All-About-Jazz, July 2012

Kathy Kosins: To the Ladies of Cool

By C. MICHAEL BAILEY, Published: July 10, 2012

Okay... first there came Kate McGarry's superb Girl Talk (Palmetto, 2012). Then Sara Gazarek followed her 2012 release with Triosence, Where Time Stands Still (Charleston Square) with Blossom &Bee (Palmetto, 2012). Now, vocalist Kathy Kosins follows up her excellent Mood Swings (Chiaroscuro, 2002) and inventive Vintage (Self Produced, 2005) with To the Ladies of Cool, a tribute to those tacitly LA-associated songbirds of the '40s and '50s: Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor and Julie London. This has been a grand jazz vocals season.

Los Angeles in the 1940s and '50s was a jazz incubator in search of a genre movement. The City of Angels found itself in the "cool" jazz given life by Miles Davis' famous nonet recordings of 1949, The Birth of the Cool (Capitol); not strictly accurate, but close enough for this purpose. All four these singers produced cool jazz, but that was after their stints in big bands during the last gasp of swing. Instrumentally, during this transitional period, West Coast jazz adopted a keen emphasis on arrangement, often to the point of over-arrangement. When a creative happy medium is achieved, the art of the arrangement is elevated to the level of composition; Kosins and company grasp this concept and run with it on To the Ladies of Cool.

Elegance and sophistication are two descriptors perfectly capturing Kosins' intention on To the Ladies of Cool. Pianist Tamir Hendelman arranged all of the songs, taking great care to balance the modern and contemporary with the 1950s' chic art of LA's Central Avenue. His instrumental and rhythmic figures are calculated and precise, but not at the expense of the songs' natural swing.

Kosins' voice is perfectly suited for the repertoire, being well- balanced and evenly distributed. She makes To the Ladies of Cool an effortless labor of love, and one given gladly.

Track Listing: Tracks: Learnin' The Blues; Nightbird; Don't Wait Up For Me; All I Need Is You; Free and Easy; Hershey's Kisses; Lullaby in Rhythm; November In Twilight; Kissing Bug; Where Are You?.

Personnel: Kathy Kosins: vocals; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Kevin Axt: bass (1, 5, 7, 8, 10); Paul Keller: bass (2, 3, 4, 6, 9); Graham Dechter: guitar; Bob Leatherbarrow: drums, vibs; Steve Wilkerson: woodwinds; Gilbert Castellanos: trumpet, flugelhorn.

Record Label: Resonance Records

@CriticalJazz

Kathy Kosins To The Ladies Of Cool Resonance Records 2012

Kathy Kosins goes retro in a celebration of the four female counterparts of the cool male jazz singers of the 1950's. Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor and Julie London not to mention some imaginative work by Kosins turns what could be the more stereotypical tribute record into a cool jazz homage to a female lineage of vocalist whose chain sadly was broken and this delightful journey down memory lane with Kosins and the incomparable Resonance Records is a pure delight.

Kosins goes far deeper than just knocking off a dozen passable covers but instead spent considerable time pouring over each artists discography going so far as to sift through old Armed Forces Radio broadcasts. In keeping with that special air of authenticity, Kosins learned these tunes from the original sheet music to insuring that her interpretations would retain original authenticity and bypass the all to easy Vegas style club riffs so many lesser talents have built a career on.

"Where Are You" is a wistful ballad bordering on the melancholy and with the slightest hint of Brazilian flavor added for just the right texture. "Kissing Bug" kicks up the tempo and the band responds in kind. Kosins vocals are spot on and take what would have been an average recording by some and elevate the artistry to the next level. Given Kosins background as a singer, composer, songwriter, arranger and educator not to mention visual artist there is little doubt her prolific talents would leave their indelible mark throughout this stellar release from Resonance. "Hershey Bar" is put through a clever twist with original lyrics from Kosins and emerges as "Hershey's Kiss." A June Christy favorite "Lullaby In Rhythm" is also given a more uptempo sonic makeover with Kosins mutli-talented approach indeed making old school new cool again.

In the hands of a lesser artist To The Ladies of Cool could have easily taken on the personality of a bad Vegas lounge act but take the prolific talents of Kathy Kosins and the commitment to the finest recordings available from Resonance Records and the end result is a winner!

Huffington Post

Two Ladies of Song Offer Two Different Paths to Great Jazz

By Ralph A. Miriello, Jazz Journalist

Each week there seems to be at least one CD in my mailbox that features yet another female jazz singer. Some have stellar back-up bands or top quality arrangers. Few leave lasting impressions Here are two that do.

