Media Reviews

June Garber: Off the Carousel

That Canadian Magazine – By Raul Da Gama

Under normal circumstances you would refer to the repertoire on this album as “standards”, but when June Garber sings them they become songs written by her – or at the very least songs written just for her. The reason? These songs on her album Off the Carousel seem to speak to her in the secret of her heart and she wraps herself so completely around their narratives that when they reappear she has poured body and soul into them. She not only has the voice [especially] for this kind of material, but she brings pathos, seduction, and wry humour into the lyric, digging not only into the meaning of each word and phrase, but bringing soft dynamic to evocative lines, imbuing them with a very special grace.

These are mostly dusky songs and thus they are right up Miss Garber’s alley. But despite her smoky voice which enables her to mesmerise listeners with sensual delivery, she displays a remarkable ability to soar when the song calls for high notes to express powerful emotions. In the lower notes of her register she is utterly beckoning. But above all her vocals are laced with a distinct spirituality that makes her one of a kind – even among artists of the first order. “He Never Mentioned Love” gives fair warning of a captivating series of songs to come. “Just for a Thrill” is dark, but absolutely alluring, made more so with the exquisite interjections from the inimitable Jackie Richardson. And “Spain” is beyond exquisite.

The apogee of the album is, [for me at least], “The Shadow of Your Smile”, where she raises the benchmark on a classic, the former high-ground of which was once held by the Chairman of the Board. Much of the beauty of the musical production has to do with masterful arrangements by Lou Pomanti. The rest of the group – Marc Rogers, Steve Heathcote, Jake Langley, Robin Black and Mr Pomanti, and, of course the ubiquitous and brilliant journeymen, Drew Jurecka and William Sperandei – show themselves to be fully attuned to Miss Garber’s artistry and vision. An album of songs that soar with passion…

Track list – 1: He Never Mentioned Love; 2: Windmills of Your Mind; 3: Just for a Thrill; 4: Spain; 5: Shadow of Your Smile; 6: When October Goes; 7: Come to Me High; 8: Rules of the Road

Personnel – June Garber: vocals; Lou Pomanti: keyboards [1 – 5, 7, 8]; Marc Rogers: bass; Steve Heathcote: drums [1 – 3, 7]; Jake Langley: guitar [1, 4, 7]; Drew Jurecka: strings [1 – 5]; William Sperandei: trumpet [7]; Robin Black: background vocals [4, 7]. Featuring – Jackie Richardson: voice [3]

Released – 2021
Label – Vesuvius Music [VM 005]
Runtime – 38:08

Full Review (PDF)

“What I hear is a lady who isn’t afraid to push the envelope and experiment and I admire that…. This is an artist who could hold down the fort at The Beacon Theatre in NYC, Carnegie Hall or any venue of that highly esteemed class. And you don’t have to be a tuxedo-wearing, starchy button-down shirt audience member to appreciate this nightingale…. [Hit Me With a Hot Note] could easily be a showstopper song at the Newport Jazz Festival for June Garber. The voice is used to its limits – gritty, smooth, snaky…absolutely perfect in a jazz sense.” Read Full Review (PDF)
John Apice – No Depression

“With the release of This I Know, elegant and engaging chanteuse, June Garber has gifted us with a cornucopia of rich, emotionally fecund, rarely trodden compositions…..Garber is a skilled and versatile vocalist/entertainer…. [She] wears a couple of hats here – not only as a sublime vocal communicator but also as a composer and arranger. A true stunner is Live for Life. Her bluesy side is in full throttle on Hoagy Carmichael’s Baltimore Oriole and on a fresh, guitar-infused arrangement of Don’t Cry Out Loud, Garber captivates with her understatement.” Read Full Review (PDF)
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke – the WholeNote

“Garber has always been known for her warm, effusive vocal style but now her voice has another layer of burnishing that adds even greater depth. This is how jazz is sung.” Read Full Review (PDF)
Shelly Gummeson – Earshot Magazine

“She (takes) a subtler approach to vocals, meshing herself into the band rather than riding roughshod over the instrumentals as too many vocalists do. This fresh approach serves her well.” Read Full Review (PDF)
Ken Franckling

“It is like experiencing an airy nimbleness matched to a richness of sound, which sometimes seems impossible from the human voice. I want to say that it is partly due to the dynamic range and balance, so much colour, detail, and air rarely, if ever, heard by a singer since Abbey Lincoln…the combination of sensuous luxury, effortless precision, characterful interpretation and the warmth of empathy.” Read Full Review (PDF)
Raul DaGama – JazzdaGama

“In an age where there’s an aspiring jazz diva on every corner, it’s difficult to pick one who’ll get her, er, nose in front of the pack. On the strength of this CD June Garber could be such a person.” Read Full Review (PDF)
Lance Liddle – Bebop Spoken Here

“(June Garber is) able to create unique and fresh material through either composition or interpretation. Through it all, Garber is clear and joyful.” Read Full Review (PDF)
George Harris – Jazz Weekly