FOR HIS 47th ALBUM, PROLIFIC SINGAPORE PIANIST JEREMY MONTEIRO SINGS A FULL PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME

FOR HIS 47th ALBUM, PROLIFIC SINGAPORE PIANIST JEREMY MONTEIRO SINGS A FULL PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME 
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​Known as Singapore’s “King of Swing,” renowned pianist JEREMY MONTEIRO has spent 46 years as a performer, educator, and prolific recording artist. Monteiro is now releasing his first full vocal album, JEREMY MONTEIRO – SINGS, his 47th recording. His newest outing follows successive releases Jeremy Monteiro & Alberto Marsico - Jazz-Blues Brothers in 2022, which reached #12 on the USA national JazzWeek chart, and Live at No Black Tie, released in 2021. Jazz Music Archives said, “Monteiro’s playing is a force of nature, his ability to take the piano from a soft whisper to a thunderous roar in a split second is admirable, so also is his ability to turn individual songs into suite-like extravaganzas full of interesting twists and turns.” 

Monteiro has played and recorded with many of the world’s greatest jazz instrumentalists, including James Moody, Benny Golson, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, and Lee Ritenour to name just a few. But he has also worked with great jazz singers like Jon Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Kelly, Cassandra Wilson, and Carmen Bradford. Monteiro says, “I learned so much from listening to all these great singers while playing piano for them. But I’ve always been very shy about my own singing. Even after Grammy-nominated pianist and singer expect such a technically dazzling pianist to have such an intimate and wistful vocal sound...Monteiro is a consistently excellent vocalist’ --  I was still shy and insecure about my singing.” 

Although Monteiro had sung a few times on a couple of his past albums, his confidence got a big boost when he performed for the German ambassador at a party at his residence in 2018. Monteiro was playing with his quartet against a backdrop of small pockets of chatter when the audience became completely silent and attentive when he started singing. Feeling more confident, he began to lay down the backing tracks for his first vocal album in 2019 while recording a jazz tribute to Stevie Wonder in Germany. 

Monteiro is joined on JEREMY MONTEIRO – SINGS by some top European jazz artists, including saxophonist TONY LAKATOS, guitarist WESLEY GEHRING, and on harmonica JENS BUNGE, who has appeared on Monteiro’s last 12 albums. The rhythm section includes Singaporean bassist BEN POH and Thai drummer HONG CHANUTR TECHATANANAN, who tours with Monteiro in Asia and often when he performs around Europe.  

The strings on the album are part of a symphonic jazz ensemble Monteiro is in the process of forming in Singapore. The concertmaster is Han Oh, who worked regularly with David Foster when he lived in Los Angeles. The strings were recorded in Oh’s studio, seven at a time and then overdubbed to give it a richer and fuller ensemble sound. 

Monteiro arranged all the 1st violin parts and lead lines, while his arranger and orchestrator friend, Michael Veerapen, who lives in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia fleshed out all the other parts. Although Monteiro often conducts big bands as well as jazz and pop orchestras, Han conducted for this session while Monteiro focused on his singing and playing.  

The album comprises mostly standards and one original. Monteiro’s mother and father were fans of American music, and he chose songs for this album that he grew up with. He opens the album with “Candy,” about which he says, “I love the inherent swing and the lovely lyrics of this tune. I’ve heard a few versions, but I particularly love the version by John Pizzarelli, which inspired me when I sang this tune. I particularly love Wesley Gehring’s guitar solo on this one.” 

Monteiro chose “Smile” because it was one of his mother’s favorite tunes. He composed “Josefina” for Josephine, his wife. The two met when he was just 14 in 1974 and then got married in 1982. “Moon River” features Jens Bunge’s harmonica solo that is redolent with the image of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer hanging out on a pier reminiscing and looking at the moon.   

Monteiro first heard “Blame It on My Youth” listening to Keith Jarrett’s instrumental version before he sought out the song’s lyrics and began listening to different vocal versions. He was especially inspired by versions by Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Listening to Nat King Cole sing “Let’s Fall in Love” when Monteiro was growing up was a master class in phrasing and swing for him. His singing on this tune is laid back, sometimes a beat behind just to stretch it, although everything seems to fall in the right place.  

“You’ll Never Know” is one of his favorite tunes. It was also a favorite of both his late father and late father-in-law. Monteiro says, “I couldn’t help but think about them when I was singing this song.” “Walkin’ My Baby Home” is his favorite Nat King Cole tune, and he felt that he had to include it on this album. Monteiro first played it behind a well-known Singaporean crooner in the 1977 who was known as Singapore’s Nat King Cole.  

“My Romance” is one of Monteiro’s favorite ballads. He started singing it about 20 years ago when he began singing on his shows. Monteiro played “Softly as I Leave You” with singer Matt Monro every night for two weeks in the early 80s. Monteiro was mesmerized by Monro’s phrasing. There is a beautiful bass solo played by Ben Poh, where he seems to be channeling Charlie Haden, whom Monteiro toured with and who also plays on his 1990 album “Always in Love.”  

Monteiro has received many awards and honors in his long career, including the coveted Cultural Medallion 
(the highest artistic recognition available in Singapore), two literary awards from the Golden Door Awards (for his memoir, Late-Night Thoughts of a Jazz Musician), and a Silver Medal for Best Music Score from the International Radio Festival in New York for his original composition, “Overture in C Major: The Story of Singapore.” Now, with the release of JEREMY MONTEIRO – SINGS, the swinging Singaporean piano master adds to his long list of accomplishments with this intimate and wistful vocal album. 

Tracks
1. Candy  4:04
2. Smile  3:13
3. Josefina  5:46
4. Moon River  3:13
5. Blame It on My Youth  5:58
6. Let's Fall in Love  4:56
7. You'll Never Know 5:02
8. Walkin My Baby Back Home  2:43
9. My Romance  5:33
10. Softly as I Leave You  4:34
 
Personnel
JEREMY MONTEIRO  piano & vocals
TONY LAKATOS  saxophones
WESLEY GEHRING guitars (1, 2)
JENS BUNGE  harmonica (4)
BEN POH  bass
HONG CHANUTR TECHATANANAN  drums
THE JEREMY MONTEIRO JAZZ SINFONIETTA STRINGS  (2, 3, 4, 5, 7)
 
Produced by JEREMY MONTEIRO   

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