Submitted by Dean Pratt, Jan 31, 2007 11:41

Having just read Will Freidwald's article entitled "Dizzy's Decesdants Bring the Bop," I am compelled to offer a heated response. It is immediately apparant to anyone who has had the privilage of working with--and recording with, in my case--the incredible vocalist/musician, yes I said "musician," Roberta Gambarini, that either Mr. Friedwald was suffering from an ear infection the night he reviewed this lady's performance or he has some other agenda for his comments.

To put it bluntly (and you can ask any of the great musicians Ms. Gambarini has performed with, including Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Slide Hampton, Johnny Griffin, her mentor, the late Benny Carter, and one of her biggest fans and supporters, James Moody, whom she performed with at this event) Ms. Gambarini is, quite simply, the best new jazz vocalist/musician to come along in decades. And there are a host of points all of these great musicians agree on: Ms. Gambarini has flawless intonation; scats with the swing and ingenuity of Ella Fitzgerald; and knows every chord progression she is improvising to. She has the vocal chops and range of Sarah Vaughn and a way with a lyric not unlike that of Carmen McRae. To hear Roberta Gambarini sing "Lush Life" is the thing that dreams are made of.

Now for Mr. Friedwald's assessment of this amazing talent, and I quote: "After a tremendous ovation, Mr. (sic) Gambarini performed Ram Ranirez's 'Lover Man.' Although she is an expert improviser with amazing intonation and technique, Ms. Gambarini's formidable powers of muscianship do not extend to the ability to personalize or interpert a lyric; she sounds like an electric keyboard with flawless pitch but no dynamics or expression, a lot of pretty notes that don't add up to anything. For her to invite comparison to Billie Holiday, an artist who was all feeling and, especially in her later years, next to no technique, was a grave miscalculation. Her ballad in the second half, Tadd Dameron's 'If You Could See Me Now,' was an improvement in that it allowed her to show off her bop chops (lyricist Carl Sigman's line 'without my heart behind the smile' seems to describe the singer), but I still resented that she was given three solo features while the formidable Ms. Rosnes didn't even get one trio number."

Ahh, Will, where do I begin? The only thing to resent here is that Mr. Friedwald apparantly makes a living writing dribble like this. Is this a review of Ms. Gambarini's performance, or some sort of personal vendetta? Now, I wasn't at this particular performance, but I can assure anyone reading these comments that not only did the formidable Ms. Rosnes not resent Ms. Gambarini's three solo numbers but that she was honored to accompany her on them. The only thing we must all resent is that Mr. Friedwald is allowed so much column space on this paper. Any paper.

As for Mr. Friedwald's comment that Ms Gambarini does not have the ability to personalize or interpert a lyric and that she invited comparison to Billie Holiday by singing "Lover Man," nothing could be more ridiculous. . .except perhaps his comment about Mr. Moody's throwing Gambarini off pitch. Ms Gambarini does not get thrown off pitch. Ever. Period.

Why is it that rank non-musicians are allowed to write with such abandon about musicians? How did Mr. Friedwald get this gig? Any gig? Shame on him and shame on the New York Sun.

More sincerely than you can imagine,

Dean Pratt

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