Angela Carole Brown l Press Quotes & Reviews

"As Angela Carole Brown begins to sing she underscores the fact that while most singers simply sing songs, great singers employ their voices as instruments and their songs as vehicles to create tone poems of undeniable emotional impact.

“Necessary to complete the scenario are a baby grand and a cool, sophisticated jazz singer. Angela Carole Brown is just such a creature, with a rich voice that makes everything from Elton John to Edith Piaf sound just like Gershwin. Perched on a stool, she looks like an exotic falcon, with her head neatly framed in a cloche of black curls and the wide collar of her taffeta wrap dress nestled around her shoulders like wings. She exudes the kind of preternatural class that is uncommon in Los Angeles, where peacocks are more than ruler of the roost.”

"I had some idea of what to expect when I went to Typhoon and a pretty good idea that some sort of treat was in store, and there would be some challenging charts that only the best musicians could get through. I got more than that. I was immediately engulfed not only by The Fabulous Miss Thing but by the huge sound these guys and gals put out.
"What better way to introduce the complexities and simplicities of music to a younger generation than using humor, intellect and recognition!? And what better way to re-introduce the old farts to stuff they thought they knew. Having toured and jammed with Jimi, who was seeking Bartok during his Purple Haze, he'd have loved the Orchestre Surréal's version of All Along The Watchtower. He'd definitely have had the hots for Miss Thing.

"Their arrangements bring a significant different meaning into the originals while their mirror image brings their originals into great significant arrangements, leaving the discerning listener thinking that it should have always been that way. If they don't win a Grammy, Miss Thing can '...walk all over me'."

"Sometimes, in life, you meet someone and just know there is something special about them.
    "At the time I first met Angela Carole Brown, some 20 years ago, she had this really cute bob, and her sparkle and throaty laugh were immediately intoxicating. She was working as a waitress, picking up a paycheck like the rest of us, and I would soon be her co-worker. What I didn’t know at the time, though, was how extremely talented and diverse she is.
    "In those days, everyone I knew was working some entertainment angle, so when I heard that Angie would be singing at a club, I wasn’t altogether surprised. It was L.A., after all. But as we were sat and she was ushered to the stage, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
    "She had full command of the audience, and her song selection was impeccable. Her voice can be both full-bodied and strong, then turn on a dime, becoming incredibly intimate.
    "While she made her mark singing standards and jazz in L.A. clubs, she also fronts Orchestre Surréal, is an accomplished artist, and published novelist. There isn’t much she can’t do, and my hope for her is that she find an even wider platform for her art.
    "Angela has many clips on YouTube, and has released some singles for your listening pleasure, such as Seven Bottles of Light, which can be found at SoundCloud. (Listen to the entire song, so you can see just what her wonderful voice can do.)..."

