Greta Matassa

The Smiling Hour

Origin 82484

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...a marvel of virtuosity
-LA Times

A noted Northwest Jazz institution, Greta Matassa further solidifies the deserved praise with her fourth recording on Origin. Again reinventing jazz classics such as "Too Close For Comfort" and "Indian Summer," Greta also takes on lesser known treats such as Jule Styne's "Dance Only With Me," Johnny Mandel's "The Solitary Moon," and the title track by Ivan Lins. A standout is the hauntingly beautiful Pat Metheny tune, "If I Could, You Know I Would," with lyrics by former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve. Accompanying Greta is her band of many years - Darin Clendenin on piano, bassist Clipper Anderson, and drummer Mark Ivester.


Track Listing:

1 The Smiling Hour (Abre Alas) 5:33
2 If I Could, You Know I Would 5:35
3 Dance Only With Me 4:11
4 It's Delovely 4:31
5 Estate 6:58
6 I Get Along Without You Very Well 4:58
7 Indian Summer 4:43
8 Reminiscing In Tempo 4:24
9 Too Close For Comfort 4:14
10 The Solitary Moon 5:32

Performers:

GRETA MATASSA - vocals
DARIN CLENDENIN - piano
CLIPPER ANDERSON - bass
MARK IVESTER - drums / percussion
SUSAN PASCAL - vibraphone
MARK TAYLOR - alto saxophone

Production Info:

Produced by GRETA MATASSA
Recorded and mixed by DAVID LANGE
Mastered by MARK GUENTHER
Photography by STEVE KORN
Cover design by JOHN BISHOP


Reviews of The Smiling Hour

Audiophile Audition (John Henry)
We get many female jazz vocal albums sent in for review. Most don't make the cut, so when I review one it has to be rather special. This one is special. Don't know how I missed Ms. Matassa all this time - she's appeared on five previous Origin CDs. I knew she was big in the Seattle area, but hadn't heard a CD. This is a voice with real personalit ...

All Music Guide (Adam Greenberg)
Greta Matassa is something of a contemporary legend in the Northwest due to her incredible vocal skills. On this, her fourth album (at least on local Origin Records), she continues to showcase her excellent abilities. Her vocals are lilting where they should be, heavier where they should be, and she's one of the few contemporary jazz vocalists that ...

Cadence, Jan-Mar 2008 (Jay Collins)
The thrid release from Seattle-based Greta Matassa, who delivers her ten-song opus on "The Smiling Hour," favors a smoky, whisper-like delivery that matches the ambiance of this mostly laid-back affair, though several tracks demonstrate her considerable breadth. Matassa's stated goal is to take the listener through a "pleasant day," with bright beg ...

San Jose Mercury News (Interview) (Paul Freeman)
Seattle-based jazz vocalist Greta Matassa's father was a visual artist, a painter. And a serious jazz buff. "My dad and I used to stay up until three in the morning, talking about the parallels between jazz music and abstract art," Matassa tells The Daily News. "They are very similar in the spontaneity of the way they're put together. You s ...



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