REVIEWS
REVIEWS FOR SOCIAL ANTHEMS, VOLUME 2
DASH HOFFMAN RECORDS | 2024
Music Review by Wild Mercury Rhythm by C. Michael Bailey
Cathy Segal-Garcia has put together an impressive discography over the last decade: In2uition (Dash Hoffman Records, 2017), The Jazz Chamber (Dash Hoffman Records, 2018), Dreamsville (Dash Hoffman Records, 2019), Social Anthems, Volume 1 (Origin Records, 2021), Live in Japan (Origin Records, 2022). Social Anthems, Volume 1 featured Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth” and keen mash up of the Youngbloods’ “Get Together” with Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.” Volume 2 seeks more elusive fruit, songs precious to Segal-Garcia.
With this recording, Segal-Garcia recasts familiar songs in the guise of other artists. After transforming Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” from a love song into an international political mantra in her smoothest voice tempered by Nick Mancini’s vibraphone. They sharpened Marvin Gaye's definitive statement, "Inner City Blues/Make Me Wanna Holler," turning it into a Les McCann "Compared To What" funkfest propelled by Will Brahm's palm-muted guitar figure..
The wonderful Mon David joins Segal-Garcia on Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The City” again nudging Wonder’s original intention into a softer, gospel-tinged direction. guided by Carey Frank’s Hammond B3, pushed along by Brahm’s muted chords. Lattice like, the song remains potently effective. Segal-Garcia welcomes Paul Jost on a second Peter Gabriel offering “The Book Of Love.” Jost insinuates himself like a lover into Segal-Garcia’s vision, weaving in and out of the most elaborate arrangement on the disc. Segal Garcia transforms Stephen Still's "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" into an untethered song of wonder and suspicion. The most inventive and potent song is the intersection of Sting’s “Russians,” Segal-Garcia’s “My Russia,” and a ripple of Serge Prokofiev on “Russians/My Russia.” If this collection has a heartbeat, this is it.
Music Review by JW Vibe by Jonathan Widran
A brilliant lyricist and songwriter in addition to being a vocalist who sets the contemporary jazz standard for exciting, otherworldly re-imaginings of pop standards, L.A. Jazz treasure Cathy Segal-Garcia summed up the mission of her unique Social Anthems series brilliantly in the liner notes of her Volume 1 set in 2021. She wrote, “Music is capable of seeping into the cracks of our lives, touching on our pain and vulnerabilities, so ultimately it can offer us hope and healing."
A few years after the pandemic, the world is in even greater need of that, and Cathy continues to mine fresh ways to provide that on her equally impactful, adventurously arranged and powerfully performed album Social Anthems Volume 2.
Vibing with an ever-inventive ensemble of fellow L.A. greats, including pianist and B-3 master Carey Frank, vibraphonist Nick Mancini and guitarist Will Brahm, the singer’s approach to socially conscious jazz is to boldly address the fraught, anxious state of the sociopolitical zeitgeist of today via dazzlingly original interpretations of politically charged classic rock jams of previous generations. Perhaps her most imaginative fusions of past and present is the tense, hypnotic and bluesy-atmospheric take on Sting’s mid-80’s classic “Russians” where she cleverly updates the story by switching out Kruschev and Reagan for Putin and Biden and for good measure adding a few narrative bars of Prokofiev and her own 2022 composition “My Russia.”
Elsewhere, she continues the soulfully astute sensitivity of the Marvin Gaye aesthetic that she began on Vol 1 with “Save the Children” with a bubbly, passionately phrased (and vibes-infused) take on “Inner City Blues/Make Me Wanna Holler” – so much a centerpiece of the action here that Cathy includes a Remix as a bonus cut.
It’s testament to Cathy’s rich artistry as a songwriter that her lone original, the offbeat, slightly bluesy and crafty internal rhyme filled “The Beginning of You,” fits comfortably among two Peter Gabriel classics – the opener “In Your Eyes” and “Book of Love,” sung as a charming, world-wise duet with Paul Jost – and consciousness shifting classics by Stevie Wonder “Living for the City,” featuring powerhouse vocalist Mon David. Then ending it all with Crosby, Stills & Nash “Suite Judy Blue Eyes”.
