Cheryl Hodge Preview

By Bob PROTZMAN

Jazz musicians and listeners can be a contentious bunch, and one of the issues subject to perpetual debate in the jazz community is--to paraphrase the old Bill Austin-Louis Jordan novelty tune--is she (he) is or is she (he) ain't a jazz singer?

Get a group of jazz folks together and chances are the subject will come up, with the discussion/argument over whether multi-Grammy-winners and poll winners such as Norah Jones and Diana Krall, and even legends like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra, among others, are/were really jazz singers.

Thus, it seemed a good idea to ask vocalist/pianist Cheryl Hodge, coming to town for a Saturday night gig at Papermoon with the Erie group Cats a Bear, for her thoughts the issue.

Ms. Hodge certainly is well qualified to tackle the topic. She's been singing for a quarter of a century with a wide variety of musicians in, the U.S. (where she was born) and Canada (where she has lived for many years).

She earned a degree and taught for eight years (with Paula Cole probably her best-known student) at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has written a textbook titled "A Singer's Guide to the Well-Trained & Powerful Voice."

She has recorded several albums, the most recent being "Live and Alive" (JazzBoulevard Records) on which she delivers a breath taking 9 and 1/2-minute performance of the Miles Davis classic "All Blues" that is an excellent example of her-and many others'-definition of a true or "pure" jazz vocalist.

"To me," said Ms. Hodge in an interview by phone and e-mail, "a jazz singer is defined by her/his ability to get into the harmony and rhythm implications of a song."

Hodge cites examples of singers who excel at both. "For harmony, there's still nobody out there in my mind who can compare to the great Ella (Fitzgerald). Her 25 choruses of scat on her live version of "How High the Moon" (on the album/CD "Live in Berlin on Verve) is the greatest."

(By the way, Bobby McFerrin is Hodge's fave male singer; she cites his a cappella rendition of Chick Corea's tune "Spain" as her favorite McFerrin recording).

Hodge adds that singers-pianists like Nina Simone and Shirley Horn "can really get into the deepest harmony and caress it with their voice."

For "rhythm understanding," Hodge looks to Nancy King, a singer who is a favorite among other vocalists and critics, but has for any number of reasons failed to find a larger audience.

Strongly influenced by and stylistically remindful of Ms. King, Hodge notes that King also is a drummer, obviously a factor in her strong rhythmic sense. "She really is amazing in every way." Says Hodge, who recommends checking out King on Ray Brown's album "Some of My Best Friends Are Singers" (Telarc).

Besides the harmony/rhythm elements, there's an overall must for great jazz singers, says Hodge. "The most important part, actually, is to be a great interpreter, with a high regard for the emotional content of a song."

Although she has a degree in classical composition, Hodge says she is "first and foremost" a songwriter. "That is my life's work. I've written two books on the subject." Her intelligent, evocative lyrics on a half dozen originals on "Live and Alive" attest to her talent and passion for that aspect of her career. It's almost happened, but she says she's still waiting for someone famous to record one of her songs.

Hodge, in her late 40s, spends a great deal of time on the road. In the summer, she has a very special traveling companion--her 11-year-old bassist son, Dylan. "He's a jewel!" she exclaims. "He's taken bass lessons on the road with some of the greats."

Hodge says she's looking forward to Saturday night's gig for a couple reasons. One, she'll be joining pals from their Boston days, guitarist Frank Singer and drummer Joe Dorris, with whom she has played off and on for 25 years.

Secondly, she simply loves performing-and recording live. "All of my favorite albums are live," she says. "I love hearing the waitresses clicking glasses as they get tripped by the crowd, and even that one obnoxious, loud guy in the corner can sweeten the experience. I'm there for the night-and it feels good."

Cheryl Hodge, vocals and piano, with Cats a Bear (Frank Singer, guitar; Tony Stefanelli, fretless bass; Joe Dorris, drums; Nick Ronzitti, percussion).
8:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, Papermoon Restaurant, Gallery & Jazz Club, 1325 State St.; 455-7766.
Donations Accepted

For more info on Ms. Hodge, see www.jazzboulevard.com.

Bob Protzman has written about jazz for five decades and hosts "Everything Jazz," 9 to midnight Sundays on WQLN-FM 91.3. You can reach Bob at protz@verizon.net or jazzhosts@wqln.org.

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