CD Reviews
★★★★ She manages to flawlessly capture the true spirit of London’s recordings…a sense of true passion for the music…there is a unique musical conversation going on here…a worthwhile tribute to Julie London’s legacy.
Kyle Simpler, All About Jazz
Van Nuis’ approach places her firmly and positively in an era when depth of interpretation and the ability to read or even live a lyric was prized…it’s as if she’s digested the lyric to the point where nuance comes as naturally as breathing.
Nic Jones, Jazz Journal (UK)
★★★★ The tunes are all heartbreakers, taken at a measured pace that allows every phrase to work its aching magic…van Nuis returns to tug on your heartstrings.
j. poet, DownBeat Magazine
Every track’s a gem and if you thought you’d never ever want to hear “Cry Me A River” again, this may cause a rethink! There may be better vocal albums this year but I’m not holding my breath.
Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here (UK)
This has got to be that “wee small hours” kind of record when you need a “one more for the road” record of the year. (Yeah, it’s a Sinatra reference but…) Killer stuff throughout.
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Van Nuis does not attempt to channel London’s voice or approach, rather applies her own sensitivities to the songs, impressively so. Julie London would be smiling were she here to enjoy what van Nuis and Brown have accomplished.
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz
Her singing is chic, cute, and very attractive. Once you listen to the whole recording, you will want to listen again because it is full of charm.
Sakurai Takaaki, Jazz Life (Japan)
She does not imitate London, but uses her unique bright and delicate voice to convey the message of each song with clear diction, complemented with buoyant intonation. Her duet with Brown is full of chemistry, adding to the romantic atmosphere.
Keizo Takada, Record Collectors Magazine (Japan)
The cool and cute atmosphere of Petra van Nuis’ voice and the exquisite obligato of Andy Brown’s guitar nestle together. Petra sings Julie’s numbers from the heart.
Okazaki Masamichi, Jazz Record Review (Japan)
Feeling is what can’t be taught. But in every note we hear from Petra van Nuis, that elusive quality simply defines her.
George Fendel, High Standards Jazz
Just as Ella and Ellis Larkins did when they set the benchmark with their 10″ Decca album “Ella Sings Gershwin” over 70 years ago, Petra and Dennis hit that same level.
Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here (UK)
Delectable and rich, van Nuis’ vocals are tempered with a touch of solemnity that lend gravity to each lyrical charm…glowing interplay and intuition that flows spectacularly.
Patrick Romanowski, Chicago Jazz
Van Nuis in her immaculate phrasing brings out the essence of each lyric…sit back, relax and dig a perfect vocal album.
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz
A musical conversation that thrives on spontaneity…it is all in the moment, and the result is pure satisfaction…only the truly talented can make the cut when all the effects and gimmicks are removed.
Kyle Simpler, All About Jazz
Van Nuis’ delicate and mellifluous phrasing elevates the collection creating a work that will undoubtedly reward repeated listens…a flawless and synergistic collaboration.
Keizo Takada, Record Collectors Magazine (Japan)
This is an easy album to review. Petra van Nuis is a top-notch singer with a fetching voice and her own jazz phrasing…a rewarding listening experience.
Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene
Van Nuis’ lovely vocals shimmer with a charm reminiscent of Blossom Dearie and Mildred Bailey…a standout performance of “Last Tango in Paris” gives listeners an unexpected delight.
Hiroshi Ogawa, Jazz Life (Japan)
Late-night meditative…delivered with poised intensity…her keen understanding of the lyrics and smart phrasing soon win you over.
Ron Simpson, The Jazz Rag (UK)
★★★★ She manages to flawlessly capture the true spirit of London’s recordings…a sense of true passion for the music…there is a unique musical conversation going on here…a worthwhile tribute to Julie London’s legacy.
Kyle Simpler, All About Jazz
Van Nuis’ approach places her firmly and positively in an era when depth of interpretation and the ability to read or even live a lyric was prized…it’s as if she’s digested the lyric to the point where nuance comes as naturally as breathing.