"Glendale, CA may not top your list of top jazz spots in the area, but you might be presently surprised if you happen to catch The Slow Club Quartet when they play in their hometown haunt, at local music venue / restaurant, Jax Bar & Grill, where they performed on October 20th.
    "Upon first glance, Jax Bar & Grill might seem like a venue seemingly unfit for a band, with its small music area and very linear layout, but as soon as you take a seat at the bar, you will understand exactly why Angela Carole Brown and her quartet have made this their permanent home for the past five years.
    "The delicate mixture of the jazz sensations of The Slow Club Quartet mixed with the Cheers-like feel and the friendliness of the wait staff and the patrons will surely put a smile on your face, making you feel instantly at home. But more than the great experience, you will get a great show.
    "As they proved on this splendid evening, The Slow Club Quartet is definitely not your average jazz band. Their lineup is filled with talented, savvy musicians who have drawn accolades that would knock your socks off. The four members of the quartet bring collaborative arrangements, extremely tight musicianship, a little improvisation, and a lot of variety.
    "If you are unfamiliar with the quartet’s work, they seamlessly blend Angela Carole Brown’s ingenious original jazz numbers with stylistically arranged covers of some of the past half century’s hottest hits, including songs from The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Stevie Wonder, while they effortlessly breathe new life into each of them.
    "Perhaps the best cover of the evening was Come Together by The Beatles. The tight percussion from phenomenal drummer, Craig Pilo, mixed with stylistic timing from upright bassist, Don Kasper, and the tinkling ivories of Ed Czach was a perfect showcase for the passionate soul power from Ms. Brown.
    "In between their fantastic covers, they performed quite a few originals that were a perfect mix of new jazz, as the deliberately strayed from the typical jazz standards, and instead played delicately in a style unique to the band. While all of their songs were dazzling in their own right, such as Presently Thinking, The Slow Club, and I've Got Something Here for You, it was the individual contributions of each performer, which were showcased throughout the evening, which elevated the quartet to the upper echelons of new jazz society.
    "Drummer Craig Pilo, who has performed with music icons such as Frankie Valli and Player (Baby Come Back), brings cohesiveness to the ensemble. From swelling percussive beats to lightly playing in the background, he lays a tight foundation for the rest of the musicians to build upon. There were many occasions in which Pilo effortlessly transitioned from soft melodic pulses to powerful rhythms that effortlessly moved the piece from one emotion to another, as exuded in If 6 Was a 9, Night and Day, and Sunday and Sister Jones.
    "Piling on the bass, Don Kasper not only adds to the percussive foundation that Pilo started, but he does it with style and flair. From his elegant falsetto solo break-outs on the stand up bass in Presently Thinking, and May This Be Love, to the more progressive leading bass lines found in Come Together, and If Six Was a 9, he adds a layer that was necessary for the ensemble to pull off the new jazz feel that they do so well.
    "To add a mix of flavor and improvisation, Ed Czach filled in effortlessly, as he moved each song to soaring heights, with his phenomenal piano solos, as well as many of his brilliant arrangements (although all of the members contribute various arrangements), as witnessed in Love Me Still, River, and Come Together.
    "Angela Carole Brown is a brilliant songwriter, has an endearing stage presence and possesses vocal prowess, all of which were particularly evident in her renditions of River, Hendrix’s If 6 Was a 9, and in Sunday And Sister Jones.
    "When you take Angela Carole Brown and mix in the other three members of The Slow Club Quartet you have a true recipe for a great performance. Watch their website for their next gig at Jax Bar & Grill, and then show up, grab a beer, and enjoy one of the best jazz performances you will find on the north side of Los Angeles."

On Expressionism
"I kept waiting for the 'fill' that seems to find its way onto many artists’ offerings; there is none here. A very strong collection of diverse but cohesive compositions – some classics (In My Life – gorgeous arrangement by Ed Czach), a delicious, spicy, vocal performance from Angela on The End of A Love Affair, and my favorite, Sleepwalk, a 'beat' kinda thing penned by Brown…really cool and uniquely amusing in a deadpan fashion. I love it! The usual Craig Pilo's (excellent) production (and arrangements such as In Your Eyes), L.A.’s best musicians (Don Kasper), and Angela’s chops & style make this CD for any collection, no matter what your tastes may be."

"There is not one song on this CD that I did not relate to. All of the songs focus on an aspect of the weeping woman's experience and actually gives credibility to our weeping. I will no longer make apologies to myself or others for weeping! The CD renews, inspires, empowers and strengthens me, so obviously I take this very personally. I learn something new every time I hear it played. I am the first member of the Weeping Woman Fan Club Purchase the CD and join with me!!"

"The beautiful simplicity of this music will haunt you. Angela's voice paints pictures and her palette runs deep. Her highly sympathetic musical partner Ken Rosser accompanies her beautifully on guitar and other stringed beings...Together they are magic!"

"Global Yoga is transcendental, the words magical, incisive and true. This is a gorgeous and inspirational CD."
––– Lily Knight, The Awareness Center

"I was fortunate to be in Hollywood last Friday night, and caught the debut of this multi-talented group. Don’t let 'debut' mislead you. These are seasoned pros at the top of their game. However, it is the first time they have come together live to perform the exhilaratingly diverse RESTING ON THE ROCK album. What a treat it was!