Music Review by All About Jazz by Nick Mondello
Los Angeles-based Renaissance woman Cathy Segal-Garcia is well-known as an innovator, trailblazer and an artist who sets her own artistic paths. As a vocalist, composer/arranger, broadcaster, educator and more, she has never shied away from risk. Social Anthems, Vol. 2 follows the first volume which also was a production with socially conscious themed material. With this effort she sends up eight tracks comprised of well-known selections and originals, all with that same orientation.
"In Your Eyes" leaves the gate with Segal-Garcia's alto delivering Peter Gabriel's poetic words over a mild rock feel. It molds into a second chorus with a vocal chorus, brief piano and vibraphone statements, all leading to a symbolic board fade. The social statement of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues/Make Me Wanna Holler" has Garcia launching over a polyrhythmic base. She moves into the tune's political/cultural message with unrestrained fury. There is integrity and honesty in how she inflects the lyric turmoil, encouraged by the action around and below. This is a very engaging track. The urban perspective continues with Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" in a soulfully slow take with Carey Frank's B3 adding church and Mon David joining Segal-Garcia. The duo back-forth adds a significant dimension to the track. Segal-Garcia scats alternately with David as Nick Mancini's vibes and Will Brahm's guitar support. "Russians/My Russian" melds Sting's pro-peace piece and a Segal-Garcia original. The ominous nature of the message is presented with Segal-Garcia fervor, overall ensemble grandeur, and expansiveness. An organ solo and chorus, as well as a quote from Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije Suite" and martial snare reinforce the lyric.
Across the session, Segal-Garcia is deeply engaged into each of the various song types. She is chameleon-like, as she deftly moves from a rock to a jazz to a soul-blues format. One senses her penchant for lyrics and her flair for their vocal inflection. The musicians are all Los Angeles A-Listers and all provide a significant frame—and space—for her interpretations.
Vocalist Paul Jost joins Segal-Garcia in a folk vibe on Gabriel's "Book of Love." Not to be confused with the "Monotones" '50s doo-wop classic. The interplay between Jost and Segal-Garcia is expressive with both lyrically confident and neither artist giving way. It is very much a "performance" track, as their effort is at that kind of intensity level. "The Beginning of You" launches with a dark bass riff and a 12/8 shuffle feel. Segal-Garcia lets all emotion fly in this jazz-hip original. Frank's B3 solos over a pulsing march base and a Will Brahm guitar solo. The tone changes with "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes." With arguably one of the most frequent sing-along interludes of the '60s, Segal-Garcia presents the Crosby, Stills & Nash hit, as expected, in her own sweet way. With tempo a tad slower than the hit and with some re-harmonization, she enters over vibraphone and ensuing rhythm base. The stop-time adds a nice flair. The texture alters midway with tempo slowing and things more solemn. A remixed and harder-edged version of "Inner City Blues/Make Me Wanna Holler" is an included bonus track that is as interesting and hip as its prior, tamer presentation. The track has it all: drive, funk, and Segal-Garcia's electricity.
Track Listing
In Your Eyes; Inner City Blues/Makes Me Wanna Holler; Living for the City; Russians/My Russia; Book of Love; The Beginning of You; Suite: Judy Blue Eyes; Bonus Track: Inner City Blues (Kapitan Remix).
REVIEWS FOR SOCIAL ANTHEMS, VOLUME 1
DASH HOFFMAN RECORDS | 2021
Music Review by Paula Edelstein of Sounds of Timeless Jazz
Social Anthems Volume 1 is an excellent rendition of protest songs covered by vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia. A child of the Sixties, Ms. Segal-Garcia sings some of the most memorable songs of social importance with exemplary new arrangements. Although these songs were mostly introduced as Folk inspired songs, Segal-Garcia’s jazzy updates work really well. Joined by such stellar musicians as Anthony Wilson on guitar, Josh Nelson on piano/keyboards, Lorca Hart on drums, Edwin Livingston on bass, Paul Jost on harmonica and vocals, and Mon David adding vocals, these songs are just as relevant today as they were when first introduced.
