All About Jazz
November 4th, 2003

by Terrell Holmes

On his new CD "Under The Influence," Tuey Connell displays a versatility that transcends his singing. He also plays the guitar and banjo, and contributed a trio of original songs to the lineup. The band supporting his effort is top-notch, featuring Steve Klink on piano, bassist Henning Gailing, Markus Rieck on drums and Geof Bradfield on tenor sax.

On "I Thought About You" Connell adds suitably slow phrasing to this introspective ballad. And the band ably plays behind hm, especially Bradfield, who adds a wonderfully bluesy solo. On "No Moon At All" Connell makes the banjo sound almost seductive. And when was the last time you heard a banjo and tenor sax sharing the same air space on a ballad? One of Connell's originals, "Malady," is a tale of two songs. The first half is taken at a slow tempo; the second half is an uptempo showcase, with Connell, in speed and delivery, sounding like Jon Hendricks vocalese. Connell adds a vivid guitar solo, then the band takes over and goes to town.

Connell doesn't restrict himself to standards and torch songs. He can sing the blues ("Why You Been Gone So Long") and he does and admirable job with Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is." His original songs feature middle of the road lyrics in the jazz standard tradition supported by excellent music and arrangement. His overall vocal style is light and laid-back, even during ballads. He adds an occassional sultriness to the mix, with a few dashes of scat singing thrown in to complete the pedigree. And the other musicians are outstanding. Klink, Gailing, Rieck and Bradfield each lends his distinct voice during solos, yet meshes flawlwessly as a unit, playing with confidence and crispness. The story is that Connell spent the past few years in Europe paying his dues in order to make a name in the U.S. "Under The Influence" will go a long way toward writing his ticket.

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