The latest recording from Australian-born, New York City based jazz vocalist Chris McNulty is perhaps the finest of her entire career. With Eternal Chris McNulty presents one of the most personal recordings this reviewer has encountered in many years.
Eternal presents twelve brilliant performances that feature McNulty’s rich, warm vocals with an enchanting chamber ensemble orchestrated and conducted by her fellow Australian, Steve Newcomb. Pianist/arranger John Di Martino also makes an immense contribution to this session, with notable work from John Bollenback on guitar, Matthew Jodrell on flugelhorn, Ben Wendell on bassoon, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums.
This CD is a loving tribute to Chris McNulty's son, Sam McNulty, who died suddenly at the age of 30 in 2011. The heartbreak of such an experience is almost beyond description. McNulty mines this devastating loss through emotional and deep performances of “What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life” and “With Every Breath I Take”, which is especially deep and profound. “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” and “Nature Boy” also standout as remarkable performances on an already exceptional recording.
Chris McNulty's ability to tap into deep places of personal grief recalls the talents of Mark Murphy and Billie Holiday. This reviewer hopes that this elegant, deeply personal recording is the one that gains McNulty much deserved wider recognition.