Stephen Stills’ anthem “For What It’s Worth” opens the set list. Excellent soloing from Anthony Wilson on guitar and Josh Nelson take the song to a different level via their elements of jazz. Cathy’s vocals are definitely jazzy and bring a heartfelt level of emotion to the lyrics. Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes” is a truly innovative duet with its lyrics sung in the soprano range by Cathy and with spoken words in a raspy believable voice by Paul Jost. Arranged by Anthony Wilson, with a haunting harmonica solo from Jost, this is such a lovely song.
Overall, all six songs were chosen by Cathy Segal-Garcia because they resonated with her. Her cool, sensitive approach to the lyrics makes the messages heard on Social Anthems – Volume 1 a sure reminder of today’s current events and issues. Take some time to listen deeply to the lyrics and then make sure to tell your friends about this wonderful recording.
Cathy Segal-Garcia Social Anthems, Volume 1
Origin Records | 2021
MUSIC REVIEW BY DEE DEE MCNEIL, L.A. JAZZ SCENE
One thing I've noticed about vocalist, Cathy Segal-Garcia. She has a unique and lovely way of re-arranging songs to suit her jazzy perspective. You hear this clearly on her new "Social Anthems" album when she opens with the socially relevant composition, "For What It's Worth." The rhythm section arrangement is absolutely wonderful. Some thirty-five years after releasing her debut album, Cathy continues to record and release a variety of quite diverse music, ranging from large orchestrations to duets. Recently, she experienced an epiphany about the universal situation we face as human beings on a climate-challenged planet full of wars and rumors of war; poor and privileged; protests and prayers. For this project, Cathy has chosen songs that tickle our social consciousness, including one original composition titled, "What Are We Gonna Do?" However, her original composition is quite folksy and not at all like the jazzy arrangement I would have expected. Billy Joel's song, "And So It Goes" comes next. It features Anthony Wilson on guitar (who has arranged many of these songs) and Cathy Segal-Garcia's identifiable vocal sound floats nicely above the track. Cathy is a vocalist with a tone and style all her own. On this cut, there is the unexpected addition of spoken word by Paul Jost, inserted as a thought-provoking surprise as he reads aloud these poignant lyrics.
"I've been experiencing feelings of malaise and angst for quite some time now. And most of my friends have said the same thing. People are afraid for the future. I chose the songs on this album because I felt they are timely and speak to those feelings," Cathy explained her motivation for this recording.
The musical arrangements for "Down to Earth" mirror outer-space sound effects, woven into the track like sparkling silver threads, but the song itself is not anywhere near jazz. Her rendition of "Get Together & Can't Find My Way Home" has qualities, that in an unforeseen way remind me of the great jazz artist, Abbey Lincoln. Once again, this arrangement is far from the original, but fits perfectly into the soul and spirit of Cathy Segal-Garcia's mindset for this album. The tracks themselves are all jazz. The musicians play beautifully and successfully they transform this particular pop tune with improvised freedom and creativity. Josh Nelson has also contributed his brilliance to arranging some of this music. Cathy closes with Al Cleveland, Obie Benson and Marvin Gaye's hit, Motown soul song, "Save the Children." Cathy receives creative assistance from talented, L.A. based jazz vocalist, Mon David on this final song.
Cathy Segal-Garcia is popular in the Southern California area for her 'Open Mic' series she hosted years ago at the once popular Sportsman's Lounge in Studio City. That series lasted, with great community support, for seven years. She moved her Open Mic series from space to space; club to club, giving musicians a platform to perform and practice and introducing audiences to the rich talent that Southern California has to offer. She has been creating work for jazz musicians and singers around Los Angeles for decades. Cathy began her musical career, inspired by her father, who played reeds and was a big band leader and her mom, who was a singer before she married and settled down. Her dad was also a music programmer at a local radio station in Boston, where Cathy grew up. Consequently, she was exposed to all the popular music of the day including Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, The Hi Los singing group, The Four Freshmen and Stan Kenton's band.
"I was a ham from age three. My sisters and I sang together, so we were like this little act, the Segal Twins and Cathy. We grew up in a little corner of Newton, MA, about seven minutes West of downtown Boston," Cathy told me.