Singer Kathy Kosins, a name previously unfamiliar to me, has released an album of songs culled from what is often referred to as the "cool" school of jazz. Chris Connor, Anita O'Day and June Christy, were all at one time lead singers in the Kenton band during its heyday, eventually breaking into reasonably successful solo careers of their own. The fourth singer, the beautiful Julie London, was a WWII pin-up, an actress and torch singer whose most famous song "Cry Me A River" featured her signature smoky, sensual voice. Kosins and her musical director/pianist Tamir Hendelman unearth some rarely heard gems from their repertoire.

It didn't take long for me to become a convert to the fittingly laid-back delivery and chilled sense of time that Kosins so adeptly captures here on her latest release To the Ladies of Cool. She not only toasts the hipness of these wonderful ladies of song, she authentically recreates a lost genre of female jazz singing. Recalling a time where serious artists could enjoy being both pop stars and respected jazz musicians.

Kosins, like the women she pays homage to, possesses a warm, sensuous voice with an easy sense of time. Her words flow as effortlessly as maple syrup over hot pancakes. Her choice of material is surprisingly fresh. With "Learnin'the Blues," a tune attributed as much to Frank Sinatra as to Julie London, Kosins shows a deft sense of time and an inherent sense of swing. A smoking piano solo by the under appreciated Hendelman adds icing to this delicious cake. If this one doesn't immediately convert you to a Kosins fan nothing will.

"Night Bird," a song written by saxophonist Al Cohn and sung by the unheralded Connor, features Kosins' voice floating the lyrics of the song over Hendelman's ostinato piano line. The words drift along like wispy clouds over a blue horizon. A melodic tenor solo by Steve Wilkerson follows Gilbert Castellanos warm toned flugelhorn solo. A beautifully haunting version of Connor's "Don't Wait Up for Me" begins with a muted trumpet solo by Castellanos. Kosins' burnished voice drips with pathos and Hendleman's emotional piano solo is equally moving. Castellanos's trumpet is reminiscent of Uan Rasey's classic work on the theme to Chinatown. Kosins completes her Chris Connor set with the upbeat "All I Need is You," originally recorded on Connor's Atlantic album from 1956 A Jazz Date with Chris Connor Kosins' voice is warmer, less smoky than the Connor original. Her voice more fine cognac to Connor's single malt Scotch.

Henry Mancini's perky "Free and Easy" has an airy, lighthearted feel to it, accentuated by a lilting guitar solo by Graham Dechter.

Kosins easily adapts her voice to the feeling of the songs. Witness her treatment of Johnny Mandel's "Hershey's Kisses," originally done wordlessly by Anita O'Day, where Kosins briefly scats in a playful banter with saxophonist Wilkerson.

"Lullaby in Rhythm" comes from the June Christy playbook and Kosins freely scats to the swinging sway of this melody. Guitarist Dechter offers a solo in the spirit of guitarist Mundell Lowe.

Perhaps my favorite ballad of the album is the seldom heard "November Twilight," a nod to Julie London. Kosins just kills it in this most sensuous of renderings. Hendelman's piano and arrangement are evocative of a film noir soundtrack. Pretty arco work by bassist Kevin Axt ends this pouting piece.

The flittering "Kissing Bug" allows Kosins a chance to reveal that she has a greater range then she usually employs. She easily inflects her voice evoking the necessary emotion that these songs embody. Her controlled delivery is always pitch perfect.

The closing piece "Where Are You" has a slight Brazilian feel. Kosins' deliberate voicing is distinctively cool in phrasing and tone. In some kind of trip back in time you can envision her singing to a group of hipsters grooving on a Malibu beach at dusk.

Kosins' To the Ladies of Cool is one of those rare recordings that creates a new reality. In looking back, Kosins offers something contemporary that may be even better than the memory of the original.

POP CULTURE CLASSICS

KATHY KOSINS - “TO THE LADIES OF COOL”

By Paul Freeman

The captivating Kosins pays homage to the queens of ‘50s West Coast cool jazz - Julie London, Anita O’Day, Chris Connor and June Christy. Though recapturing that smokey, martini-drenched milieu perfectly, the vocalist puts her own sensuous stamp on each number. The album wends its way wonderfully through a variety of moods and rhythms. Among the highlights are the melancholy “November Twilight,” the sweetly swinging “Hershey’s Kisses” and the swaying “Where Are You?”

Let The Show Begin - Tucsononstage.com

Cool Toast "To The Ladies of Cool"

by Chuck Graham

"To the Ladies of Cool" toasts Detroit singer Kathy Kosins, lifting her glass high on the cover of her jazz tribute to Chris Conner, Anita O'Day, June Christy and Julie London. Inside are 10 insightful signs of social change contained in fully orchestrated snapshots from a side of the 1950s that's rarely recognized these days.

