Tania Grubbs Quintet - Live At Maureen's Jazz Cellar (2020)

This amazing performance was recorded live on May 24th, 2019 at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in Nyack, NY and marks the premiere of the "Live at Maureen's" recording series. This recording is not to be missed! The venue itself was named in honor of pianist David Budway’s late sister Maureen Budway who was an enormously talented vocalist and a close personal friend of Tania Grubbs. When Tania, an exceptional jazz singer, was approached by the club’s owners David Budway and his wife Brianne Higgins about making a live recording there, she naturally jumped at the chance. You will hear the wonderful acoustics and amazing spirit of this room. This recording has many wonderful facets. The album opens with a lively version of Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” followed by an energetic yet lilting rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on A Wire”. Other highlights are Horace Silver’s “Peace” featuring a tasteful intro and solo by guitarist Ron Affif, a haunting version of “The Peacocks” by Jimmy Rowles, an original composition by Tania set to the famous Emily Dickinson poem “Hope is a Thing with Feathers” and Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” with a very interesting rhythmic underpinning. Joining Tania are world-class jazz musicians David Budway on piano, Ron Affif on guitar, James Johnson III on drums and Jeff Grubbs on bass.