After graduation from Berklee School of Music, she settled in San Francisco for a time and finally landed in Los Angeles, where she made the rounds as a struggling jazz vocalist and settled down. With a winning personality and a zest for life in the music business, she exhibited an ability to bring people together. Cathy has put together several groups of singers, poets and musicians. One singing group is "Alone Together" and another is "Fish to Birds." "Fish to Birds" is an improvisational group of voices made up of various professional singers around town. She enjoys singing with acapella groups and has a good ear for harmony. Cathy has traveled internationally and taught vocal coaching in Japan and at home. Her dedication to jazz and jazz artists is undeniable, as is her work to keep jazz alive in our community. That's why this latest release is a bit puzzling to me, because I wouldn't necessarily consider it a jazz CD. I do know, Cathy Segal-Garcia is always pushing the boundaries of music and, like a restless bird circling the scene, she looks for new songs to sing and fresh ways to sing them. Consequently, this album is most certainly a "Social Anthem" whose lyrics tickle our brains. Using creative arrangements that challenge the norm and jazz musicians who bring their best to the project, Cathy Segal-Garcia once again asks us to push past the predictable and to embrace unexpected possibilities. I'm up for the challenge.
MUSIC REVIEW BY MICHAEL DOHERTY, MICHAEL'S MUSIC BLOG
Certain songs from the past seem to address present troubles. Or perhaps those troubles never went away. Jazz vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia presents her own renditions of a few of these songs on her new album, beginning with Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," a song that has popped up a lot lately, especially after the police's response to Black Lives Matter protests, and after authorities attacked peaceful protesters in D.C. so that the orange conman could pose with a bible. Cathy Segal-Garcia's rendition is thoughtful and soulful, and features some nice percussion by Lorca Hart. Listen to the powerful and pointed way she delivers the lines "What a field day for the heat/A thousand people in the street/Singing songs and carrying signs." There is also an excellent instrumental section. That's followed by "What Are We Gonna Do," the album's original composition by Cathy Segal-Garcia. The song has a gentle feel, but in it she asks some big questions, including how we are going to justify the human race. "How do we recognize what's wrong and make it go right?" I think we've got a handle on the first part of that question, but not the second. This song features some wonderful work on guitar. When I think of artists who have written social anthems, I don't usually think of Billy Joel, though his "Goodnight Saigon" and "Allentown" address important topics and are seriously good songs (it is best to forget the awful "We Didn't Start The Fire"). The song of his that Cathy Segal-Garcia covers here is "And So It Goes," from Storm Front, and she delivers a touching rendition, joined on vocals by Paul Jost. She also delivers a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Down To Earth" that features a fantastic instrumental section. One of my favorites is her take on "Get Together," which she combines with "Can't Find My Way Home," an interesting choice. Her vocal work grabs us right from the introduction, and is at times haunting, as on the lines "We shall surely pass" and "We are but a moment's sunlight/Fading in the grass." And all the musicians really shine on this track. The album concludes with Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children," with Mon David joining her on vocals.
MUSIC REVIEW BY EDITOR, LA HABITACION DEL JAZZ
For Cathy Segal-Garcia, a love for music in general and jazz in particular comes from afar. His father was a saxophonist and he loved jazz. Since she was 4 years old, she had taken her to big band rehearsals. She sang with her twin sisters for years. After high school, he went to Berklee College of Music, which at the time did not have a voice, so he played the flute and studied arrangement and composition.
Artists like The Beatles, Cream, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, John Coltrane penetrated his artist soul.
His most recent album, "Social Anthems, Volume 1", is his fourteenth CD as a leader. He has been recording albums steadily for almost 30 years, but the pace of his production has accelerated in recent years with the help of his friend, Dan Davilla, who co-produces this album with Segal-Garc'a.
Segal-Garc'a always surrounds himself with first-rate musicians. This time he works with some mainstays of the Southern California jazz scene. Guitarist Anthony Wilson (Diana Krall). The pianist, composer and conductor, Josh Nelson (Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Sheila Jordan, John Clayton). Bassist Edwin Livingston (Elvin Jones, David "Fathead" Newman, John Beasley, Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Mary J Blige). Drummer Lorca Hart (Bobby Hutcherson, Carmen Lundy, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Jordan). And vocalists Mon David and Paul Jost.
