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WINNING SPINSSOME MUSICIANS’ GIFTS ARE obvious. The talents of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespieor pianist Art Tatum were immediately recognizable through the speed and techniquewith which they played. By comparison, themagic of Miles Davis or Shirley Horn unfoldsmore subtly, as each relied on the spacesbetween notes. West Palm Beach-basedsinger and pianist Patti Wicks also masterfullyplays and sings with such spaces in mind.

As both a vocalist and a pianist, Wicks war-rants comparisons to Horn. Her new CD,Dedicated to… (Geco), showcases a similarlybreathy and understated vocal delivery, as wellas the bop-to-classically influenced playingand subtle humor that were Horn hallmarks.

All of this has endeared Wicks to jazz fansin Italy. Her most-recent CDs have beenreleased on Italian labels, and she employs asupportive Italian rhythm section in double-bassist Giovanni Sanguineti and drummerGiovanni Gullino. Guest saxophonist ScottHamilton joins the trio on Dedicated to… .On the opening instrumental, the OscarHammerstein-Jerome Kern standard “TheSong Is You,” Wicks matches the tenorist’sintro solo with her own improvisations.During her impressive break, Wicks feeds offof—and accents with—Gullino before sparselysupporting Sanguineti during his solo.

The rhythm section creates a supple pocketfor Hamilton and Wicks on David Raskin andJohnny Mercer’s “Laura,” as Sanguineti locksin his dancing bass pattern with Gullino’srimshots. Two other Mercer co-compositions,“I Remember You” (written with VictorSchertzinger) and “Emily” (Johnny Mandel),spotlight the drummer’s own soloing capabilities.

Also adept with brushes, Gullino shadesWicks’ chords and sly vocals on Ray Noble’sballad “The Very Thought of You.” Thepianist sings more sparsely than she plays,using her voice to lure one in. Especially onballads, Wicks seduces listener into payingcomplete attention, since not doing so meansrunning the risk of missing humor or nuance.Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s “LittleGirl Blue”—a song associated with NinaSimone—is delivered solo by Wicks andmakes another strong case in point.

Like many outstanding keyboardists(Tatum, Ray Charles, George Shearing,Stevie Wonder), Wicks’ eyesight is impaired,hers due in part to being born two months

premature. Piano seems to be the instrumentthat best connects the brain and hands forsuch second-sighted musicians.

Wicks and Hamilton both play beautifullyon other standards, like the instrumentalballads “My One and Only Love” (written byRobert Mellin and Guy Wood) and “Lela”(Haydn Higgins), but the singing pianist’smost tongue-in-cheek performance is savedfor when she’s pulling double-duty. On AlDubin and Harry Warren’s “You’re GettingTo Be a Habit,” Wicks displays every facet ofher talents. She locks in with Sanguineti andGullino, using chords to make the piano partof the rhythm section—which it often is,since the instrument’s use of both stringsand hammers makes it the link between bassand drums. Yet she still finds ways to cre-atively accent her vocals, which range fromstaggered phrasing to scat-sung syllables thatapproximate one of Hamilton’s sax solos.

Wicks gained wide acclaim for her 2003 CDLove Locked Out (MaxJazz), and an appearanceon Marian McPartland’s National Public Radioprogram Piano Jazz that year heightened hernow-international profile. Yet Love LockedOut, with its all-ballad formula, only presenteda portion of Wicks’ diversity. Dedicated to… isnot only one of her best recorded efforts, butit also might be the best display of herestimable all-around gifts.

Patti Wicks performs with bassist SusanMerritt and drummer Marty CampfieldAug. 7 at Fire Rock Restaurant Bar & Grillin downtown West Palm Beach.