Kosins calls her album a "love letter" to these four ladies. Pianist and arranger Tamir Hendelman did the charts.

Both artists have no interest in nostalgia. They understand now what the independent female voice of those changing times intuitively sought.

Listen to the women's demands, their reluctant admissions, the feelings of highly intelligent human beings forced by society's mores to live double lives.

My personal favorite of these time-traveling adventures is "Don't Wait Up For Me, "an expression of tastefully tailored rue composed by Charles DeForrest.

A muted trumpet solo by Gilbert Castellanos is filled with button-down aspirations born of deep leather upholstered cocktail lounges, where daily power lunches had double digit alcohol ratings.
Above the Arrow shirt atmosphere of poker hands played by men wearing cufflinks, Kosins floats her suggestions of comfortable lives lived in suppressed anxiety.

Back then women were just beginning to stir in protest, flexing feelings that would surprise a burgeoning establishment of tactile insecurity. Nobody knew it then, when these songs were first popular, but Kosins has heard the message in the four singers she celebrates here.

Eschewing this songbird quartet's most familiar numbers from the Fifties, Kosins has picked less appreciated songs she believes fill out the full picture of Connor, Christy, O'Day and London
There are also several humorous upbeat tracks – the wry

"Kissing Bug," the candy bar punny "Hershey's Kisses – some light Latin bubbly and relaxed swing, as well.

In all, it is a satisfying collection of feelings from big city females who dared to look the lion in the face on their own terms.

Get a taste at www.kathykosins.com

All About Jazz - Italy Edition

"To The Ladies of Cool" - A love letter to Connor, O'Day, Christy, London

by Vittorio Lo Conte

The times when the jazz singers ended up on the front pages of glossy magazine are now long gone. Fortunately, the incisions are characters and music with remarkable voice that have left their mark in the music of the twentieth century.
Four of these, Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor and Julie London veteran Cathy Kosins, singer of Detroit, has seen fit to pay tribute (and a "Love Letter" as the title of the disc) without a andaer dredge necessarily their strong points, respectively, All About Ronnie, Let Me Off Uptown, Something Cool and Cry Me a River.

To etch went about the points of origin of the movement West Coast (three of singers residing in Los Angeles). But the gift does not stop there because it is a work of plagiarism or not cloning. The choice of the ten songs, the arrangements, the group is finally perfect and you can listen to a record that celebrates the tradition of jazz singers with intelligence.

As we said, were not chosen standards famous, but lesser-known songs but still in the repertoire of the four singers, rearranged for the occasion.

The voice of Kosins does the rest, a little dark but warm and expressive, full of swing and able to sing the big Learnin 'the Blues opening. Prominently also the band that revolves around the pianist Tamir Handelman, another remarkable character of this disc, which does not sound a note longer than necessary (but those sounds exude swing!). Really an interpreter expressive and congenial to the project.

A disk as you listen long. Escapes many of the temptations with which jazz singers and their producers now have to do: power tools, a nod to pop rhythms, the famous standard, practically everything that you are trying to attract the general public. Here we swing, blues, solos around the disk sparingly, a perfect phrasing and fished ten songs from oblivion to make a real tribute to four great singers of cool.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I DIG JAZZ: A jazz reporter's notebook...

Kathy Kosins Toasts Ladies of West Coast Cool

On jazz singers Kathy Kosins's new album " the Ladies of Cool," her lovely, soft, and soothing voice made me want to curl up in her lap, and listen to her sing every song on the album over and over. "to the Ladies of Cool" is her first album for Resonance Records, and it's due out March 13th.

The album appears to be a tribute album on the surface, but it isn't although Kosins performs songs jazz singers Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor, and Julie London made hip. Kosins gives a spit-shine to "Learnin' the Blues," "Free and Easy" and "November Twilight"..

Before Kosins became a big time jazz singer, she made her bones on Detroit's music scene. One of her first jobs was arranging and singing background for music producer Don Was of Was/Not Was.

Kosins built up her jazz and swing acumen in the JC Heard and Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Not long after that job ended she struck out on her own. Over time, she put out five albums, and racked up accolades by the mother-lode.

Days, after I listened "to the Ladies of Cool," I shot Kosins some questions about the album's conception, and about her admiration of those West Coast darlings, which she gladly answered.

What inspired the making of "to the Ladies of Cool"?

The West Coast Cool movement of the 1950's and 60's inspired me. This was an extension of my previous disc "Mid-Century Modern," where I cover a lot of material from the West Coast Cool school.