The songs that make up the album do not belong to the jazz genre, but thanks to the arrangements by Wilson and Nelson, the interpretation of Segal-Garc'a and the entire group, they adapt to jazz admirably.
Segal-Garcia stated: "I have been experiencing feelings of discomfort and anguish for quite some time. And most of my friends have said the same thing. People fear for the future. I chose the songs on this album because I felt that they are timely and speak of those feelings. "
The album begins with Stephen Stills' song "For What It's Worth", an icon of social protest from the 60s. Very good arrangements by Wilson, which give this song a peculiar jazzy touch.
"What Are We Going to Do" is a ballad written by Segal-Garc'a and arranged by Nelson. Segal-Garc'a says, "Life doesn't come with a user manual, and I wrote this song on the way to a friend for whom I felt guilty." Theme with country touches.
We continue with "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel and arranged by Wilson. Segal-Garc'a has great admiration for Paul Jost and wanted to include him on the album. She sent him the recording and was pleasantly surprised with his contribution. Segal-Garcia brings his contrasting sensibilities, but they are complemented at the same time, by Jost's whispering and hoarse recitation. A beautiful song with a country-folk flavor.
"Down to Earth", by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, from the movie Wall-e, is arranged by Nelson. Again the sensitive voice of Segal-Garcia is faithfully accompanied by the rest of the group.
The fifth cut of the album consists of two songs, "Get Together" by Chet Powers, a song that talks about the power of love and "Can't Find My Way Home" by Steve Winwood and immortalized by the group Blind Faith (Eric Clapton , Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood, Ric Grech) which is about Winwood's close friend struggling with alcohol and drug addiction.
Nelson arranged the combination of both songs from the 60s, dedicating, of the seven and a half minutes, more than five minutes to the first theme. Good entry from Wilson on guitar. Very good version of both songs.
The record ends with "Save the Children," from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, "What's Going On." This time arranged by Wilson. Mon David accompanies Segal-Garc'a, forming an excellent duo between them. Precious song that pleads to save our world for our children. A moving version that chills our hearts for nine minutes.
Segal-Garcia transmits emotions with great ease. His warm voice suggests feelings that make us meditate.
As she herself says: "singers are responsible for things like emotions, ideas, concepts, hopes, horrors and the more honestly we do it, the greater the effect. We are capable of changing the people who listen to us ".
The album becomes short and we are left wanting more songs, hoping that "Social Anthems Volume 2" will be released soon.
Music Review by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Bob Lefsetz keeps saying things are messy these days because music doesn't drive the culture anymore. Part of the problem is that no one is driving the music. SoCal jazz vocalist Segal Garcia reaches back to the 60s to refashion some anthems the kids aren't punching up on You Tube anyway for a new airing with a new audience. Rounding up some real A teamers for her label debut, her renditions take you someplace different that's a place you need to go. Well done.
Contemporary Fusion Reviews by Dick Metcalf
Passionately creative vocals Cathy Segal-Garcia – SOCIAL ANTHEMS VOLUME 1: It’s been a little while since I reviewed Cathy’s wonderful “Straight Ahead To The U.K” album, but that certainly hasn’t slowed her artistry; you’ll see and hear that through her passionately creative vocals on the song “And So It Goes“, with Paul Jost…
…you will find MANY other rewarding jazz vocal styles represented, too, when you SUBSCRIBE to Cathy’s YouTube channel… I did it right away.
Though the songs on the album weren’t necessarily “jazz” when they were released, Cathy and her players (guitarist Anthony Wilson, pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Edwin Livingston and drummer Lorca Hart, as well as vocalists Mon David and Paul Jost) provide the wizardry to jazz the songs up in wonderful ways… their treatment of Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth” opens the album, and will (I predict) be an “instant hit” with DJ’s of all stripes ’round the world!
Josh’s arrangement of the Peter Gabriel/Thomas Newman song “Down To Earth” is among the most sensitive environmental tunes I’ve ever heard, and the piano on this tune is just killer.
