Reviews

Posted by Adam

A Jazzy Tribute to Dad, With the Accent on Swing NEW YORK TIMES …Ms. Partridge belongs to a tradition of jazz singers who use hard rhythm as a kind of emotional armor. Instead of exploring the interior worlds of her material, she sustains the image of a plucky, can-do gal and good sport who swings at a steady jogging pace… At the opening show her voice suggested an unlikely fusion of Nanette Fabray and Anita O’Day: Ms. Fabray for the upbeat talky quality of her enunciation and sometimes fluttery vibrato and intonation, and Ms. O’Day for the bedrock swing propelling her scat improvisations. That rhythmic security is Ms. Partridge’s strongest asset.
The Boston Globe Partridge brings her own voice to songbook standards On Partridge’s latest album, “You Are There: Songs From My Father,” the arrangements are warm and well paced; her delivery is crisp and lean yet never runs cold. Her takes on songs such as “Stormy Monday Blues” and “Stars Fell on Alabama” are neither rehashes nor deconstructions, a vital balance if the songs are to retain both freshness and identity. Her new album is a case in point. It is a tribute to her deceased father, and the one original song, the affecting “Dancing in My Mind,” finds her reminiscing on childhood memories, and on loss, from a grown-up, philosophical perspective. That same perspective pervades Partridge’s outlook on her somewhat non-traditional, yet largely happy career.
The `Risky Business’ babysitter is all grown up as a jazz singer By Richard Knight Jr Copyright 2005, Chicago Tribune For Sarah Partridge…the road to a jazz singing career started in movies and took a detour during a karaoke night. It began in the summer of 1982, when Partridge…spent two weeks as a fantasy babysitter–filming a role for the Tom Cruise movie “Risky Business.” It didn’t seem like a career track that would find her moving from movie sets to the band stage–until she ended up in a karaoke bar with some friends in 1991 and took a dare to get up. “I said, `I don’t do this, I don’t sing these pop songs,’” Partridge recalls. But she found a version of “Summertime” to sing–and a booking agent happened to be in the audience and signed her up. Partridge established a second career as a jazz singer. Partridge gradually left acting behind and concentrated on music. She married a television producer and has released two CDs, 1998′s “I’ll Be Easy to Find” (USA Music Group) and 2003′s “Blame It on My Youth” (Nagel-Heyer). But Partridge hasn’t forgotten about “Risky Business.” She’s tickled her scene’s memorable line, “Joel, get off the babysitter” still resonates with fans, and that Cruise remembers their time together. Partridge ran into him occasionally while living in Los Angeles and they would chat. Last summer, her husband Gary Stein, who works for “Good Morning America,” had Cruise on the show and gave him a copy of Partridge’s latest CD. Cruise sent Partridge a note of congratulations a week later offering compliments on the CD.
Reviews for Songs For My Father:
This album pays tribute to the memory of her beloved father, Lawrence Partridge, in a swinging journey through some of the classic songs of the last century that her father loved plus some songs that he would have loved to hear Sarah sing. His daughter even wrote one song especially for him. With effervescent arrangements featuring spontaneous improvisations and interplay between Partridge and her bandmates, You are There is a feel-good foray into thejoys of small-group swing and classic jazz songs. AllAboutJazz.com
Reviews for Blame It On My Youth:
South Orange based Sarah Partridge is a jazz singer who has an open, clear voice, a solid rhythmic sense and a feeling for the best material. The 14 tune program is filled with evergreens done in a personal manner. For instance, “Almost Like Being In Love, usually a swinger, has a surprising floating quality, which Partridge handles deftly. “How Long Has This Been Going On?” is refreshingly done as a bossa, and Partridge fills “Haunted Heart” with emotion. Pianists Allen Farnham and Larry Ham, guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Gene Bertoncini and drummers Rich DeRosa and Sherrie Maricle are among the A-1 supporting crew. ZAN STEWART – THE SUNDAY STAR LEDGER
Sarah returns after too long an absence on records with 14 standards guaranteed to satisfy. Lerner and Lowe’s “Almost Like Being In Love” is crooned as a slow winding dirge. It’s as if the song is heard for the very first time and it becomes even more of a classic. Here is one enormously gifted songbird who can really deliver on every kind of song. Oh how I await the master-singer’s next CD. May I not have to wait so long!’ Dan Singer, from “Singer’s Singers”...
…These are great songs, and Sarah Partridge owns a great voice. Her enthusiasm for the material brings new life to some old classics. They don’t write them like this anymore and very few can sing them like Sarah does. Enjoy!” Tony Perkins, Music Correspondent, Good Morning America
Partridge… is in many ways… still is a young singer, doing it professionally only for a decade or so. But she has leaped in that short time to the front of girl jazz singers. Partridge takes every lyric and caresses it, understanding that songs like this must be a perfect blend of music and lyrics. All in all, a nearly perfect package, a CD that can be listened to again and again. Garland Reeves, The Birmingham (AL) News
Reviews for I’ll Be Easy To Find:
…when somebody like Sarah Partridge comes along, I go to my typewriter. Do you think a word processor could catch the magic of a new girl in town? Sidney Zion, NY Daily News
…can it be that we are experiencing a golden age of jazz-influenced women singers? Well, Sarah Partridge’s debut CD adds some fuel to that argument. Roger Crane, LA Jazz Scene
Tall, chic SARAH PARTRIDGE has it all–a striking voice, insight into how to interpret lyrics and a vibrant personality that communicates a sense of fun, wit and style. William Wolf, NY Calling Cabaret
Sarah Partridge is a singer with an initial album titled “I’ll Be Easy to Find”. One listen to this disc and you will be hoping that she is easy to find. Joe Lang, New Jersey Jazz Society
She is an expressive singer who can belt if necessary and can scat with the best singers, but most of the time has a delicate approach to her material gliding elegantly through a song. Richard Edgcomb, Cabaret Hotline Online, WDVR, Philadelphia