"Fronted by singer-songwriter Angela Carole Brown, this foursome filled the intimate club with a cross-genre exploration of swirling melodies rooted in folk, soul, world, blues, jazz, soft rock and soaring psychedelic arcs reminiscent of the best of the late '60's. Yet the segues were seamless and organic.

"While not having the international assortment of instruments featured on the lushly produced CD, The Global Folk (featuring Ross Wright on 6-string fretless bass, Ken Rosser on guitars, and Jack Lees on drums and percussion) created a full, satisfying live sound that filled the room with both delicate detail and full-bodied assault, while allowing Ms. Brown's voice to be enjoyed in all of its eloquent texture, seductive nuance, and regal power. While all of the tunes will inspire and entertain, An Old Black Man Someday and Wake Up Ophelia are knockouts. The latter transcends Janis and Big Brother in every way, with Mr. Rosser blistering riffs, like Clapton at his Creamiest.

"It's unfortunate that a group of such top-notch talent plays a half-filled room, because the music defies categorization and contains mind-expanding literary lyrics, while talentless marketing-created hacks fill the big auditoriums, perpetuating banality.

"Angela Carole Brown deserves to be discovered by more than the cognoscenti of the LA music scene. If the fathers of formula that dominate the record industry fail to bring artists like these to your attention, then find Ms. Brown and The Global Folk yourself. You will be thrilled!"

––– T.R. Black, BLACKEYE, KUCI

"In our age of reality TV hype and focus group music marketing, the vocal prowess of Angela Carole Brown (ACB) wafts into my living room like an invigorating aroma. On her recent recording, THE SLOW CLUB, Los Angeles based ACB shows a remarkable breadth and depth of artistic vision, beginning with an arresting abstract acrylic painting on the disc's front cover. Inspired from deep within the bowels of the Slow Club in Paris, France, ACB's canon of songs pivots easefully from the laid back neo-soul-shuffle of the title track, for example, to the breakneck-speed scat on the somewhat autobiographical 'A kid and her dog':
     "'Betwixt and between rolling on the ground making mud pies ...
     'If you really want to know the truth of it all ...
     'She was a good kid ...
     'Watching ballerinas in movies...
     'So she puts on her very own show ...'
     "Her eleven originals are wonders of lyrical artifice and invention, betraying a preference for bebop, swing, Afro-Cuban and funk conventions, among other genres.
     "What sets ACB apart from her peers, however, is her obvious ability to interpret a lyric. On the basis of her own work, it is fair to say that she would easily lend to the jazz standards her own unique readings. For this, she utilises a powerful range of techniques, including near-flawless articulation, poise, great intonation and purposeful pauses and inflections. Needless to say, ACB is a professionally trained actress.
     "It shows!
     "Her mannered diction and narrative skills are heard to great effect on 'Van Gogh's Ear', a post-modern tale about artistic license and fate. In fact, the manner in which all her lyrics are written is unusual and captivating, referencing anything from Shakespeare to Dylan Thomas."
    "ACB is accompanied by high-quality sidemen who swing like the gallows and really know how to groove hard: Craig Pilo's masterful flourishes on the drumset stand out; Ed Czach and Billy Childs tease forth fantastic chord progressions at the ivories; West Coast woodwind wizard Bob Sheppard blows up a storm.
     "THE SLOW CLUB eloquently represents ACB as a multi-faceted, well-kept secret on today's jazz scene. She deserves to be embraced by anyone whom appreciates jazz at its most creative and potent."

"Actress, songwriter, and singer Angela Carole Brown has many talents, but in order to discover these you've had to live in Los Angeles. Until now. Thanks to RESTING ON THE ROCK and THE SLOW CLUB, the rest of the world gets a chance to acquaint itself with her, and it's well worth the trouble to look up these records on the web. As far as the material is concerned, here is a well-balanced collection of esteemed original songs."