Although you're toasting Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor and Julie London, "to the Ladies of Cool," doesn't feel like a tribute album.

This is not a tribute disc. It is a contemporary exploration of the West Coast Cool movement that celebrates the artistry of those iconic vocalists, and the relationships the women had with the composers and arrangers who defined West Coast Cool.

What do you admire about those singers?

I loved their true sense of lyricism and understatement.

Were there obstacles making the album?

There were no obstacles for this project. It was almost as if I had a green light, and blessings from the spirits of the artists. They seemed to be with me on my journey from finding the songs, to hiring the arranger, to recording and mixing, and to designing the cover.

Was selecting the songs for "the ladies of cool" difficult?

It was a long process and I chose over 20 songs before honing in on the nine and writing the 10th to Johnny Mandel's instrumental of "Hershey Bar", which is now titled "Hershey's Kisses".

Did O'Day, Christy, Connor and London have a big influence on your style?

These women did not influence my singing. Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and many of the jazz instrumentalists from the 40's and 50's did. But I grew up listening to those women on my mother's stereo. I found I connected with each one on some fundamental level each for a different reason. I won't give the reasons. The list is too long.

Jersey Jazz, April 2012

By Joe Lang

Among my favorite vocalists are the ladies like June Christy, Chris Connor, Anita O'Day and Julie London who defined the 1950s "cool school" of vocalizing. The songs sung by the four ladies mentioned above are the source for the program of singer KATHY KOSINS on her fine new album, To the Ladies of Cool (Resonance – 1018). Kosins has wisely chosen to apply her own vocal sensitivities to 10 tunes that were among those performed by Christy, Connor, O'Day and London, with not even a hint of imitation. In doing so, she did not rely on the songs that are most associated with these ladies of song. There are no signature songs like Christy's "Something Cool," Connors's "All About Ronnie," O'Day's "Honeysuckle Rose" or London's "Cry Me a River." She opted for tunes that Kosins felt suited her stylistically and emotionally, and she renders them with taste, confidence, and a superb feel for phrasing that makes each lyric ring true. She did dig deep, as illustrated by the tune titled "Hershey's Kisses." The original Johnny Mandel melody was called "Hershey Bar," and had been done as a wordless vocal by O'Day. Kosins has added clever lyrics, and updated the title to reflect her words. Her instrumental support is supplied by pianist Tamir Handelman, who also penned the hip arrangements, bassists Kevin Axt or Paul Keller, guitarist Graham Dechter, drummer and vibist Bob Leatherbarrow, reedman Steve Wilkerson and trumpeter/flugelhornist Gilbert Castellanos. This is a concept album of wonderful originality that recalls an era, but brings the music into the now. (www.resonancerecords.org)

All-About-Jazz, March 2012

Kathy Kosins: To the Ladies of Cool

By Larry Taylor, Published: March 6, 2012

Singers June Christy, Chris Connor, Anita O'Day and Julie London were prominent in the 1940s and '50s. Christy, O'Day and Connor all spent time with Stan Kenton's band, while the sultry London became a pinup as well as a big record s eller. Popular with both jazz and pop fans, these singers could regularly be heard on 78s and radio, singing the siren call for the emerging West Coast cool sound. With her fifth album, To the Ladies of Cool, singer Kathy Kosins does a terrific job honoring these four greats with her honey-coated voice.

Hailing from Detroit, Kosins has a long list of credentials as singer, composer and arranger. She grew up immersed in the city's jazz and R&B scenes and started out performing soul, rock, and funk, switching to jazz some 15 years ago, now combining gigs with a teaching career. Her style is sophisticated yet natural, torchy but breezy.

Kosins went to Los Angeles to record in the stomping grounds of her four honorees, selecting tunes from their repertoires. Among the titles, some are well-known, others she had never heard before. Overall, the session is a big success and much is owed to pianist Tamir Hendelman, who did the arrangements and contributes superb backup and solos. The rest of her band also deserves praise.

Obvious from the get-go, Kosins does her own thing. On "Learnin' the Blues," she abandons London's dreamy, sexy softness for a harder-edged bluesy defiance. With "All I Need is You," from Connor's songbook, Kosins again goes against the grain, distilling Connor's cool, compressed emotionality into a lightly swinging brew. O'Day's wordless vocalese on "Hershey's Kisses" gives way to Kosins' witty lyrics, giving voice to a lighthearted rhythmic romp where the singer joins the horns for some catchy harmony à la O'Day. Kosins pays homage to Christy, long associated with "Lullaby in Rhythm," on an up-tempo scat version, where Hendelman and guitarist Graham Dechter share solo space wonderfully, with saxophonist Steve Wilkerson solidly pushing the song to its finish. The CD ends exceptionally with Kosins' wistful bossa nova treatment of "Where Are You?"

