Dreams & Shadows

(2008, Jazzed Media)

with

Jeff Colella, piano
Alan Pasqua, piano
Darek Oles, bass
Joe LaBarbera, drums
Steve Hass, drums
Bob Sheppard, saxes, bass clarinet
Gilbert Castellanos, trumpet
Tollak Ollestad, harmonica
Stefanie Fife, cello

Produced by Barbara Brighton
Arranged by Jeff Colella & Alan Pasqua

Judy Wexler pulls you into her music with a combination of wit, style and knowingness that must make a lyricist very pleased that she’s chosen to interpret his or her words. On top of that, her playful way with a tune and the wonderful fluidity of her voice would make any melodist smile. With her sharp jazz instincts and formidable vocal skills, she knows exactly where to stretch or alter time and when to veer slightly from the melody… Some buzz seems to be building around Wexler and, for once, it’s deserved.

– Soundstage!

West Coast jazz vocalist Judy Wexler not only knows her way around a bop tune, fluidly negotiating angular intervals and racing tempos, she knows how to personalize a pop tune, no matter how familiar or faded.

-Washington Post

Dreams & Shadows is Wexler’s baby all the way, one that can claim turf on the small landscape of genuinely great modern jazz vocalist recordings… This CD puts Wexler solidly among the ranks of the really good singers like Kate McGarry and Tierney Sutton. On Dreams & Shadows she sounds exceedingly relaxed and comfortable throughout, and exhibits just enough fearlessness, daring and control that everything here just clicks.

– Primetime A&E

Wexler is a breath of fresh air, a clear, clean voice that imbues life into every song she enters. Wexler has a wealth of gifts, which elegantly unfold over the course of Dreams & Shadows. Yet she never overplays her assets; she is always sensitive to what each song needs and this, combined with her sincere connection to the lyrics, makes Wexler an impressive talent.

– All About Jazz New York

Who was it that once said ‘You’ll know it when you hear it?’ Well, there are those who would strive to be called jazz singers and others who actually may claim the title. Judy Wexler fits in the latter category. And you’ll know it when you hear it. Among those qualities which provide the answer: intonation, telling the story of the lyric, phrasing, choice of material, knowing how much improvisation is perfect, hiring hip accompanists, and more. And Judy Wexler is the complete package… she’s the real deal … a jazz singer!

– Jazz Society of Oregon

Wexler has a distinctive, voice full of shadings, and simply knows how to dig into a song and find its essence. Speaking of songs, Wexler has chosen an interesting and eclectic program… This is an impressive collection by a singer who is sure to attract lots of attention with quality efforts like this.

– Jersey Jazz

Judy stays right on top of her 13-song programme of what seems like tailor-made songs chosen just for her. Her distinctive jazz stylings are amazing throughout.

-In Tune International

Here’s a thrush that knows how to sing and swing like a throwback to the golden age of broads. Saucy, sexy with great tone and style, she’s selling the steak and not just the sizzle. A jazz vocalist for this or any season, Wexler hits it on some intuitive, innate level that just makes you a fan right out of the box. Hot stuff throughout.

– Midwest Record

Dreams & Shadows — Best of 2008 Vocal CDs!

– Public Radio International — Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hours

Judy Wexler shows on Dreams & Shadows she has a voice as versatile as her recognition of song is broad… This album thrives in understated energy.

– Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Rare is the jazz vocal CD that makes one stand up and take notice on the first hearing. But Judy Wexler achieves that reaction with her brilliant Dreams & Shadows.

– Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

West Coast jazz singer Judy Wexler has a lithe and limber voice, an improvisatory attitude and an ear for fresh reinventions of standards.

– Detroit Free Press

Based on the evidence of her new second album, Dreams & Shadows, Judy Wexler can sing almost anything.

-Susan Stamber, NPR Weekend Edition

…(Wexler) achieves the perfect balance of singer and musicians. Her tonality and delivery are impeccable, especially considering the choice of songs. Often jazz vocalists rely on well-known and worn material that is easy to mold. Wexler differs, instead showing with ingenious arrangements and some of Los Angeles’s greatest players, an uncanny ability to create outstanding jazz.

– California Tour & Travel

Since 1999, Judy Wexler has wowed local L.A. audiences with her pitch-perfect vocals sung as jazz should be sung with soul, style, clear articulation and the ability to swing with the best of them… Bebop is alive and well under the tutelage of Judy Wexler as she parlays “Pent Up House” into a soon to be classic. This singer has all the necessary ingredients and a sense of time that is remarkable. I remember Judy Wexler from her early years as a very hip singer with all the inherent tools to be a force in the jazz genre…and it’s no surprise that she has emerged as just that, a star among stars.

-EJazzNews (5 Stars)