Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
There's never been a jazz vocal group quite like Andy Bey and the Bey Sisters, because there's never been one with such strong individual sounds. Andy Bey's wide-ranging voice has all the plummy richness of Billy Eckstine, Salome has the depth and power of a great gospel singer, and Geraldine, with a lighter and less distinctive touch, is just fine at singing high leads in the group passages. What's most surprising is that those voices are as flexible as they are powerful, able to match jazz sophistication and rhythmic subtlety with the power and urgency of R&B and gospel. This CD includes both of their albums for Prestige, Now! Hear! and 'Round Midnight, recorded in 1964 and 1965, respectively, and the tunes bring a mix of well-crafted arrangements and spontaneous, hard-swinging joy. The repertoire emphasizes jazz classics and standards, but it's almost an interesting change of pace to hear those voices unleashed on an occasional piece of period ephemera, like "Tammy," as well as a great ballad like "Solitude" or the kinetic "Sister Sadie." With backing from some of the finest musicians in jazz--Jerome Richardson on reeds, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassists Richard Davis and Milt Hinton, and drummers Osie Johnson and Jo Jones--this is entertaining, substantial music. --Stuart Broomer

Tracks:

Never Let Me Go
Prelude to a Kiss
Speak Low
Angel Eyes
Midnight Sun
Caravan
Lush Life
Satin Doll
It=92s Only a Paper Moon
Lonely Town

Customer Reviews:

American Song .......2005-08-28

Excellent cd to listen too Andy Bey out did his self I would recommend this cd as a must buy

Pretty good effort at bringing old, fine songs back again..........2005-05-01

This is my first Andy Bey exposure, and I can agree that he is highly skilled. His voice is quite distinctive, and may be an acquired taste that hearing only one CD a few times won't fully achieve. Mr. Bey chose to do only ten songs, and stretch each one out for an average of six minutes. I would have preferred a few more tracks, with each a bit tightened up. I also would have liked a couple more uptempo performances. That criticism aside, what he does here is done quite well. I have a large collection of jazz standards by vocalists, however, and there are other artists and albums I prefer to this one. Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman, and Joe Williams all have fine, in-print CD's with similar effect to Bey's effort. The small group accompaniment on Bey's CD deserves mention, and if you like men singing romantic jazz, this won't disappoint you.

The Master -Jazz Vocalist.......2004-07-20

Simple Great!!! A tribute to the American Songbook.

Gorgeous. Just gorgeous........2004-04-24

Forgive me and indulge me, dear reader, while I gush a bit....

As I was saying just the other day viz. Cheryl Bentyne's "Talk of the Town", there's nothing wrong with doing an album of standards from the "Great American Songbook" that have been done a bazillion times before--provided they're sensational.

Along comes this album. These are standards, done a bazillion times before (leaning heavily towards Duke and Billy). They are, in fact, sensational--and so is Andy Bey.

If you're not familiar with him, Andy Bey is one of the most remarkable non-classical singers around. He has three vocal ranges--not two, like most singers. His mid-range has a soulful vibrato, his high-range has the power of a Verdi baritone, and his low range comes from a submarine. All three are as equally clear. Check out "Never Let Me Go" (mid-range), the second chorus of "Speak Low" (high range) and "Midnight Sun" (low range), and you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about. Then check out "Satin Doll", where in the one phrase "Switcharoonie", he glisses through all three. He's incredible.

And the arrangements! Oh, my Lord! Here, "Angel Eyes" is done with just Andy, acoustic guitar and percussion--perfect instrumentation for the selling of a quintessentially sad song. Then, you have the most original cover of "Caravan" since Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; "sinewy" sort of begins to describe it. Aided by a terrific horns chart of Geri Allen's, you can hear the "aurora borealis" Andy sings about in "Midnight Sun." Then, in "It's Only a Paper Moon," on the first chorus he sells the song as smoothly as Nat King Cole; but on the second chorus he sounds as soulful as James Brown. And, I guarantee you, you've never heard "Speak Low" performed like this! (Just for fun, get the Michael Crawford album that has "Speak Low" on it, and play that cut, then play this one. You'll be amazed at how a great cabaret singer and a great jazz singer can make the very same song so uniquely his own in two disparate styles).