Raise the glass and here's a toast. With To the Ladies of Cool, four standout vocal pioneers are deservedly celebrated.

Detroit Free Press

Vocalist Kathy Kosins pays tribute to Julie London, Chris Connor, Anita O'Day and June Christy on her new recording.

By Mark Stryker Detroit Free Press Music Critic

Early spring has brought a substantial crop of new jazz recordings by artists with close ties to Detroit, from star alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, one of the city's top exports in the past 25 years, to singer Kathy Kosins and tenor saxophonist Jeff Marx, two veterans who are based in the region but have reputations that extend beyond the borders.

Kosins' "To the Ladies of Cool" (Resonance Records) is a savvy love letter to Julie London, Chris Connor, Anita O'Day and June Christy -- a quartet of hip post-war singers who cultivated an aesthetic of breathy, laid-back intimacy. Kosins ignores the obvious hits of her dedicatees, delivering instead a highly polished set of 10 thoughtfully chosen songs smartly shaped by arranger and pianist Tamir Hendelman.

The clearest nod to her theme comes in the judicious restraint that Kosins applies to the material. As "Learnin' the Blues" gently wafts in on a bass pedal point, she lets the narrative of the song emerge with easy, expressive grace, turning up the heat on her dynamics and use of bent pitches as she goes but never breaking into a full boil.

The details reveal the care that went into the project. On "Free and Easy," Kosins sings a soft-shoe duet with rhythm guitar; later the vocals give way to a vibes-guitar-piano ensemble that recalls the so-called Shearing sound created by the late pianist George Shearing. On Johnny Mandel's "Hershey's Kisses," outfitted with Kosins' own candy-themed novelty lyrics, she scats a chorus of four-bar exchanges with tenor saxophonist Steve Wilkerson. Kosins simmers on the concluding "Where Are You?" cast in a bossa nova rhythm. On the way out, the key slyly sneaks up a step for the final eight bars, a nightcap of sorts, giving the album a nudge to the finish line.

Contact Mark Stryker: 313-222-6459 or mstryker@freepress.com

March 2012 CD of the Month - KUVO Review

Kathy Kosins "To the Ladies of Cool" Resonance Records

In recognition of Women's History Month, our March CD of the Month selection is To the Ladies of Cool: A Love Letter to Chris Connor-Anita O'Day-June Christy-Julie London by the veteran Detroit vocalist, Kathy Kosins. Not only were the honorees cool ladies, they were pioneers in shaping the vocal stylings of the West Coast cool jazz movement of the 1950s. With this in mind Ms. Kosins traveled to Los Angeles to record this inspired homage for the Los Angeles based, non-profit recording label, Resonance Records. Kathy made two very astute decisions, first her choices of songs-avoiding the over recorded standards, secondly, enlisting Tamir Hendelman to be her pianist and arranger. Hendelman is to be commended for his refreshing charts and impeccable playing as an accompanist as well when soloing.

Kathy Kosins most recent recording maybe a tribute To the Ladies of Cool, but the CD is already hot on the jazz radio charts and as fiery as her red hair!

The Playlist, USA Today

By Elysa Gardner

10 intriguing tracks found during the week's listening:

Off to the Races, Lana Del Rey Forget the controversy, and check out that killer chorus: one of the year's most seductive and unsettling pop songs.

He Did, Anais Mitchell On Young Man in America, Mitchell tells of a father's legacy with her grainy-sweet voice and gently piercing intuition.

Lost in the Light, Bahamas Multifaceted musician Afie Jurvanen finds a bluesy grace on this opening track from his intriguing Barchords.

Hey Jude, Roberta Flack The honey-throated veteran offers a predictably warm, pure reading of the Beatles classic (and others) on Let It Be.

Don't Wait Up for Me, Kathy Kosins Kosins puts her sultry, elegant spin on one of Chris Connor's less conspicuous triumphs on To the Ladies of Cool.

Climax, Usher The R&B star's pulsing new single showcases his silky-strong tenor and fine, fluttery falsetto.

Jack of All Trades, Bruce Springsteen On this quietly throbbing cut from Wrecking Ball, the Boss gives voice to working-class frustration, resilience and grace.

Wichita Lineman, Glen Campbell He wistfully revisited the Jimmy Webb gem for an AOL Sessions track, now on the expanded reissue of 2008's Meet Glen Campbell.

95 South (All the Places...), Gil Scott-Heron The deceptively breezy soul anthem, from 1977, is featured on the black-history-tracing compilation Voices.

