Dianne's Latest CD Easy As You Go  

Brubeck as you have never heard it before!." easyasyougo1

Dianne and Norman Johnson coolaborate with Chris 

Brubeck (bass & trombone) & Dan Brubeck (drums)

 

First, a word from the authors, Dave and Iola Brubeck on their favorite track.

Ode To A Cowboy  

Ode to a Cowboy was written when our son, Dan, was a small, rambunctious child who rode a stick horse and wore a cowboy hat.  It is one of our favorite songs.  Dianne's interpretation conveys the tender feelings familiar to every parent who has watched their child drift off to sleep.
Dave and Iola Brubeck 

 

Dianne's Latest CD    Easy As You Go   

 

    Says OWEN MCNALLY

Jazz Writer, The Hartford Courant   

Cool and savvy, Dianne Mower is exactly the right ambassador to represent us all in the expansive, imaginative kingdom of Dave Brubeck compositions.

Especially so on this pleasant trip to Brubeckland, which, along with other classy material, stresses songs from "The Real Ambassadors," the Dave and Iola Brubeck musical, which was built around Louis Armstrong.

Accompanied by guitarist Norm Johnson, her longtime, smooth-toned sidekick,

NORMBRU2

plus two royal princes of the Brubeck Dynasty-- ] 

       Chris Brubeck on bass and trombone                                      and                                                      Dan Brubeck on drums--

DAN

CHTRMB

 

Mower negotiates the intimacy of "Easy As You Go" and is diplomatically deft with her lilting rendition of "In the Lurch. " To double your pleasure, "In the Lurch" is seasoned with overdubbed, overlapping Mower vocals, creating a delicious duet.

A similar duet effect lights up the bittersweet, samba-flavored "There’ll Be No Tomorrow."

This rendition is totally from the heart, an example of Mower’s dramatic range and courage to probe after beauty even at the cost of exposing inner emotions. Even—heaven forbid!—at the risk of appearing vulnerable and all too human on an expressive path that can be quite hazardous when overdone or done insincerely.

A pro at projection and balance—the gift of fine singers and actors--Mower strikes exactly the right artistic and emotional balance.

Capable of playing a  range of roles, she’s hip on "Here Comes the McBride" (for which she contributes the lyrics) and sweet in her own way on one of Dave’s most lyrical ballads, "In Your Own Sweet Way."

For the finale, Mower takes on an extra tough ambassadorial assignment, becoming the first singer ever to actually sing "Lonesome," instead of taking the much easier, safer route of reciting the lyrics.

Even Louis Armstrong avoided that challenging task. Rather than sing the words on the Columbia/Sony recording of "The Real Ambassadors," Satchmo chose to play the song on trumpet and then recite the lyrics over his recorded trumpet playing.

"Having now recorded it," Mower readily acknowledges, "I know why it wasn’t sung. It’s a tough tune!"

But that mix of ability and agility is what makes her such a successful ambassador and ardent advocate for songs from "The Real Ambassadors," Brubeck material that ought to be widely known and universally celebrated throughout the public domain.

OWEN MCNALLY

Jazz Writer, The Hartford Courant

 

It's Brubeck as you have never heard it before! 

 Dianne and Norman Johnson coolaborate with Chris (bass &  trombone) & Dan Brubeck,(drums) interpreting Dave's tunes and  transforming these melodies with Dianne's velvety timbre demoand Norman's lyric  guitar strains. And who would know better than his sons, Chris and Dan, when they had gotten it just right.

This album shows that Dave Brubeck was more than a great musician, even without his amazing fingers on the keys the music is just as sweet, and sometimes a bit different than you might expect. No collection of Dave's music can ever be considered complete until you add this album.

About to be released, you can get a sneak preview of some of the tracks right now! Make sure your speakers are turned up, sit back, and tune in.....