Morgan (guitar). Fogg is an accomplished keyboard wizard; he jumps back and forth between the acoustic piano, the fabulous Wurlizter 200A, and to the old standby the Hammond C3. Fogg colors each track with variations on each particular theme through different textures, as if there was a selection of buttons in front of him to push and engage a mood or atmosphere that was appropriate to the lyrics that Gaudet was singing. Gaudet is also a seasoned veteran fronting a unit; she swings with the best of them and gives it her all on every track. Her energy seems to be a good fit for the rock solid instrumentation provided on this release. I really liked her upbeat tone and style; no doubt, she was made for jazz. Laced in between and all around this activity is the guitar of Scott Morgan, a very capable individual, his playing is consistently outstanding and versatile throughout.

I especially enjoyed the opening track, the instrumental “Blues For Steve,” a bluesy shuffle that highlights a band that is in total alignment with each other. Being partial and more critical of instrumentals, because there is only one ingredient to focus on, I am not easy to impress. I must say that the track was very enjoyable and I could have easily listened to an entire CD of this style of music, but then I would be missing the wonderful vocals of Ms. Gaudet. There is just so much to like here! “Huntin’” was one that really perked my ears up because of the rockin’ guitar courtesy of Scott Morgan. It is still jazz mind you and some good solid fusion that lets everyone know that indeed they can cut loose, rock out, and still be a jazz band. I liked “Go Down Moses” too, the title and the words are great, and the melody sublime, a jazz composition does not get much better for simplicity and snappy freshness.

I could on forever about this CD but I won’t. This is a wonderful selection of songs featuring a superb band delivering the goods-it is as simple as that.