Bill Milkowski The Absolute Sound :: Sophisticated Lady Review

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Sophisticated Lady

Bill Milkowski Review The Absolute Sound – Sophisticated Lady Review

Sonics: 5 out of 5!

Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet.
Yarlung.

This band of young jazz musicians follows in the classy-cool tradition of Shorty Rogers & His Giants, a tasteful swinging late 50s-early 60s outfit led by a principal creator of the West Coast sound. Recorded in Cammilleri Hall in LA, this debut album sounds astoundingly good. Recorded live, it gives one the feeling of having a ringside seat at an intimate jazz club. It opens with a politely swinging rendition of Jerome Kern’s “I’m Old Fashioned” that’s underscored by drummer Andrew James Boyle’s deft brushwork at the intro. Every nuance of JJ Kirkpatrick’s bristling trumpet solo here can be readily felt while Boyle’s switch to sticks on the ride cymbal is like sparklers being set off in the dark. Boyle’s gentle ballad “Gone” is a lyrical highlight while the Ellington-Strayhorn song “Isfahan” is another showcase for Kirkpatrick’s bold tones and sly improvisations. Pianist Misha Bigos contributes the swinging “Finale” and delivers a dramatic solo piano piece, “Fields of Kurdistan,” while bassist Gary Wicks contributes the darkly beautiful “Night Night” and the somber “Weightless.” Kirkpatrick also turns in some bright trumpet work on a faithful rendition of Duke’s timeless “Sophisticated Lady.” A stellar first outing by a group that shows great promise. “

— Bill Milkowski
The Absolute Sound, December 2014

Dave Sumner Wondering Sound Review – Sophisticated Lady

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Sophisticated Lady

“Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet, Sophisticated Lady: Nice debut from a young quartet that clearly burns for a traditional jazz sounds, and covers of songs like “Strange Fruit,” “I’m Sentimental,” and a couple by Ellington speak to passion, both in song selection in the way the quartet chooses to express it. What kicks the session up a notch is that when they throw in an original constructed more like something of the present day, it doesn’t sound that far removed from the traditional material as to shatter the album’s cohesion. The way a song like “Ropes of Sand” fits neatly into the stream of songs is the best proof of this. The quartet is trumpeter JJ Kirkpatrick, pianist Misha Bigos, bassist Gary Wicks, and drummer Andrew Boyle. A good one for old-school fans who like a little bit of a modern flair from time to time.”

— Dave Sumner, Wondering Sound: “New Jazz This Week: Ryan Keberle, Mario Castro, Ananda Gari“

Peter Rutenberg Review of Sophisticated Lady

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Sophisticated Lady

“Kudos to Sophisticated Lady for some of the most intelligent and soulful playing I’ve heard in a long while. Mr. Wicks is clearly the Stephane Grappelli of the bass. Mr. Boyle’s atomic clock accuracy was outshone only by his remarkable sensitivity and nuanced “drumist” vocabulary. Mr. Kirkpatrick’s winsome lines and lightning-fast coloratura took us beyond the trumpet and through the gamut of melody-instrument domains. And Mr. Bigos’ hands fell lacelike over his ivories with the finesse and speed of traditional Portuguese tatting amid a rainbow of colored threads. The ensemble’s inspired compositions showcased a raft of fresh voices that we must have more of.”
–Peter Rutenberg, Grammy-winning conductor and producer