By Bill Meredith

PATTI WICKS

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THE JEFF PRINE GROUPJAZZ BRUNCH, FT. LAUDERDALE/AUG. 2THE ORANGE DOOR, LAKE PARK/AUG. 8VILLAGE GRILLE, FT. LAUDERDALE/AUG. 14BOSTON’S, DELRAY BEACH/AUG. 18For more than 20 years, Jeff Prine has been a standouton the South Florida blues scene. The Brooklyn-bornguitarist and vocalist’s versatility can be heard on hisrecently released CD, Currents, which travels from Prine’sjazzy, Allman-esque instrumental title track to his boogie-blues “Who Died and Left You Boss?” to his interpretationsof blues classics such as “Woke Up This Morning.”Influences from Dickie Betts and Duane Allman to B.B.King and Peter Green can be detected in his nimble fret-work. Prine smartly surrounds himself with some of thisarea’s top talents, including Hammond B3 player Mitch

Goldstein, drummerJack Ciano andpianist Mike Orta.He’s also enjoyed a long partnershipwith South Floridablues treasure JuanitaDixon, with whomhe’ll be performingthis month at theVillage Grille. For hisJazz Brunch show,Prine welcomes vocal-ist Carrie Furmanand B3 expert KenBurkhart. BW

S P O T L I G H TNICOLE YARLING AND THE WELDBOSTON’S, DELRAY BEACH/AUG. 4Vocalist and violinist Nicole Yarling ranks amongSouth Florida’s most-gifted jazz interpreters. Butanyone who knows her history knows that she plays— and teaches, through her courses at FloridaMemorial University and the University of Miami —in many styles. Through her long-standing partner-ship with singing guitarist Dave Brophy in The Weld,the Stuff Smith-inspired violin virtuoso explores therootsy side of her musical persona. In fact, the band’sname actually references the welding together of var-ious genres. So whether it’s Yarling or Brophy takinga lead vocal, listeners can expect a hearty gumbo ofblues, R&B, funk, rock and New Orleans feels with

glimmers of every-thing else (jazz,gospel, hip-hop, andAfrican spiritualsand field hollers)that Yarling teachesat both Miami uni-versities. BM

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Log on to www.bostonsonthebeach.comfor our complete lineup, menus, photos and more!Located on the waterfront in Delray Beach, Boston’s is the ideal place

for casual dining, live music and sports viewing in our first-floor restaurant, The Beach. Or enjoy great cuisine and cocktails

upstairs at our fine dining restaurant, The UpperDeck. And be sure to check out our Back Bay Tiki Bar for a tropical cocktail

while listening to some of the area’s finest musicians on our outdoor stage. Boston’s… something for everyone!

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HARRY ALLEN WITH NATE NAJARPALLADIUM THEATER, ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE/AUG. 21You know you’ve arrived when you’ve played withvenerable jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and your playinghas been called “nothing less than perfect” by his son,vocalist-guitarist John Pizzarelli. At 43, tenor saxo-phonist Harry Allen has worked with legends from late(Rosemary Clooney, Ray Brown) to living (Tony Bennett,Hank Jones), as well as contemporary pop stars likeJames Taylor and Sheryl Crow. The Washington, D.C.-born reedman’s taste, tone and technique have been hiscalling card since childhood. His father, a big banddrummer, played him records before kindergartenclasses, which inspired the switch from accordion to sax.

Allen’s latest release,Plays Music fromSouth Pacific, is aperfect vehicle for hisever-lyrical playing.For his show at St.Petersburg College,the saxman will bejoined by Nate Najar,who plays swinging,straightahead jazz ona classical guitar.(Najar’s trio will befeatured Aug. 14 atthe Museum of FineArts, also in St.Petersburg.) BM

S P O T L I G H TDELFEAYO MARSALISCORAL GABLES CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHAUGUST 13The younger brother of saxophonist Branford andtrumpeter Wynton, Delfeayo Marsalis wisely chose totake up the trombone. Hailing from a New Orleans jazzdynasty that also includes patriarchal educator andpianist Ellis, and drummer and youngest brotherJason, Delfeayo continues in the family business as arespected musician, composer, educator and producer.On Delfeayo’s 2006 recording, Minions Dominion,brother Branford plays counterpoint to his own fluid,intricate ‘bone patterns. The disc also showcases someof the last recorded work of iconic drummer ElvinJones, who died in 2004; the trombonist, who just

turned 44, was a partof the drummer’sfinal band, the ElvinJones Jazz Machine.An upcoming release,Sweet Thunder,r e c o n t e x t u a l i z e sDuke Ellington’s clas-sic 1957 suite (SuchSweet Thunder)inspired by WilliamShakespeare. For hisperformance at theCoral Gables Church,Marsalis will bejoined by his quintet.BM