FROM DEWEY ERNEY:
It has been my distinct pleasure to have been able to perform at Terence Love's Steamers Jazz Club on the 4th Thursday of each month for the past 7 or 8 years - I've lost count. Many of those years were spent working as part of a duo with the wonderful guitarist and great friend Ron Escheté. We have explored a tremendous amount of material from the Great American Songbook. Within the past year or year and a half, Terence decided he would like to expand to a quartet (vocalist with trio), normally with Ron plus bass and drums.
Ron and I have already recorded extensively. So, when Ron had another engagement on the evening of March 27, 2003, I called upon my good friends; pianist Gerry Schroeder, bassist Jack Prather, drummer Kendall Kay and trumpet virtuoso Ron Stout to work with me that evening. When my friend Michael Lund, who owns Serendipity Recordings in Guilford, CT, suggested, "Dewey, you should do a 'live' recording," it "hit" me. "Hey, why not now?" We rehearsed one evening, Gerry wrote a few charts, and on the rest of the tunes we just winged it." I have also recorded with Gerry on a number of occassions, mostly as a duo doing ballads, and we had always talked about doing a trio album that "swung." Well, here it is! I'm very proud of what we've achieved here. This is one evening's music, not stretched over several days to get "the best of." There are no stops and re-starts. You're hearing these songs as they were being performed from beginning to end. In fact, there are about 5 or 6 more selections that could have been used, but because of time limitations for the CD, they were not used. As it is, the time on this CD is 67:15. We probably have about 30 more minutes of really usable material.
It has always been my custom on all of my gigs to encourage the wonderful musicians I'm always privileged to work with to be as much a part of the proceedings as I am. First of all, their solos deserve to be heard. Second, it is my belief that is adds a balance to the music that makes it pleasurable for the listening audience. After all, the members of the audience are attending jazz clubs to hear "jazz." While I, as a vocalist, have the advantage of being able to interpret the marvelous lyrics and the melody straight or improvisationally, the other members of the group can interpret their solos through harmonic improvisation. I have no ego about this. I want our musical events to be enjoyable for everyone - the musicians and the audience.
Realizing this sounds like a cliché, I absolutely mean this = "I hope this 'live' recording is as enjoyable for you the listener as it was for us to do it." ONe more mention: *'d like to complement recording engineer Chuck Mitchell, "Voice of the Arts" in Downey, CA for the masterful job he did in recording, mixing and mastering this recording, under some difficult conditions that evening.
If you're ever in the Los Angeles area on the fourth Thursday of the month, please travel out to Steamers Jazz Club, 138 Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton (in Orange County) - I will be there 8:00 pm to midnight.
FROM MICHAEL PAUL LUND:
Llstening to Dewey Erney Live a Steamers is a good thing. His enthusiasm, warmth and down-to-earth exchange with the audience is immediately engaging and infectious. Dewey's voice is strong and expressive, and as his act unfolds, becomes even more so. This is his first "Live" recording, and as far as I'm concerned, it is one of his best. It demonstrates how professionally he interacts with an audience and the fine supportive players with him. As always, his selection of songs is impeccable. Well done, Dewey.
Michael Paul Lund
Syndicated Writer, Broadcaster and Lecturer
FROM TERENCE LOVE:
Dewey Erney is one of the most spirited jazz vocalists I've encountered. After 8 years of monthly gigs, he's still packing the house, with new recruits each time. Whether it be a duo with Ron Escheté or a full blown quintet, the reaction remains the same...jazz fans glued to their seats. Dewey has a unique way of demanding your attention in a very subtle way. His performances at Steamers are always right on the money, capturing the audience from the first note and not letting go. Dewey's timing, pitch and articulation are flawless...and talk about knowing the Great American Songbook? He practically wrote the book, offering one great interpretation after another. There's no shtick here...it's all real and honest. He's a swingin' cat and he leaves our patrons talking bout it long after the gigs. Jazz vocalists come and go, and I usually don't mind when most of them go, but Mr. Erney's got one of those voices that you could listen to all night without tiring.
Terence Love, owner
Steamers Jazz Club
• A special thanks to Dan St. Marseille at Resergent Music.