It's April, so I know it's premature to say that this is the best vocal album of 2004. But I can't imagine who or what is going to top this. I can say that this is in my top 10 of the past 20 years, already.

A true singer's singer ...why is he not better known?.......2004-03-07

I just happened to pick this CD up out of curiosity and am embarrassed to admit that I hadn't heard of Andy Bey before. Comparisons to the life and career of a Little Jimmy Scott come to mind, and I hope that Mr. Bey will soon receive just recognition.

Listening to "American Song" will make you forget about the easy listening attempts of a Rod Stewart or a Cindy Lauper - this is the real deal! A phenomenally rich and supple voice paired with exceptional musicianship. To me, true Jazz singing was always about conveying sincere emotion, and Andy Bey gives you the heart and soul of each single tune.

Tracks:

Like A Lover (O Cantador)
Midnight Blue
Get It Straight (Straight, No Chaser)
Pretty Girl (The Starcrossed Lovers)
River Man
Dark Shadows
Believin' It (Half & Half)
Some Other Time
The Last Light Of Evening (Blood Count)
Drume Negrita (Afro-Cuban Lullaby)

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Jazz vocalist Andy Bey didn't hold back in 1998, but he certainly knew the power of restraint. On Shades of Bey, he covers Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn, even Nick Drake's "River Man" with his trademark baritone voice and a strikingly smooth delivery. No melismas here, Bey's tunes gradually unfold with a subtlety you never find in modern vocalists anymore. A great recording, and gorgeous tunes. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com

As in previous recordings, Bey adds another "shade" to the genius of Billy Strayhorn with his beautiful voice-piano rendition of "Pretty Girl (The Star-Crossed Lovers)" and his spectral interpretation of "The Last Night of the Evening (Blood Count)." Bey also makes an appearance south of the border with his guitar-laced takes of "Drume Negrita (Afro-Cuban Lullaby)," and the Brazilian-blended ballad, "Like a Lover (O Cantador). Add the anthemic original "Believin' It (Half and Half)" and a heartening reading of Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time," and you have ample evidence that Andy Bey is simply the most exciting jazz singer of his generation. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews:

A Discovery.......2000-11-01

I have not heard the complete album only two tracks but that was enough to send my head into a spin. What an extraordinary singer. So much musicality and genuine creativity in his rendition of Midnight Blue and You'd Be so Nice to Come Home to....not too mention the incredible piano motiff by Ms Geri Allen on the 'nice' track. I am over the moon in finding this hidden treasure and will be digging deep to find some more.. A fan from downunder (Australia)

A Tremendous Singer.......2000-01-03

Andy Bey delivers some of the most beautiful singing I have ever heard. His voice is so rich and full of character, it is indescribable. Buy this album; you will play it again and again.

When you thought you knew vocalists!!!!!!.......1999-04-22

I know many of you are wondering who the hell Andy Bey is, and many of you probably think he's new on the scene. Andy Bey is one of the last great voices on this planet. I consider him to be one of the few living legends, and would love to see him get the credit he truly deserves. Listening to him sing "Pretty Girl" reveals that he is in touch with what he sings about. "River Man" definitely has to be my favorite. He grabs your mind, takes you to musical journey with him to search for the river man. After listening to that track "you'll want to keep a suitcase packed,(hoping that you can go on the same journey everyday). Just ask Horace Silver about Andy Bey. He's a gift to the world!

This is jazz singing at its best!.......1999-01-03

This is the best damn jazz vocal CD since the heyday of Sarah Vaughan. Buy this, you'll never regret it.

A blending of Kevin Mahogany and Sinatra.......1998-12-05

This CD is getting a lot of air time on KBEM in Minneapolis/St. Paul. When I heard "Like a Lover", I was compeled to call in to ask who the artist was. I was one of two calling in with that question. My words to the DJ, were, "Sounds like Kevin Mahogany, Who is it?" On the basis of that one cut, I've asked family members to add this CD to their Christmas list for me. There is a Sinatra quality to Bay's phrasing and range. One day after my call to KBEM, another caller requested to hear Bay and Mahogany back to back. If this cut on this CD doesn't give you goose bumps, check your pulse.