Saving All My Love for You, Whitney Houston This early ballad, from 1985, reveals a voice of gleaming silver, a pure pop-soul gift that will live forever.

LA Jazz.com

KATHY KOSINS - "To the Ladies of Cool" - Resonance Records

Dee Dee Reviews Kathy Kosins (Mar 27, 2012, 9:51 PM PDT)

Here is no-nonsense jazz pulled like taffy from the sticky pot of 1960's classic jazz celebrity. This production reminds me of Coltrane, early Miles, Eric Dolphy, Yusef Lateef and all the great straight- ahead masters who had that driving, powerful music that encouraged action.

One thing I've always enjoyed about Kathy Kosins is her ability to "sell the song". Kosins is a melodic storyteller. Her voice is rich and warm as she interprets and vocally explores each song on this tribute CD.

"Learning the Blues" has always been a favorite of mine. I was introduced to it by Julie London's smokey style back in the days of the "Peter Gunn" television show. It was pleasant hearing Kosins bring this lovely tune back to life with a totally different approach. Oh it's still bluesy, but with Tamir Hendelman (arranger/pianist) adding a more avant garde intro and then Kosins swinging hard throughout. That's another thing I have always admired in this native Detroiter - she knows how to swing!

Another talent Kosins offers is her award-winning ASCAP songwriting abilities. The album's liner notes say she writes Contemporary Pop and R&B tunes as well as jazz. On this recording she struts her songwriting credentials on Hershey's Kisses, a composition by Johnny Mandel. Her voice floats above drummer Bob Leatherbarrow without the band's support in some places, and she lets you know that she can scat by trading appropriate fours with reed man Steve Wilkerson, who shines in his own impeccable light. Kosins holds her own becoming a smooth vocal horn. Her lyrics are creative and appropriately embellish Mandel's melody.

Kosins has chosen ten songs to tribute the 'ladies of cool' who she acknowledges as Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor and Julie London. The musicians on this recording add extra luster to an already sparkling project. Gilbert Castellanos plays stellar trumpet and flugelhorn throughout. I enjoyed the tender way he embellished the song "Don't Wait Up for Me".

There are plenty of vocalists out there claiming to be jazz singers, but from my perspective, unless you can swing you can never be an authentic jazz artist. Kosins definitely can, and I look forward to hearing more of that talent on her next recording. All in all, this recording is well produced and a pleasant listening experience.

Midwest Record: Entertainment Reviews, News, and Views

RESONANCE RECORDS KATHY KOSINS To the Ladies of Cool:

Kosins has been laboring in the vineyards for a while making solid jazz vocal albums but this time around, the love is in the air from all quadrants. A tribute to a virtual Mt. Rushmore of 50s super thrushes, Kosins tips the chapeau to Chris Connor, Anita O'Day, June Christy and Julie London, making a load of signature songs her own but keeping the original spirit alive and well. As unique as the career moves she's been making all along, Kosins does the looking backward to look forward thing here in fine style. She even puts actual lyrics of Johnny Mandel's "Hershey's Kisses", originally an O'Day scat and gets the composer to sit up and pay attention. Hot stuff that does a fine job of celebrating cool. Check it out.

San Diego County News, March 2, 2012

Kathy Kosins' CD presents a wonderful and memorable toast "To the Ladies of Cool", Anita O'Day, Julie London, Chris Connor, and June Christy.

By Danny R. Johnson

LOS ANGELES – Kathy Kosins' latest Resonance Records CD, To the Ladies of Cool, scheduled for public release on March 13, 2012, is an ambitious collection of songs, which were sung by the late great jazz singers, Julie London, Anita O'Day, June Christy, and Chris Connor. Kosins, accompanied by a fine band, makes this 10-tracks CD a treasure chest filled with good music which brings back fond memories of the Golden Era of Jazz Singers (1945-1965).

To the Ladies of Cool highlights Kathy Kosins as more of a stylist as opposed to a singer, which I find an interesting distinction. This CD is perhaps one of her best, and one of the best of any contemporary jazz singer singing homage to four immortal women of jazz and pop. Moreover, that is where Kathy Kosins reputation so superbly lies. As one of the very best jazz vocalists still doing it up and an individual woman artist who is a great survivor in a very difficult business.

Kosins gives a toast to Johnny Mandel and Anita O'Day's rendition of Hershey Bar, and being a superb stylist as she is, rearranges the lyrics and gives us this marvelous remake called Hershey Kisses. Kosins sings Hershey Kisses with a pure voice that really sings the melodies as written. She takes the song and styles it. Improvises it, and swings it to a rapturous ending. She may have beenovershadowed by Ella Fitzgerald in Norman Granz's Verve Records, but to my ears Anita O'Day belongs to pantheon of all-time great jazz singers.

