Carolyn Leonhart and Wayne Escoffery - If Dreams Come True
Carolyn Leonhart (vocals), Wayne Escoffery (tenor and soprano sax), Toru Dodo (piano), Hans Glawischnig (bass), Jason Brown (drums on 1, 2, 4 & 9), Carl Allen (drums on 3, 5, 6 & 8)
Tracklisting:
1. If Dreams Come True
2. Nothing Left To Say
3. Never Too Soon
4. Not Without You
5. Angel Face
6. Key Largo
7. Free To Love
8. Desert Moonlight
9. Earth Calling
Recorded on November 17th and 18th 2006 at The Studio, New York by John Rosenberg.

Those who have heard Intuition, Wayne Escoffery’s second release for Nagel Heyer, will recall the vocalist who tackled Wayne’s adventurous reworking of “I Should Care.” She is Carolyn Leonhart, Wayne’s wife, one of the most accomplished and versatile singers of her generation. With If Dreams Come True, Carolyn formally enters the Nagel Heyer fold, but with a twist: This new release represents her and Wayne’s collaborative vision – deeply informed by the jazz tradition, but future-focused and as personal as it gets.

The daughter of famed bassist Jay Leonhart, Carolyn has been singing standards “since she could speak,” says Wayne. “She’s been in high-level musical situations since she was very young, and her knowledge is incredible.” Gigging steadily on the jazz circuit, working for over a decade with Steely Dan and an array of other bands, she’s gained a formidable set of skills. And she shares Wayne’s desire for exploration – not just making old songs new, but writing new songs as well.

The span of the repertoire is impressive. There are songs by Benny Carter, Benny Goodman and Lee Morgan, all boldly reconceived and beautifully played. There’s a beautiful tenor sax feature for Wayne, the rare “Angel Face” by Hank Jones. And there are new songs, such as “Nothing Left to Say” and “Earth Calling” – “our first compositions together,” Carolyn notes. Wayne arranged all the material, and he and Carolyn surrounded themselves with the finest players, none of them strangers to the artistic goals at hand.

Couples can be wary about working together, and this one was no exception. “We both thought it was really important to respect each other’s space,” Carolyn explains. But finding the same wavelength was no struggle, and results began to flow. With their talent, their compatible aims and their mutual love and respect, the two are poised to make more beautiful music together in the years to come.
(David R. Adler)
David R. Adler writes for Jazz Times and many other publications.