I wrote this review for jazzreview.com. Click here to read it on that site. You will have to scroll down some.

Bill Dowdy Jazz Trio plus Dee Dee McNeil Live at the Discovery Theatre (Dee Square Records, 2000)
review by Micah Holmquist
July 4, 2000

Bill Dowdy (drums),
Claude Black (piano),
Dee Dee McNeil (vocals),
Elgin Vines (bass)

In his over 40 years of playing professionally, drummer Bill Dowdy has worked with such jazz greats as Nat Adderly and Coleman Hawkins in addition to teaching at Michigan State and Western Michigan Universities. His latest release, Live at the Discovery Theatre, was recorded live in concert this past October 15 in Dowdy’s hometown of 30 years, Battle Creek, Michigan. Pianist Claude Black and bassist Elgin Vines —both of whom have played with notable performers in both the national and Michigan jazz scenes- round out this trio and perform as a unit for the first three tracks as the group covers three classic jazz tunes. First is Miles Davis’ "All Blues" which seems a touch brighter than the original due to Black’s streaming lines. The trio’s take on the Sonny Rollins song "St. Thomas" has the obligatory calypso vibe while the cover of Duke Ellington’s "Warm Valley" is a beautiful ballad where all three players get room to shine. These tracks aren’t going to set the world on fire but they all feature plenty of fine playing and veteran talents communicating well with another.

Unfortunately the addition of vocalist Dee Dee McNeil takes more away from this mix than it adds. She is the centerpiece of the remaining nine cuts where the group covers classic ballads and blues numbers. McNeil is certainly a fine singer and the group does get in some tasty work in support of her but the format does not allow for the type of interaction that was so pleasing at the beginning. Still, if you take for what it is, listeners will have fun with tracks like the Alberta Hunter tune "Workin’ Man Blues."

There are some minor recording glitches found on Live at the Discovery Theatre but they don’t mar the music and thus don’t deserve any more than this briefest of mentions. Overall this is an enjoyable disc.

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