Janet Planet

JANET PLANET - JUST ABOVE A WHISPER (2005)

1. A Time For Love            
2. But Beautiful            
3. Estate            
4. Like Someone In Love            
5. Close Enough For Love            
6. Wine With Dinner            
7. Girl Talk            
8. Every Time We Say Goodbye            
9. The Shadow of Your Smile            
10.To Be Yet Again            
11.Once Upon A Summertime            
12.The Shining Sea

Deeply passionate music, timeless masterpieces of the 20th Century art songs - played with great heart.

Guitar, piano, voice. Masters, Gene Bertoncini (guitar) and John Harmon (piano) weave around the luscious voice of Ms. Planet. Never forced, only unveiling, the trio brings the listener in with a whisper and keeps them there with the anticipatory excitement of hearing the next phrase, pluck, or touch of of the keys. Janet Planet's technical command allows her to play extravagantly with note values with an unfaltering sense of swing and an instrumentalist's imagination. "An exemplary hour of music" - Cadence Magazine

Janet Planet is one of many jazz singers who have been active for decades but not recorded nearly frequently enough. With a warm, engaging style, she enunciates clearly and never overplays her hand, paying attention to the lyrics rather than simply getting carried away in the moment. Her delightful collaboration with pianist John Harmon and nylon-string acoustic guitarist Gene Bertoncini is an intimate affair from start to finish, with a heavy dollop of time-tested standards and a few overlooked gems. Bertoncini's virtuoso backing of Planet's sensitive interpretation of "A Time for Love" proves to be a solid opener. Harmon joins them for a leisurely stroll through "But Beautiful." The friendly duet of "Estate" between Planet and Bertoncini may very well be the guitarist's first recorded vocal. Her rendering of "Close Enough for Love" is sensuous, while she also captures the wistful air of "Once Upon a Summertime." The playful take of "Girl Talk" and the swinging bop vehicle "To Be Yet Again" (jointly written by Planet and Harmon) provide a break from the ballads. After sitting through this flawless session, you can easily imagine the smiles of the three musicians as they completed each track. Just Above a Whisper is available through her website at www.janetplanet.com. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden

Personnel: Janet Planet (vocals); Gene Bertoncini (guitar); John Harmon (piano).