This is Beata Pater’s ninth CD release and “Tet,” the album title, is the ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, as well as the symbol for nine. In numerology it stands for completion. Beata Pater explained her description of “Tet.”
“It is symbolic of creativity; a vessel which holds something within a womb for creation. Goodness is hidden within it.”
Opening with the Freddie Hubbard gem of a tune, “Little Sunflower”, Beata Pater’s smoky voice tenderly caresses his song. There is something about this vocalists’ voice that creates a signature sound, much like the great Morgana King or the memorable Shirley Horn. Once you hear Beata Pater, you will remember her sound. She has a unique tremolo, along with her rich alto tones that suddenly soar into a sweet, second soprano. She slides sleepily and laid-back up and down the scale on “It’s a Lazy Afternoon.”
Pater’s vocalization is hypnotic. Hiromu Aoki’s piano solo tinkles the upper register, with the string ensemble beautifully cushioning their arrangement. It’s an intriguing arrangement that highlights Beata Pater’s vocals, expertly framing the colorful tones of her voice. There’s also the hint of an accent to uniquely make her style unforgettable. She tackles some challenging melodies on this album like Chick Corea’s “Crystal Silence” and the haunting song, “Invitation.” Alex Danson’s string arrangements are stunning, as are the rhythm section arrangements that Hiromu Aoki and Beata created. As a violinist herself, Beata Pater pulls from her multi-musical talents and worldwide experiences. After all, she draws from Polish roots, has lived in England, and spent a decade in Japan. Currently, she has settled in San Francisco.
On this project, she scats and plays with the familiar “Old Devil Moon” tune, making it one of the few up-tempo arrangements she offers us. With her serious classical studies and playing concert violin for several years in her native Poland, she brings a fresh face to these old standards, perhaps thinking more like a violinist than a vocalist. During the ten years she spent playing, teaching and performing in Japan, she met Aoki, who is one of Tokyo’s top, first-call accompanist for singers. They work well together, with neither afraid to jump off the mountain top without a parachute.
In celebration of her album title, Beata Pater has recorded nine songs and puts her own stamp on each one. This project is a tribute to modern jazz singing and arranging. Beata Pater has surrounded herself with outstanding musicians who play beautifully behind her unique and one-of-a-kind voice. She is the epitome of jazz, in her own delightful way.
Dee Dee McNeil Musical Memoirs