I had no doubt what my choice for personal favorite would be after I listened through the album twice… the closer, Marvin Gaye’s “Save The Children“, features Mon David, and will stir you to MOVE to protect the world for our kids… the most soulful cover of Marvin’s tune I’ve ever heard!
I give Cathy and all her players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99.
REVIEWS FOR PREVIOUS RECORDINGS
Lemonwire
Cathy Segal-Garcia takes emotional risks on “Dreamsville”
by Dodie Miller-Gould
Cathy Segal-Garcia has been a fixture on the LA jazz scene for many years, as both a singer/songwriter and as an educator. Dreamsville is her twelfth album as a leader--she's enlisted the help of guitarist Larry Koonse and pianist Josh Nelson to create this intimate mix of standards and original compositions that veer a bit from the norm. Perhaps that is due to Segal-Garcia's voice, which is complex and rich and carries a touch of sadness to every song--or, perhaps, to every note. She's adding something specific to all eleven of these tracks, a feeling that these songs are meant for those who have just crawled out from under life and have dusted themselves off and are ready for more of the same because it wasn't really that bad. It's a weariness, it's true, but Segal-Garcia uses her deep and expressive voice to suggest more--not hope, not optimism, but perhaps that faith in our ability to rebound.
Indeed, this album is not your garden-variety female jazz vocal album, nor is it meant to be. The musical interplay between Koonse and Nelson is lush and melodic and can lull you into blankness, but it's the singer's words, so direct and infused with meaning, that compel you to attention, to wondering what really happened in her past. That's how convincing she is at this chosen role.
The mood is the star here, the dark and shadowy world this trio creates consistently from song to song. Even when these three really stretch by performing an absolutely gorgeous take on Scarlatti's Sonata in B minor L.33, it's so connected to the rest of the album that its inclusion avoids novelty and feels downright necessary. These moods are easy to sustain, I believe, because the trio never really uses one musical genre as a springboard over another. There are certainly jazz elements, and obviously classical ones, but Dreamsville reaches into those dark corners and runs on that hard-to-categorize energy from beginning to end.
How does this translate into the average audiophile and his love for well-recorded female voice? Well, Dreamsville is clearly that, a great recording with plenty of space for deep thinking. But this isn't the kind of music you want to absorb passively, as an antidote to a long and difficult day. This album is sad, and it might demand more attention from you. It might trouble you. But the best music always does.
Blinded by Sound
Jazz Review: Cathy Segal-Garcia & Yoonseung Cho - Bohemian
By Jordan Richardson | May 31, 2012
Bohemian is the result of the musical relationship between pianist Yoonseung Chon and singer Cathy Segal-Garcia. The two came together as many musical relationships do, with a series of meetings and encounters through the Los Angeles scene. With Cho heading back to Korea, the decision was made to get the pair into the studio to document the bond in the form of an album.
As jazz vocal records go, Bohemian is an interesting one. It is minimalistic without feeling small, with Cho’s keys and Segal-Garcia’s adventurous vocals trading exchanges throughout the dozen songs. It also boasts a sense of exploration, one that results in a lot of moves that test boundaries and raise valid musical questions. This isn’t a record about nailing down perfection; it’s a record about conversing, about feeling, about loving the art form.
In that regard, Bohemian is refreshing right from the opening bars of the title track. It is invigorating to come across a jazz vocal album that isn’t jammed to the brim with immeasurable retreads from the noble but overdone Great American Songbook, after all.
Segal-Garcia, the co-founder of the Jazz Vocal Coalition and the president of The California Pop & Jazz Council, has a voice primed to explore the outer limits. She is exciting and bold, sometimes stuffing too many words into a phrase and other times climbing to heroic heights in her registry. Because of her sparkling tone and graceful phrasing, almost everything she throws into listeners’ ears sticks.
Cho is the perfect match, a bold Seoul-born pianist who moved to Argentina at age 14 and studied classical music there. From 2001-2003, Cho was selected by Herbie Hancock to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute at USC. His playing is both fluid and impactful. He plays steadily, sometimes extraordinarily so, and is the ultimate lyrical counterpoint to Segal-Garcia’s vocals.