The Learnin' the Blues track, in tribute to Julie London, Kosins sings with real understanding and feeling about the blues. There is something of a bad girl in her rendition of this selection which I find very appealing; and while so many of commercially successful singers of London's time had vanished together with their cheerful smiles, the work of cynical and cool Kathy Kosins reminds us while artists like Julie London stands the test of time perfectly.

Kosins chooses to swing it up on Lullaby in Rhythm, a song made famous by Grande Dame June Christy, which she recorded on three different occasions. Kosins' voice is cool, sultry and with a touch of gravel. However, she sure sounds full-bodied in this package of gems of a song! The late Los Angeles Times jazz critic Leonard Feather gave Christy the Grande Dame tag during one of her stints at the former Hong Kong Bar in the Century Plaza Hotel. "To the extent that the term connotes professional prestige," he wrote, "it certainly applies." Christy was also called affectionately that misty Miss Christy because of her husky voice and her interpretation of the classic popular song "Misty."

A singer who used little vibrato and was admired for her inventive rhythmic alterations of ballads, Chris Connor belonged to the cool school of jazz singers that included Anita O'Day, June Christy, and Julie London, as Kathy Kosins so intuitively noted in To the Ladies of Cool CD. In the Don't Wait Up for Me track, a Connor classic, Kosins utilizes her straightforward vibrato less delivery and gives us a rendition that is both vulnerable and very guarded toward expressing her deepest feelings, keeping all but a few at a distance. She makes every note and every sound count. Like her honoree, Chris Connor, Kosins uses the subtle interpretation of Don't Wait Up for Me to interpret the melody so perfectly it sounds like a completely new song.

In a 1989 New York Times article, Anita O'Day revealed the little known secret to her distinctive singing style: ''I am not a singer; I'm a song stylist. When I started out, I had no chops, just a lot of guts. I am not a singer because I do not have a vibrato. And I do not have a vibrato because I don't have a uvula, the little thing that hangs down in the throat and gives you a vibrato. If I want one, I have to shake my head to get it. That is why I sing so many notes – so you will not hear I do not have one. It is how I got my style."

When listening attentively to Kathy Kosins To the Ladies of Cool CD, you will find that there are essentially two camps of great American female singers, which are not always separate and not always regarded as equal. When we think of the major jazz singers, we start with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington, and perhaps one or two unimpeachable other. Then there is the list of the great female pop singers like Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, and Dinah Shore.

Nevertheless, there are only a few singers who can be said to truly belong to jazz and pop royalty: Anita O'Day, Julie London, Chris Connor, and June Christy belong in the jazz and pop royalty pantheon. All of the selections Kathy Kosins sing on the To the Ladies of Cool CD, she personalizes them, generally liberally but always very subtly. When she makes her melodic alterations, it is so subtle that even the most discriminating music critic would have a hard time criticizing Kosins for being so. Yet, her music is, overall, just as swinging and satisfying as the To the Ladies of Cool.

Sounds Of Timeless Jazz

To The Ladies of Cool is Kathy Kosins’ wonderful toast to Julie London, Anita O’Day, Chris Connor and June Christy. These legacies of these iconic vocalists are very well-known but much of the music associated with them remains unknown to a new generation of jazz enthusiasts. Enter Kathy Kosins who has based this recording on her multi-media concert show, “The Ladies of Cool.” The program consists of 10 songs – some obscure, others quite famous. Listeners are treated to Kathy Kosins’ smoky alto on such ballads as “Don’t Wait Up For Me,” “November Twilight,” and “Where Are You” – all with new arrangements by Ms. Kosins’ musical director Tamir Hendelman. By contrast, she offers her listeners a cool swinging sound on “All I Need Is You,” and “Lullaby in Rhythm” both of which confirm her versatility and ability to tell the story behind the song. Joined by Hendelman on piano, Graham Dechter on guitar, Steve Wilkerson on reeds, and Bob Leatherbarrow on percussion, Kosins’ interplay with her band is superlative. This is Kathy Kosins’ debut for Resonance Records and it’s one that should be in your collection.

Audiophile Audition, April 20, 2012

By Pierre Giroux

If you have not heard of vocalist Kathy Kosins before that’s too bad, because she is the real deal. While her recording output to date is not extensive, this offering to the Ladies of Cool, should bring her well-deserved additional recognition.

The four “Ladies of Cool” in question are Anita O’Day, June Christie, Chris Connor and Julie London. Now while the first three had legitimate vocal pedigrees which featured clipped vibrato -less phrasing, each having spent time in the Stan Kenton musical organization where they brought about the vocal style of the band, Julie London had a small whispery voice with minimum range and was better known for her provocative album covers. A more appropriate but less well-known choice might have been Jeri Southern, who was a legitimate cool-style vocalist.

