Anthony Caceres - Something's Gotta Give (2019)

The swinging style of singer, songwriter, and bass player Anthony Caceres is like no one before. Not Sinatra, not Harry Connick Jr., not Michael Feinstein, not Michael Buble though many of the songs on Caceres’s CD Something’s Gotta Give mirror his predecessors setlist. With jazz standards like Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia” and Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love,” and long forgotten pop favorites like “Autumn Serenade” and “Once in Awhile,” Caceres reprises the music of a begone day when swing reigned as the supreme choice of music. Extraordinarily, these begone tunes bode nicely with Caceres’ register and modern treatment of the melodies.

Hearing the bass parts of these songs played by Caceres and the vocals sung by him is a pleasing ride as he shares a new vision for them. His interpretation of Modern English’s hit song “I Melt with You” renders a new look for the synth pop original, glittering with a swinging arrangement and a shuffling gait as though the track had been handled by the jazz ensembles of the 1960’s. The only instrumental on the recording “A Father’s Love for Ant,” Ant being Caceres’ son, is smooth sounding, combining adult-pop style keys transcribing the narrating motifs, adorned in brushed drum strokes and the light glinting of Caceres’ bass.

Caceres indulges in a soft bossa nova rhythm along “Autumn Serenade” and “So Many Stars,” clinging gently to the graceful wisps of Stefan Karlsson’s piano keys. The latter track highlights the brushed strokes of Jeff Hamilton’s drumming, showing a keen instinct for drawing out the balmy vibrations of an island-induced atmospheric. Guitarist Davvy Mooney too contributes his share of extra sensory perception, threading bubbly notes along the title track that magnifies the uplifting mood of the melody.

Something’s Gotta Give is Caceres’ third project as a leader and is a major step for the bassist-singer in developing confidence as a frontman. Exposed to swing music by his grandfather, Caceres’ roots in the genre run deep. The conversational style of his singing gives the songs a natural flow and distinction that separates his style of swing music from others. Listing his influences as Red Garland, Oscar Peterson and Pamela York, Anthony Caceres has discovered his own voice and has found a jazz palette that suits him.

Musicians:
Anthony Caceres: vocals, bass
Stefan Karlsson: piano
Jeff Hamilton: drums
Davy Mooney: guitar