For those still unaware, renowned bassist, Chuck Bergeron has been very fortunate in his career to have worked with some incredible vocalists in various settings, and he has wanted to do this project for a very long time.

As a bass player, he had often been envious of pianists or guitarists who typically get the opportunity to share the intimacy of a duet with a singer. Those instruments provide a full range of harmony that can blend effortlessly in a duo format.

The bass is a little more limited, so a bit more challenging. What he believes makes this project work is the incredible talent and skill the vocalists on this recording possess (as well as their patience with him!), and he is very grateful that they all agreed to participate. All of the tracks were recorded live, not overdubbed - the vocalist in one room and Bergeron in the other.

As for the title of this project - Chuck lived in Seattle for a brief time, and there he worked with a wonderful vocalist named Kendra Shank, who always included what she would call a Bass & Face moment in her set. This recording features a dozen of those moments.

1. An Occasional Man
2. Emily
3. Devil May Care
4. I Thought About You
5. When I Drink
6. Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West
7. Detour Ahead
8. Audubon Zoo/Iko-Iko
9. Fair Weather
10. Take the Wrinkles Out Your Birthday
11. Analog
12. Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love
13. Do You Know What It Means (To Miss New Orleans) [CD Bonus Track]

Chuck Bergeron, one of the most active and innovative musicians working in the field of Jazz today, opens his new recording on the infectiously melodic An Occasional Man, the emotively sculpted Emily and the low slung finger-snapper Devil May Care and then we are brought forth the impassioned I Thought About You, the affecting beauty of When I Drink, and the free-flowing musical majesties of the simply magnificent Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West.

Along next is the sumptuous Detour Ahead, the rhythmically dutiful Audubon, and a stirring Zoo/Iko-Iko, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the melodious Fair Weather, and the touching Take the Wrinkles Out Your Birthday, the set rounding out on the stoically decadent Analog, the simply breathtaking Duke Ellington cut Sound of Love, coming to a resounding close on the rhythmically elegant bonus track Do You Know What It Means (To Miss New Orleans).

The ten top vocalists with bassist, Chuck Bergeron!
Janis Siegel // Pete McGuinness // Kate Reid // George Rabbai // Kevin Mahogany // Lisanne Lyons // Nicole Yarling // Sheila Jordan // Roseanna Vitro // Deborah Silver ... also on Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West: Charles Pillow - saxophone // Phil Strange - piano // John Riley - drums.

The composers!
Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin // Johnny Mandel // Bob Dorough and Terrell Kirk // Johnny Mercer and Jimmy Van Heusen // Petra Magoni and Ferruccio Spinetti // John Lewis // Herb Ellis, Johnny Frigo, and Lou Carter // The Meters // Sheila Jordan // Jeannie Cheatham // Brennen Leigh and Noel McKay // Charles Mingus // Eddie DeLange and Louis Alter.

Official Purchase Link

Chuck Bergeron @ Spotify