“Her Family” is a highlight of Bohemian. It sprang into existence after Segal-Garcia wrote words to the Pat Metheny song “In Her Family” and had her words praised by the legend. From that point on, it was only a matter of time before her version was recorded. Cho plays exquisitely on the ballad.
Another stimulating moment is “Fragile,” a familiar piece by Sting. Rather than singing it with space and composure, Segal-Garcia pounds away with robust emotions. Her forceful performance calls to mind some of Sinead O’Connor’s bolder moments. Cho builds the tension smartly and never strains in his role, playing as the perfect companion to Segal-Garcia’s passionate cloudburst. It is a remarkable piece of work and my favourite track.
Bohemian is a quality jazz vocal record. Cho’s playing is prominent and smooth, while Segal-Garcia’s thrill-seeking free spirit is well worth spending some time with. Thanks to a trust in freedom rather than faultlessness, this album is one of the most encouraging of its kind to come out in some time.
Critical Jazz
Carving out your own niche in the world of jazz is becoming increasingly difficult. As more sub-genres are added to the jazz family tree the lines or boundaries between these genres becomes smaller. An interesting sub-genre of jazz is what is being referred to as alternative jazz which begs the question, alternative to what? The question most bandied about would have to be, "What is jazz?"
Cathy Segal-Garcia and Yoonseung Cho are releasing Bohemian on March 20, 2012. This aptly titled release falls under the category of what I like to refer to as N.P.R jazz. An incredibly earthy and organic mix of the natural vocals of Segal-Garcia combined with the virtuoso like performance of Korean jazz pianist Yoonseung Cho.
Organic is a word that has lost a great deal of meaning when used in a critical examination of artistic work. Bohemian exemplifies the proper use of the word organic as this release contains no overdubs. Segal-Garcia began her musical relationship with Cho thanks in part to a vocal workshop she was hosting with Gretchen Parlato who had brought Cho to play piano as one of her accompanists. Bohemian is a two day celebration of improvisation with the idea of simply documenting their musical chemistry more so than a planned project.
The title track Bohemian is a somewhat autobiographical piece on how Segal-Garcia met her husband Gary. There is a remarkable abstract feel to a more free form vocal approach backed magnificently with the shifting harmonics that serve to accentuate the stripped down vocals of Segal-Garcia. "Her Family" is a tune from Pat Metheny with original lyrics from Segal-Garcia. An emotional ballad where both artists play to each others strengths with relative ease. Cho's ability to harmonically develop a tune are reminiscent of Chick Corea while Segal-Garcia's touching lyrics provide a touching counter-point. The Shelby Flint tune "Like A River" is a tune originally inspired by Cathy Segal-Garcia and the reinvention of this tune is again a perfect vehicle for this most intriguing of duos. The Sting classic "Fragile" takes on a deeper emotive quality under Segal-Garcia's interpretation.
Unplugged, organic or bohemian would all be fitting descriptions of the very intimate setting of this vocal/piano duet. A subtle yet captivating retro-hippy chick feel that transcends the normal expectations of jazz vocals by blending popular tunes with tremendous jazz sensibilities and creating a very specific and dynamic artistic voice.
Alternative jazz? No. Instead we find real musical integrity. Songs that are stripped bare of the more commercialized pretentiousness of the music industry for tunes that have a unique story and artist to make sure the story is told. N.P.R jazz. The vibe of artistic integrity coupled with honest emotion for a captivating experience.
By One l Mulet, Hot Indie News
Cathy and Yoon Seung succeed in delivering a performance filled with light and beauty. So few deliver a melody whose meaning is so relative to it’s accompaniment. The pairing of these 2 brilliant artists is akin to watching a butterfly dance with the wind. The L.A. based duo play together in fluid interpretations of songs so free of the clutter of licks and the dogma of genre specific vocal styling’s.
Bohemia makes you feel almost as if you were the first to ride the subway uptown with its charming clickety clack impetus preparing you for the joy of a good long cry on Her Family a wondrous voyage that lifts you in circles like the warm air currents under a California condors wings.
