Wayne Messmer - So Lucky to Be Loving You (2011)

What Judy Roberts has to say about So Lucky To be Loving You Can a singer who has wowed Cubs fans for years with his classic rendition of the National Anthem be equally at home in an intimate jazz piano/vocal duo? As both fan and accompanist, I can tell you that the answer is yes! I discovered this one evening several years ago when Wayne dropped by a Chicago club where I was working, and I invited him to sit in. I was treated to a shockingly beautiful rendition of 'You Are Too Beautiful,' delivered as though Wayne was channeling the ghost of Johnny Hartman. I had an immediate reaction of musical 'oneness' with him---the kind of camaraderie between singer and pianist that is a rare and special thing. After many more guest spots over the next few years, along with a blossoming friendship, it became obvious that we needed to take our special relationship into the studio. This recording introduces multiple musical personalities of Wayne that very few people have ever heard--- soft, sexy, jazzy, tender, playful. Ballads sung with passion and heart, swing tunes and bossa novas that feature scatting and be-bop-esque improv. And another surprise: jazz whistling! Throughout the session, Wayne and I enjoyed the kind of uninhibited musical interaction that inspires freedom and creativity. Wayne's incredible sound and vocal chops, his thoughtful choice of tunes, and his delightful sense of humor have made my piano and me very happy! ---Judy Roberts The Story Behind the Music... The emotional significance of making this album may be summed up in the story of a pair of shoes. In 1994, Wayne Messmer was shot in the throat in a random act of violence in his hometown of Chicago, an incident that nearly took his life as well as his voice. A powerful story that is told in his book, The Voice of Victory. During the long recovery, he drew strength from the dream was born during the darkest hours of doubt, that he would one day, walk into the studio and record a set of very personally chosen love songs... to life. This recording session is the culmination of what may have seemed to many to be an improbable, if not impossible dream. The emotion of the performance of these amazing songs speaks to the joyful realization of that moment in time when Wayne first set his sights on the album So Lucky To Be Loving You that you now hold in your hands. As for the story of the shoes... On the fateful night when he was shot, the shoes he was wearing were put away on the shelf. In the true sense of completion, the very same pair of shoes were dusted off and shined so that they could be worn at this studio session with Judy Roberts. The irony was not lost on that special day at Studio Media in Evanston, Illinois when Wayne walked in wearing "those shoes." He brought a spiritual and very personal moment full circle being able to share the gift of his voice that had once before been stolen and miraculously restored so that this album could be made and this dream could be realized. The musical collaboration of Wayne Messmer and Judy Roberts in a recording studio was long overdue. After all these years, the moment in time was finally realized when the opportunity to be in the same place at the same time came about and the So Lucky to Be Loving You album is the result of what proved to be an unforgettable meeting of a couple of Chicago veteran musicians and dear friends who truly love what they do. So Lucky To Be Loving You is an album of so much more than just a couple of musicians in a studio making music... although, it is certainly that. These recordings blend the gentle and tender side of the voice of Wayne Messmer, coupled with the brilliant talent of Judy Roberts as an accompanist, capturing a delicate and romantic mood with a collection of songs whose lush melodies and sensitive lyrics are intended to set the mood for lovers. This studio session carries with it, a deep personal meaning. It is an expression of the pure joy of life, as set to words and music...