Average customer rating:

Andy and the Bey Sister only made two albums
The best!
What a Gem!
Sibling harmony
The Whole is More than the Sum

Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters
Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters
Manufacturer: Prestige
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ballads, Blues & Bey
American Song
Shades of Bey
Tuesdays in Chinatown
Experience and Judgment

ASIN: B00004YLK2
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Willow Weep For Me
A Taste Of Honey
Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
Sister Sadie
Since I Fell For You
Night Song
Besame Mucho
September In The Rain
The Swingin' Preacher
Smiles
Love Medley: Love Is Just Around The Corner/I Love You/Love You Madly
God Bless The Child
Squeeze Me
Tammy
Hallelujah I Love Her So
Everybody Loves My Baby
'Round Midnight
Solitude
Feeling Good
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

Amazon.com

There's never been a jazz vocal group quite like Andy Bey and the Bey Sisters, because there's never been one with such strong individual sounds. Andy Bey's wide-ranging voice has all the plummy richness of Billy Eckstine, Salome has the depth and power of a great gospel singer, and Geraldine, with a lighter and less distinctive touch, is just fine at singing high leads in the group passages. What's most surprising is that those voices are as flexible as they are powerful, able to match jazz sophistication and rhythmic subtlety with the power and urgency of R&B and gospel. This CD includes both of their albums for Prestige, Now! Hear! and 'Round Midnight, recorded in 1964 and 1965, respectively, and the tunes bring a mix of well-crafted arrangements and spontaneous, hard-swinging joy. The repertoire emphasizes jazz classics and standards, but it's almost an interesting change of pace to hear those voices unleashed on an occasional piece of period ephemera, like "Tammy," as well as a great ballad like "Solitude" or the kinetic "Sister Sadie." With backing from some of the finest musicians in jazz--Jerome Richardson on reeds, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassists Richard Davis and Milt Hinton, and drummers Osie Johnson and Jo Jones--this is entertaining, substantial music. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Andy and the Bey Sister only made two albums.......2005-07-30

Back in the 60's in Toronto, I worked at CBC Television. I did a show with this group and they were just great. Their arrangements are wonderful and their harmony is unique. One of my favorite tracks is "Since I fell for You". I had the LP (which was well worn) and was so glad to find it in CD form.

Andy Bey has gone on to record a lot of great jazz on his own and Salome is now living in Canada and doing a lot of club work.

I just wish Andy and his Sisters would get together again for a reunion! Now, that would really be something!

Do yourself a favor and take a listen to some of the excerpts from this CD, here on this site. You'll be sold!

The best!.......2003-01-21

Contemporary Andy Bey is marvelous but somewhat sedate and even lugubrious for some folks. These vintage recordings--actually two albums--where he sings and creates extraordinary harmonies with his two sisters is quite the opposite of lugubrious. What's the word? Joyful? Ecstatic? Try the "Love" medley, with Love is Just Around the Corner, I Love You, and Love You Madly. It's just great. So is everything else. They should play this one on suicide hot lines. It's just life-affirming and wonderful.

What a Gem!.......2002-05-26

I have always been a big Andy Bey fan, and now to hear his talented sibling trio that started it all... Salome & Geraldine are devine singers. A group WAY before thier time. I so wish more people knew about them, as they are amaizng. Just lisitn to the blends on this CD!!!! And the family has a second generation of talented people in the wings, singer Aisha de Haas, and OBIE award winners Darius de Haas and Ronnell Bey just to name of few. Buy this CD and you will listin to it all the time!

Sibling harmony.......2001-04-05

I purchased this because I caught Andy Bey's voice on the radio and was overwhelmed by the unique style an quality of his voice. Then when I read that he'd recorded with his sisters, I knew I had to have a listen and after listen after listen I continue to be shocked by all of the vocal and rhythmic surprise that pour out one after the other. Check out the time signatures on "Taste of Honey", a song I'd never expected to be excited about again. These folks harmonize as only siblings can. They pronounce ever sound the same way, form their vowels the same way and have the same musical sensibilities. This is so satisfying to those who love vocal harmony and rhythm.

The Whole is More than the Sum.......2001-02-02

Not since Billy Ekstine and Sarah Vaugh sang "Passing Strangers", have voices blended so well that they add up to more than their component parts. The shared gene pool of this brother and his two sisters must account for some of the vocal magic. You literally will not believe your ears. The sound has more to do with harmonics than harmony. The selection of songs is very tasteful with a few exceptions but this group could sing the phone book and you'd still listen. Truly one of a kind, this recording is actually the re release of two vinyls dating back to the 1960's. The first ten selections on this CD represent the best album. Kenny Burell, Milt Hinton, and some other jazz greats provide back-up. This is a truly amazing gem.

