Moss live at Jazzfest Berlin 2010

Theo Bleckmann, vocals
Peter Eldridge, vocals, piano
Kate McGarry, vocals
Lauren Kinhan, vocals
Keith Ganz, guitar
Kermit Driscoll, bass
John Hollenbeck, drums

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Main Stage, November 6, 2010

1. Shadows and light (Joni Mitchell)/ Object devotion (Lauren Kinhan, Peter Eldrigde)
2. I carry your heart (Kate McGarry)
3. Trouble runs in the family (Lauren Kinhan)
4. Longing (Theo Bleckmann)
5. Busy being blue (Peter Eldrigde)
6. These things take time (Peter Eldrigde, Kate McGarry)
7. Old man (Neil Young)
8. Take It With Me (Tom Waits)
9. No Wonder (Luciana Souza)
10. There Alone Go I (Lauren Kinhan, Peter Eldrigde)
11. Come Home (Peter Eldrige)

All About Jazz celebrated him as “German-American Meistersinger” – Theo Bleckmann could hardly be tagged more aptly. The Dortmund-born vocal export and student of Sheila Jordan’s has, together with ‘half’ of the New York Voices, Peter Eldridge and Lauren Kinhan plus all-rounder Kate McGarry, founded a vocal quartet with the sophistication and refinement, which only seems to be exceeded by the relaxed manner of their performance.

It is the cabaret scene as independent as typical for New York, like at Café Carlyle, that seems to incite phenomena such as Moss. Artists like Eartha Kitt and Bobby Short, Elaine Stritch and John Pizzarelli come to mind who were and still are the force behind a culture of entertainment that for some by now might already be covered with “moss”. But what pleasure it is to rest one’s ears on this moss!

A next generation has now stepped up and it’s great that Theo is involved. The standard remains. The repertoire is becoming broader and more confident: Neil Young? Sure! Joni Mitchell? With pleasure! Tom Waits? More of it, pleeeze! For example on record: MOSS.