Yoon Seung Cho swings throughout Everyday’s Own Song without Cathy instructing it as in the quirky lyric that leads to a poignantly personal and smoking scat solo. She phrases with complete abandon all throughout her range with impeccable time and such feeling. The human vocal cords seem such a natural instrument when listening to Cathy.
Yoon Seung Cho delivers flawlessly soulful playing all through this set delivering a sound more akin to Chicago or New York musicians than what your accustomed to hearing out of L.A. a brilliant pairing to Cathy’s seemingly elastic voice seemingly to the opposite ends of her range if she has them. Cathy’s tessitura is seemingly endless. The scat melody on Embraceable Jew will ultimately make you spin this disc for weeks on end and sign up for Cathy’s Jazz Vocal workshops. The recording of this CD sounds as if two close friends got together for a set of grooving quirky tunes that they have honed from countless musical love ins. This CD will restore the faith of even the most jaded “Jazz is Dead” be-bop loving jazz fan.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Cathy Segal-Garcia: A Weaver Of Dreams
By DAN BILAWSKY | November 18, 2019
Cathy Segal-Garcia's talents are vast, and her heart is warm and open. A significant presence on the Los Angeles scene, she can proudly wear many labels —"vocalist," "songwriter," "educator," and "scene maker and sustainer" among them. But when you boil Segal-Garcia down to her essence, she's simply a weaver of dreams, a starry- eyed wanderer and free spirit who, nevertheless, possesses strong artistic instincts and the organizational savvy to pull off one unique project after another. A look at a sampling of her previous work—a debut date fronting a top-shelf trio, duo encounters of various designs, a genre-melding affair bridging jazz with pop and other realms, a beautiful brush with a chamber orchestra and some high-profile guests—reveals a restless explorer, as do these two 2019 releases under her name.
REVIEWS FOR THE JAZZ CHAMBER
MIDWEST RECORD BY CHRIS SPECTOR
“If you are old enough to remember pop music before Beatles, this set is going to sound like a throwback to the jazz thrush albums your parents had laying around the rec room, back when the arranger was the kind of cat that ruled the roost. Hanging with a bunch of singers and players that rank among our faves, Segal-Garcia works a groove that feels like it’s coming from her heart and is sure to touch yours. Solid stuff that’s easily going to take you someplace else."
http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1358.html
JW VIBE BY JONATHAN WIDRAN
"On her free-wheeling, joyfully schizophrenic 11th album The Jazz Chamber, Cathy Segal-Garcia surrounds her emotionally resonant, compellingly theatrical jazz vocals with what seems like the entire L.A. Jazz Scene… A prodigious work, The Jazz Chamber continues Segal-Garcia’s ongoing evolution as a jazz visionary."
https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/2018/05/03/CATHY-SEGAL-GARCIA-The-Jazz-Chamber
CONTEMPORARY FUSION REVIEWS BY DICK METCALF
“Cathy’s astounding arrangement and performance of “Compared To What” …packs even more punch than the original… I was simply blown away!”
SOUNDS OF TIMELESS JAZZ BY PAULA EDELSTEIN
“Cathy’s voice is a splendid, resonant and captivating sonic experience. Her multi-octave range adds a new dimension to many of your favorite songs … So check out The Jazz Chamber and the brilliant delivery of these songs by Cathy Segal-Garcia, her guest vocalists and the 30-piece orchestra.”
http://www.soundsoftimelessjazz.com/reviews.html
MUSICAL MEMOIRS BY DEE DEE MCNEIL
“I appreciate Cathy Segal-Garcia’s ability to always explore outside the box… she looks for unusual ways to present the usual. I always applaud her creativity… This entire CD production an artistic exploration.”
https://musicalmemoirs.wordpress.com/
THE JAZZ PAGE BY D. GLENN DANIELS
“Lush, lovely and inspirational… a collection of outstanding performances by the singer over lovely orchestration. A wonderful musical achievement.”
https://thejazzpage.com/album/cathy-segal-garcia-the-jazz-chamber/
JAZZ WEEKLY BY GEORGE HARRIS
“Cathy Segal-Garcia brings her flexible and warm voice to meld with the sepia tones of a chamber ensemble. This is a chamber worth hanging around in.”