The Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra is back! Adi Yeshaya, a topflight arranger based in the Twin Cities, formed a 12-piece band decades ago to support the vocal performances of the Twin Cities icon Debbie Duncan. The group flourished for a number of years, but they ended up putting the project on hold. In 2020 Debbie Duncan passed away, preventing the group from reassembling in their original form. Adi felt energized to reimagine the band after a collaboration with vocalist Jennifer Grimm working on the Judy Garland songbook. Soon he reformed the group with Jennifer Grimm assuming lead vocalist duties.
The collaboration between Grimm and Yeshaya is some of the sharpest big band sounds I’ve heard in quite some time. Today we are highlighting the group’s inspired take on Cole Porter’s “I Love You.” Bassist Gary Raynor takes center stage alongside Jennifer Grimm at the start of the tune and an inspired alto solo from Pete Whitman rounds out the affair. To me the beauty of a great big band performance is in the unity of so many voices supporting one message. In this realm few do it like Yeshaya. Whether the horn section is stepping out in a soli section or punctuating a portion of Grimm’s inspired vocal take there is no question that the focus is the song itself. It’s great to have a group of this caliber back in the recording studio again and here’s to hoping there are more releases to come!
Hot New Local Singles highlights new, local songs. Minnesota has a lot of great jazz, funk, soul, and jazz- adjacent music, and Jazz88 is highlighting what is fresh.
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