THE HANGOVER REPORT – Positive vibes and seasoned musicality distinguish CYRILLE AIMÉE & THE GUITAR HEROES at Birdland

Cyrille Aimée and her Guitar Heroes perform at Birdland Jazz Club (photo by Adrian Dimanlig).

This past week, I put away my cares away and enjoyed a vibrant concert by distinctive French jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée, who just wrapped up a residency at Birdland Jazz Club. Accompanying her on this go around was a duo simply known as the Guitar Heroes, which is comprised of fantastic guitarists and fellow Frenchman Adrien Moignard and Michael Valeanu. Having spent a number of years apart, it was quite the treat to see and Aimée join forces with them again and sink their teeth into a breezy and highly enjoyable joyride of a set.

Aimée is famous for infusing her jazzy song stylings with a gypsy flair, giving her performances a sensuality and carefree spirit that are bewitching. She kicked off her eclectic set — made up of songs from her albums, as well as wonderful new takes on a number of standards — with a lively version of Glen Campbell’s “I Wanna Live”. Some highlights that ensued included sunny renditions of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, Stephen Sondheim’s “Live Alone and Like It”, as well as her own enchanting “Beautiful Way”. Basking in the glow of pregnancy, a number of selections such as Babik Reinhardt’s “All Love” and Billie Holiday’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” took on fascinating new meaning. She concluded in exuberant fashion with the title track of from her album It’s a Good Day, sending the late night audience I was in smiling into the New York winter night. 

Throughout, Aimée was in fabulous voice and infectiously high spirits. Indeed, she’s a performer who exudes little other than authentically positive vibes. Even yearning or bittersweet songs like the Gershwins’ “The Man I Love” and Turner Layton’s “After You’ve Gone” gave a glimmer of autumnal hopefulness. And as accompanied by the subtle artistry of Moignard and Valeanu on guitars, Aimée’s seasoned musicality shined through brightly, drawing listeners in as she caressed the songs and  got lost in the music.

RECOMMENDED

CYRILLE AIMÉE & THE GUITAR HEROES
Cabaret / Jazz
Birdland Jazz Club
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Closed

Categories: Cabaret, Music, Other Music

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