Full Review

June Bisantz, 7 Shades of Snow Review

June Bisantz is a vocalist and visual artist who has co-written and produced several collections of original vocal jazz compositions that have received national recognition. As a performer, she has toured internationally and performed and recorded with distinguished jazz musicians, including Steve Swallow, Paul Brown, Mike Stern, Steve Davis, Lew Soloff, Jerry Neiwood, & Will Lee. Her work has been released on the Pausa and Nova labels, Los Angeles; Alpha Records, Japan and Arabesque Records, NY. Bisantz’s critically acclaimed 2019 release, Love’s Tango, co-written with pianist/composer Alex Nakhimovsky, earned a 2019 Global Music Award for excellence in lyrics and songwriting. In addition, the prolific Bisantz is back with her full-length album of Christmas songs called 7 Shades of Snow

Bottom Line: 7 Shades of Snow is Bisantz teaming up with bassist Jon Burr and his jazz sextet to present six songs themed on the holidays and winter. Bisantz has been planning to do a Holiday album for a long time, as she is a lover of the holidays and its focus on love and celebration. However, Bisantz decided this was the year to move forward with her project after the events of the pandemic. As she began searching for material, she was drawn to a collection of holiday/winter songs written by American composers Connie Pearce and Arnold Miller in 1960-61 for cool-jazz singer June Christy. Bisantz’s voice is filled with sophistication on a swinging version of “The Merriest.” The Jon Burr Sextet accentuates Bisantz’s gifted cool-jazz style. “Hang Them On the Tree,” is a befitting song of turning some of the sorrows of 2020/2021 into the shiny bright hopes for the coming season. Once again, Bisantz offers a warming vocal style with a natural way of conveying the lyric that reminisces June Christy. A beautiful ballad can be found with “Seven Shades of Snow.” Of note are the delicate guide tones by trumpeter Brandon Lee and saxophonist Marc Pfaneuf. With gentle colorizations by pianist Mike Eckroth. “Winter’s Got Spring Up Its Sleeve” is once again a gorgeous ballad. Bisantz treats each lyric with reverence and opulence. Her tender efflorescence unfolds like a gorgeous blossom hiding under the snow with anticipation. Overall, 7 Shades of Snow is a brilliant take on tunes written by American composers Connie Pearce and Arnold Miller, especially for June Christy. Still, it is in the details and most minuscule of details that every nuance is coaxed by Bisantz, making this album not just a tribute but a lasting rendition of these classic gems. That’s the short of it!