Average customer rating:

Spellbinding
Unbelievable Lyricism, Character, & Tone
A lesson . . .
beautiful and romantic
THAT VOICE

Ballads, Blues & Bey
Andy Bey
Manufacturer: Evidence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

American Song
Shades of Bey
Tuesdays in Chinatown
Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters
Experience and Judgment

ASIN: B0000014N5
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

Someone To Watch Over Me
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
In A Sentimental Mood
Willow Weep For Me
Yesterdays
If You Could See Me Now
I'm Just A Lucky So And So
Day Dream
Embraceable You

Amazon.com

Though he is a deftly understated piano player and a singer with a heartbreakingly pure voice, Andy Bey's recorded output is scant. Despite stints with the likes of Horace Silver, Max Roach, and Louis Jordan, Bey's only readily available work is this "comeback" disc released in 1996. Ballads, Blues & Bey is a showcase for Bey's range, which begins as a velvety smooth baritone and often launches into the tenor range to accommodate the emotional peaks and valleys in his repertoire of standards. Bey's treatment of those standards is deliciously slow. He draws out lines and adds pauses to squeeze a tune for everything it's worth. Bey uses the piano sparingly, only touching the keys to add color or nuance rather than rhythm and melody. Bey's take on these songs is delicate, as if too heavy a hand might tarnish the joy and sadness he's trying to evoke. A moving and beautiful disc. --S. Duda

Customer Reviews:

Spellbinding.......2006-04-11

I happened upon this disk completely by accident in a music store. It was on their sample machine and I put the headphones on to see what it was like. I was hooked.

The sound is smooth and gentle yet full of passion. Bey sweeps you away with his voice and his delightful touch on the piano. Listening to this disk is a joy.

Unbelievable Lyricism, Character, & Tone.......2005-07-24

Andy Bey began a comeback with "Shades of Bey", and he continues with all the force and musicality of his shining nature with this warm and witty rendering of the most tender, raw pages from the American songbook. The piano voicings are relaxed and careful, and Bey's voice clearly shines through with all its depth and warmth in a superbly engineered disc that brings forth all the subtlety that makes this CD absolutely captivating. Definitely on par with ballad essentials from Shirley Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, later Diana Krall, recent Joni Mitchell and dare I say it... Betty Carter. A must-have for any serious jazz ballad vocals lover.

A lesson . . ........2004-02-26

The opening track of this disc was played for a 'Blindfold Test' panel, at the 2003 Monterey Jazz Festival, that consisted of Kevin Mahagonny, Kurt Elling, Mark Murphy and Jon Hendricks. The audience was spellbound and the singers were unanimous in the special qualities and beauty of Bey's work. But the best way to describe this album was in Mark Murphy's words; "this is the tempo of love."

All the tempos are slow, Bey's own accompaniments spare. He stretches out each tune, but his method is unique; he phrases almost independantly of the tune, but so musically and beautifully that it combines both the tension and release of the melodys all but breaking free from the harmonies, always to return, and of course the sheer expressive beauty of his voice, which is a wonder, but may not be to everyone's taste. It is an instrument, and he thinks instrumentally, unlike pop singers but like all the great jazz singers. In a serious way he is the opposite side of the coin to Betty Carter, each reworking the standard fare to discover the NEW, yet approaching from opposite directions. Cherishable.

beautiful and romantic.......2003-10-24

This is a beautiful, romantic set of songs. It's very minimal -- just Bey's baritone voice crooning over some delicate piano chords. It's a CD to play when you're having an intimate evening with someone important to you.

THAT VOICE.......2002-03-21

Very difficult to explain what Andy's voice does to and for me. I get the feeling at times that he records only for my personal listening pleasure. After an almost 15 year search, I was finally able to get Andy's first two recordings (albums)on CD. His two sisters accompanied him on both. The first album was entitled "Now hear this" and I forget the title of the second. Point: If you like Andy Bey, you absolutely must hear these recordings. His renditions of Round Midnight, In My Solitude and God Bless The Child are BREATH TAKING, PAINFUL, AND ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE. I'd be happy to share. Thank You