"Act like you’ve been there. Angela Carole Brown, vocalist, writer, and composer, did and scripted these lyrics to be fictitious in venue never realizing that many memories did cross its doorway, for The Slow Club’s home was in reality Paris. So the story unfolds but what is so stunning is how in music Ms Brown allows the listener to escape down this moody alley way grasping for that elixir of slow gin. THE SLOW CLUB released in 2005 by Rue de la Harpe Records is a full set of pure Brown originals molded to her moods and technique. Ms Brown known for her dark and morose presentation brings to the forefront her diverse and innovative approach to writing and performing. Out of the gate Presently Thinking kicks off with a strong keyboard prelude only to segue into the sultry moods of Ms. Brown. A very nice piece to start the journey. Significant are the talents of Billy Childs [piano], and Craig Pilo [drums] through the project. On the second cut Sixty Three the recipe of contrast between Kevin Ricard [percussion] and Bob Sheppard [woodwinds] is unique and a real trip. Sharp tones and easy to relate too. Most all the arrangements are so listener friendly and mate with the vocals nicely. The main influence Craig Pilo [drums] and Ms. Brown shake the house with cut Van Gogh‘s Ear. However prior to that piece, a solo performance by the woman herself, allows all to witness the true talent absorbed within her by many years of embracing music. Cantankerous may be an effort about ones self. One will never know but the style and delivery is so very special. Angela Carole Brown is amazing and should be experienced."

"There was standing room only for Angela Carole Brown and The Global Folk at Jennifer's Coffee Connection, on Moorpark and Tujunga, on a recent Saturday afternoon. Brown is a veteran of the L.A. music scene as a vocalist and recording artist, heard on jingles, movie soundtracks, and most recently on Josh Groban's hit single 'You Raise Me Up.' Also an award-winning poet, Brown found her unique voice as a composer and released two albums of original music last year on her own Rue de la Harpe Records. Resting on the Rock is a modern folk experimentation infused with jazz and Afro-Eastern meditations, utilizing instruments from around the world, from a Chinese xin-xin to an Oahu slide guitar. The musicians from that recording, Ken Rosser on guitars, Ross Wright on bass, and Paul Angers on percussion, transformed the intimate coffee house into a global café.

"The riveting live performance was a prelude to a book signing, as the multi-talented Brown was celebrating the publication of her first novel TRADING FOURS, a story of four Los Angeles musicians who make their living by doing casuals, which is musician-speak for private parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and the type of jobs that pay the rent without delivering a lot of creative satisfaction or recognition. Anyone slightly familiar with the music business will have fun speculating how much of the 'chick singer Chloe' is Brown and how much is fiction."

"Talented vocalist Angela Carole Brown's recent release is the moody and playful epic THE SLOW CLUB, from Rue De La Harpe Records. Properly supporting this set we have Ed Czach on piano, Jonathan Pintoff on bass, and Craig Pilo on drums creating various moods that capture the multi-facets of Angela Carole Brown. Angela Carole Brown's tone at times is hauntingly similar to the likes of Diana Ross, but technically proficient like an Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Dianne Reeves, and Jon Hendricks. Angela's vocal style is also very personal and so full of raw emotion that at times it's kind of spooky in a weird way. One thing is for sure: this dynamic singer cannot be pigeon-holed as one type of vocalist. As you will hear on THE SLOW CLUB, Angela displays various styles of jazz like Be-Bop, Latin Jazz, Swing, Vocalese and song interpretations that concentrate more on emotion, rather than form, like a Nina Simone. Jazz lovers will be entertained by Angela's highly charged original compositions; not afraid to get down and dirty, Brown has fun with the Latin Jazz flavored "Sixty-Three" and the swinging tale about "A Kid And Her Dog", while Craig Pilo delivers a vigorous drum solo. On "Out Of Breath", to witness the exchange between Angela and pianist Ed Czach is like experiencing one of jazz's great moments in the making. "Rest Your Head" brings the tempo down to sentimental purr. A excellent choice for the Quiet Storm format. Angela Carole Brown's THE SLOW CLUB is an outstanding and long overdue recording of great jazz music."