No maybes; for Verbrugge, now is definitely the time.
In a very casual-sounding way, Canadian vocalist Angela Verbrugge offers truths of the heart, urgent and genuine. A gentle authenticity without pretense that lends a light-hearted tenderness and a speaking naturalness. With the stellar accompianment of NY and Canadian players such as pianists Ray Gallon & Miles Black, bassists Cameron Brown and Jodi Proznick, and drummers Anthony Pinciotti and Joel Fountain, Angela's take on Bernstein's "Somewhere" is sweetly sustaining, "Born to Be Blue" is a playful piano/voice duet, and "If the Moon Turns Green" is a masterpiece of delicate ardor. Throughout the set, Verbrugge and her band create singular landscapes of feeling that run parallel with these intriguing melodies and lyrics.
"Angela Verbrugge sounds very much like a singer from (past) eras but one who has her own individual spin on the music....highly recommended."
LA Jazz Scene
1 I Had the Craziest Dream 4:58 (Warren & Gordon)
2 Somewhere 3:52 (Bernstein & Sondheim)
3 Born to Be Blue 3:56 (Tormé & Wells)
4 Until I Met You (Corner Pocket) 3:09 (Green & Wolf)
5 For You, For Me, Forevermore 5:00 (George & Ira Gershwin)
6 Je Ne Veux Pas Te Dire Bonsoir (remix) 4:13 (Verbrugge)
7 If the Moon Turns Green 4:19 (Hanigan & Cates)
Angela Verbrugge - vocals
Erik Kalaidzis - vocals (2)
Ray Gallon - piano (3,4,5,7)
Cameron Brown - bass (4,7)
Anthony Pinciotti - drums (4,7)
Dave Say - saxophones (2,6)
Miles Black - piano (1,2,6)
Jodi Proznick - bass (1,2,6)
Joel Fountain - drums (1,2,6)
Produced by Angela Verbrugge
Co-produced by Cameron Brown (4,7), Caity Gyorgy (1,2,6)
Recorded by Dave Sikula & Dave Say (1-3,5,6)
and Christopher Sulit & Bill Buckingham (4,7)
at Monarch Studios, Vancouver, BC (1-3, 5,6);
Trading 8's, Paramus, NJ and The Palace Studios Vancouver, BC (4,7)
August 17, 2021 (3,5); March 30, 2021 (1,2,6); August 2&3, 2017
Mixed by Ryan Enockson (1,2,6); Chad Irschick (3,5); Bill Buckingham (4,7)
in Toronto, ON (3,5); Vancouver (1,2,4,6,7)
Mastered by Ryan Enockson in Vancouver, BC
Photography by Christin Carruthers (cover), Karolina Turek (inside), Vincent Lim/Anna Yatskevich/Angela Verbrugge (collage)
Liner notes by Michael Steinman, JazzLives
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
All About Jazz (Liner Notes) (Michael Steinman)
The proper response to Beauty is an awed admiring silence. So these liner notes should be one word in a large font: LISTEN. But Angela asked me to add a few hundred keystrokes to the project, so here we are. Incidentally, I have chosen to focus on Angela in the midst of the most superb musicians and arrangements. I hope they will forgive me!
Ang ...
Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Angela Verbrugge sings with clarity on this album teamed with Ray Gallon-Miles Black/p, Cameron Brown-Jodi Proznick/b, Anthony Pinciotti-Joel Fountain/dr and Dave Say/ts. In a small group format, she is relaxed and personal on a read of "I Had the Craziest Dream" and slithers as she wisps through a cleverly restrained read of "Until I Met You". Sh ...
The Syncopated Times (Scott Yanow)
In her two previous recordings, The Night We Couldn't Say Good Night and Love For Connoisseurs, Angela Verbrugge made a strong impression as both a warm and inviting jazz singer and a songwriter-lyricist. Her new EP, which clocks in just short of 30 minutes, consists of additional performances (all but one song being previously unreleased) from the ...
Jazz Forum (Marek Romański)
Canadian vocalist Angela Verbrugge appeared on our contemporary scene like an exotic guest. She lives on the beautiful Vancouver Island, where time has stood still in many places. Listening to the songs she sings, I have the impression that Angela comes from the times when melody, the atmosphere of the songs sung, and finally the emotions hidden be ...
Wild Mercury Rhythm (C. Michael Bailey)
Canadian singer Angela Verbrugge is three deep in a promising discography with Somewhere. This recording follows her well received The Night We Couldn't Say Goodnight (Gut Strings Records, 2019) and Love for Connoisseurs (Gut Strings Records, 2022). Verbrugge's third recording is a more extended play release than a full-fledged album (seven selecti ...
Jersey Jazz (Joe Lang)
There are many fine female vocalists based in Canada, and among the best of them is Vancouver-based Angela Verbrugge. On Somewhere (OA2 Records – 22228) she concentrates on standards, such as "I Had the Craziest Dream," "Somewhere," and "Born to Be Blue", among others. She adds her own "Je Ne Veux Pas Te Dire Bonsoir." Her support comes from Ray ...
All About Jazz (Katchie Cartwright)
Based in Victoria, British Columbia, Angela Verbrugge keeps a busy schedule as a singer, touring in Canada and farther afield. In addition to performing, she writes songs—jazz songs, new standards—with lyrics that are engagingly personal and funny, containing the occasional acerbic twist. As a lyricist, she often speaks to the quotidian. Her te ...
Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The Canadian vocalist Angela Verbrugge turns in a heartfelt body of work, where several musicians accompany her for 7 timeless, vocal jazz selections
Miles Black's warm keys and Verbrugge's smooth voice open the listen with the soft and stylish "I Had The Craziest Dream", and "Somewhere" follows with Erik Kalaidzis' deep pipes complementing the ...