Doug Ferony, with the help of Mike Dopazo on alto and soprano saxes, Doug Munro on guitar, Nadav Snir-Zelniker on drums, Regan Ryzuk on piano, Michael Goetz on bass, and Tyler Blanton on vibraphone, released ‘Catch The Wave’ in July 28th, 2022. With music arrangements taken care of by Khadafy Khan, Steve Kessler, and Clark Gault, the LP fits the bill of a timeless classic upon release.
Ferony, a professional musician who has released studio albums as early as the 1990s, maintains a classic style of jazzy music reminiscent of the forties and fifties. Listening to his newest release, ‘Catch The Wave’ brings velvety-voiced singers like Andy Williams and Bob Crosby to mind. This stylistic parallel shows Doug’s ‘old soul’ as his timeless style does fit within that earlier time. Some might even say he must have been ‘born in the wrong time.’ It’s refreshing to hear something that sounds so classic yet has the production value that comes along with modern recording techniques.
In the opening track, ‘Wave,’ a soulful guitar is featured. The tone and overall vocal performance are exquisite. This is followed up with a blissfully expressive jazz guitar solo and another verse of vocals from Ferony. Then, a piping saxophone solo riffs on into the abyss to close the track.
‘I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face’ is the next track on the LP, where a more sensual piano solo accompanies Ferony’s vocals. Then, another brief yet impressive sax intermission appears to re-introduce Ferony to the stage. Doug Ferony’s voice is just as velvety on this track as the others.
‘Dindi,’ a slower, more romantic song, is next. This is a magnificent and emotional track about a romantic interest, but the song’s meaning and vocals aren’t the only impressive part. The saxophone makes some parallel harmonies to Ferony’s soft and smooth delivery. The guitar, keys, and sax work well together in this song, with the saxophone taking the spotlight, which occurs in the track’s second half.
‘There Will Never Be Another You’ starts with a much more upbeat piano tune than the previous tracks. It is, of course, another love song, but this one sounds more like a Christmas song in some way. The sassy saxophone solo is fitting for the track. It’s not a mystery why Ferony chose this to be a pre-released single, as it is the most upbeat track on the record.
A slower, more romantic track, ‘Moonglow,’ comes next on the LP. It features another of Ferony’s most sensual, mellow, and velvety performances. The atmospheric vibraphone and the marching strum of the jazz guitar provide the perfect soft and slow ambiance to give the vocals the spotlight. Only during the track’s second half does an instrumental solo make an appearance, a beautiful vibraphone tune run that somehow gives more meaning to the track’s message. It presents a fresh perspective on the verse and gives a sense of musical fullness.
‘The Nearness of You’ is a sensual track, using the trumpet as its soloist, again delivering a lot of meaning and passion with a fresh vibe like ‘I Concentrate on You.’
The next track, ‘Besame Mucho,’ features Spanish and English lyrics. Then ‘Fools Rush In’ offers an almost Flamenco guitar strumming style.
One of the most diverse tracks on the album, ‘I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears out to Dry,’ seems to be a ballad about depression. The meaning as well as the delivery of the vocals, are superb and work well with the instruments. A soft piano performance like the one in ‘The Nearness of You’ is met with a more funky jazz guitar. Overall the track is an emotional and sober song with unique appeal.
‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ features a saxophone performance that is up to par with the best sax songs on the LP. The saxophone and piano get the spotlight for solos during the middle of the song.
‘One Note Samba’ is the second to the last track, and the effect is a cheesy analogy being taken through over two and a half minutes of musical performance. The record’s closing track, ‘These Foolish Things,’ is another slow and atmospheric tune. The vocal performance is as expressive and harmonic as the best songs on the album. It can also tie in nicely with the earlier tracks such as ‘There Will Never Be Another You’ and makes a good ending.
Overall, Doug Ferony’s latest release gives the impression of a talented and professional musician. His music is so timeless that in the far future, it will likely be compared with the classics from the forties and fifties, gaining a large cult following far beyond his career’s end.
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R. Harwood is the writer and editor in chief of TheCelebrity.Online – Read more on our About Us page.