A featured performer in Musical Theatre for years (both On and Off Broadway), Sue Anne Gershenzon makes her jazz recording debut on You Must Believe In Spring. With each tune representing specific relationships and experiences, Ms. Gershenzon takes her listeners on the journey of a life lived, lessons learned, and hope for the future...

It's obvious that Sue Anne Gershenzon has a great love of jazz music and her choices here are all good, solid numbers. I think it's fair to say that they're not a million miles away, in style, from the sort of Musical numbers that she's familiar with. I'm not sure if that was the reason why these tracks were chosen, or if she genuinely has a great love for each song. Either way it matters not, for she delivers some impressive performances.

In 2004 she had an encounter with Bobby McFerrin and was inspired to start exploring jazz. She has since performed often with pianist-arranger Glafkos Kontemeniotis, finding her own voice and expressing her soul through songs. You Must Believe In Spring, which represents Gershenzon’s triumph over life’s struggles, begins a new chapter in her life and career.

While I enjoyed all of the tracks, I have to admit that I found 'Good Morning Heartache' to be the most touching. It shows a softer, gentler side to Gershenzon's vocal range.

From time to time the vocals are a little rough around the edges, but this helps to sell it as a recording of an intimate one off performance, rather than a studio polished recording.

On this recording, as well as pianist and arranger Kontemeniotis, Gershenzon is joined by tenor-saxophonist Joel Frahm, trombonist Ryan Keberle, bassist Sean Smith, drummer Dave Meade, Brandon Vazquez on Trumpet, Bashiri Johnson on percussion and a string trio comprised of Megan Gould on violin, Karen Waltuch on viola and Noah Heffeld on cello.

Track listings:

01. I Thought About You (Van Heusen/Mercer) (4:01)
02. With So Little To Be Sure Of (Sondheim) (2:53)
03. So Many Stars (Mendez/A. and M. Bergman) (5:15)
04. The Fool on the Hill (Lennon/McCartney) (4:23)
05. When Sunny Gets Blue (Segal/Fisher) (5:18)
06. A Child is Born (Jones/Wilder) (5:31)
07. 'Deed I Do (Walter Hirsch/ Fred Rose) (3:29)
08. Good Morning Heartache (Higgenbotham/ Fischer/Drake) (6:06)
09. Straighten Up and Fly Right (Cole/Mills) (2:43)
10. East of the Sun (Bowman) (4:35)
11. You Must Believe in Spring (Legrand/A. and M. Bergman) (6:04)

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Nick Smithson