That small quibble aside, Kosins treats us to her unique interpretation of songs associated with the singers in question, but not those tunes readily recognizable such as “Let Me Off Uptown”, “Something Cool”, “All About Ronnie” and “Cry Me a River,” although it might have been intriguing to hear Kosins take on these classics. With clear diction and innate sense of swing, the opening track “Learnin’ The Blues” veers away from London’s  languid version to a more straight ahead no- nonsense take. Kosins brings her inimitable approach to each of these re-adaptations of the original renditions of the compositions such that “Nightbird” and “Don’t Wait Up for Me” have a surprising new aesthetic in these versions.

What helps to make this discs all the more appealing, are the superb arrangements for the band and the marvellous piano support provided by Tamir Hendelman. On the June Christie popularized number “Lullaby in Rhythm”, Kosins is in scat mode with both Hendelman and guitarist Graham Dechter filling in the solo gaps. These two musicians are also prominent on the rarely heard “Free and Easy”. Johnny Mandel had originally written a number called “Hershey Bar “for tenor man Stan Getz, to which Kosins added lyrics and re-titled the tune somewhat facetiously “Hershey’s Kisses”.

This disc is a successful reminiscence of those 50s female vocalists whose artistry defined the word cool.

All Music, May 25, 2012

By Ken Dryden

Kathy Kosins is the rare jazz vocalist who chooses to salute earlier singers by mostly picking less familiar songs they recorded while also putting her individual stamp on them. Pianist Tamir Hendelman, a brilliant accompanist on some of her earlier recordings, provided the arrangements, and the talented cast includes guitarist Graham Dechter, multi-reed player Steve Wilkerson, drummer Bob Leatherbarrow (who doubles on vibes), and trumpeter/flügelhornist Gilbert Castellanos. Kosins has a bit of an R&B flavor in her alto voice, crisp enunciation, and the ability to swing, as best demonstrated in the breezy take of "Nightbird" and the bluesy late-night flavor of "Don't Wait Up for Me," along with her shimmering setting of "November Twilight." Kosins' sassy, playful side is on display in Duke Ellington's World War II-era "Kissing Bug" and in the hip lyric she wrote for Johnny Mandel's tasty "Hershey Bar," renamed "Hershey's Kisses." One obscurity that she rescues from the archive of forgotten gems is the Henry Mancini/Bobby Troup composition "Free and Easy," showcasing Hendelman and Dechter in top form as well.

Step Tempest, March 12, 2012

By Richard B. Kamins

It feels as if 2012 will be a vintage year for CDs created by piano trios and female vocalists.  For her 4th recording as a leader, Kathy Kosins, a native of Detroit, Michigan, turns to the music of Chris Connor, Julie London, Anita O'Day and June Christy, mining their respective repertoires to assemble a 10-song program that she titles "To The Ladies of Cool" (Resonance Records). Ms. Kosins does not attempt to mimic any of the singers she is celebrating. With the help of pianist/arranger Tmir Hendelman, this music has a pleasing shine and swing.  The rhythm section, consisting of veteran Los Angeles session drummer Bob Leatherbarrow and bassists Kevin Axt or Paul Keller (they appear on 5 tracks each), offer able support while Graham Dechter adds his expressive guitar work to several selections.   Gilbert Castellanos' trumpet is a welcome addition to "Kissing Bug" and "Don't Wait Up For Me" (this track puts the spotlight on his pleasing muted sounds).  He pairs with tenor saxophonist on the rollicking version of Johnny Mandel's "Hershey's Kisses" (Ms. Kozins' original lyrics replaces Ms. O'Day's wordless work on the original version of "Hershey Bar.")

The moody ballad "November Twilight" (originally recorded by Ms. London in 1956) is quite pretty with fine bass work from Axt (who works with Tierney Sutton) and handsome piano work from Hendelman.  Dechter's bluesy licks enliven Henry Mancini's aptly-titled "Free and Easy" while his gentle chording adds a bossa-nova lilt to "Where Are You".

"To The Ladies of Cool" simmers and shimmers, swings and soothes - like the 4 women she celebrates, Kathy Kosins is not a demonstrative vocalist. Her delivery is even-keeled, her voice emotional but not overly so, nor she exhibit the desire to fill out the songs with unnecessary vocal sounds.  Instead, she's the singer in front of an impressive ensemble performing a fine program of good songs.  Give this a serious listen - to find out more, go to ladiesofcool.com.