Songs For a Lifetime  -  Live

 

Songs For a Lifetime  -  Live is a triumphant debut release, and José García firmly makes his entrée into the jazz crooner arena with panache and presence.  García has a masculine voice like a weathered horn, focused and warm and instantly endearing.  The energy of the ensemble and their clear chemistry shines through instantly.  You can almost see the smile on García’s face and can certainly hear the joy as he delivers each lyric with conviction and confidence.

 

An expedition filled with predominately American Songbook classics, García’s debut release is well-conceived and offers the listener a timeless journey through the golden era,  with some of the most famous melodies conveyed through José García’s versatile vocal abilities.  Cuts such as; “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Night and Day,” “All of Me,” and “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” give the listener a chance to hear García with toe-tapping fun, and swing in full tilt. While cuts such as;  “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “I Wish You Love” and “You Go To My Head”  offer the listener a chance to hear an introspective and tender side of García.  Harkening back to his roots, García offers the listener an authentic taste of Latin with “Besame Mucho” and “Sabor a Mi,” which is dripping with emotion and conviction. 

 

García’s playing and singing are stellar and he transports the listener to the core and beauty of both American and Latin music.   Joined by an international cavalcade of musicians from the World music scene, the result is a strong introduction to a refreshing new artist on the horizon that is destined to leave his mark on the jazz crooner genre.