Nic Jones, Jazz Journal (UK)
★★★★ The tunes are all heartbreakers, taken at a measured pace that allows every phrase to work its aching magic…van Nuis returns to tug on your heartstrings.
j. poet, DownBeat Magazine
Every track’s a gem and if you thought you’d never ever want to hear “Cry Me A River” again, this may cause a rethink! There may be better vocal albums this year but I’m not holding my breath.
Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here (UK)
This has got to be that “wee small hours” kind of record when you need a “one more for the road” record of the year. (Yeah, it’s a Sinatra reference but…) Killer stuff throughout.
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Van Nuis does not attempt to channel London’s voice or approach, rather applies her own sensitivities to the songs, impressively so. Julie London would be smiling were she here to enjoy what van Nuis and Brown have accomplished.
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz
Her singing is chic, cute, and very attractive. Once you listen to the whole recording, you will want to listen again because it is full of charm.
Sakurai Takaaki, Jazz Life (Japan)
She does not imitate London, but uses her unique bright and delicate voice to convey the message of each song with clear diction, complemented with buoyant intonation. Her duet with Brown is full of chemistry, adding to the romantic atmosphere.
Keizo Takada, Record Collectors Magazine (Japan)
The cool and cute atmosphere of Petra van Nuis’ voice and the exquisite obligato of Andy Brown’s guitar nestle together. Petra sings Julie’s numbers from the heart.
Okazaki Masamichi, Jazz Record Review (Japan)
Feeling is what can’t be taught. But in every note we hear from Petra van Nuis, that elusive quality simply defines her.
George Fendel, High Standards Jazz
A highlight among 2018 vocal albums…Throughout, she sustains long notes perfectly in tune…distinctive…delicious…just the right blend of sadness and wit…This will have a long stay on most listeners’ shelves.
Doug Ramsey, Rifftides
Van Nuis is not as well known internationally as should be the case although she has a devoted following in Japan. An exceptionally gifted singer, she has a light yet subtly textured sound and is always delightfully melodic…many memorable moments, notably in van Nuis’ interpretation of the lyrics; these are clearly very important to her and she delivers them with admirable sincerity.
Bruce Crowther, Jazz Journal International
Van Nuis exudes tenderness and sensual warmth with her phrasing…her voice delicately tinged with nostalgia…a collection of spellbinding sonic snapshots that movingly capture the intricacies of life…brimming with beguiling intimacy and mystery…pure magic.
Lissette Corsa, Jazziz Magazine
One of those rare recordings that just grabs you and holds on until the last note…like Lady Day, Blossom Dearie and very few others, Petra conveys the meaning of a lyric in a very direct manner…a singer who gets it and puts it across to the listener…I hope to hear more from Petra and would suggest this to her: don’t change a thing.
George Fendel, High Standards Jazz
★★★★ Van Nuis has a warm, intimate singing style, marked by playful phrasing that dances around a lyric to emphasize its emotional content…the vocalist imbues the longing and hopelessness of the lyric with a palpable sense of anguish.
j. poet, DownBeat Magazine
Her signature charm is found in the coexistence of her relaxed feel and cool intelligence…a place where the agony, comfort, and hope of life meet…the world painted is profound…a recommended listen as the nights begin to draw in.
Toshiro Kobari, Jazz Critique Magazine (Japan)
Petra van Nuis gives lyrics the kind of attention and understanding that makes each of them sound special, as if written just for her…a vocal album that rates among the best of the year.
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz Magazine
…tender and yearning singing, full of reserved emotion and eloquence…deeply moving and subtly provocative…a satisfyingly multilayered disc that delights more with each spin.
Hrayr Attarian, Chicago Jazz Magazine
The texture of her delicate, graceful voice is reminiscent of Blossom Dearie’s but uniquely chic and charming…the world created is rich and intimate…the perfect record to listen to after being liberated from work…unwinding both body and soul.
Eiji Kitahara, Jazz Life Magazine (Japan)
It’s been a great year for vocalists, Petra ranks alongside the best of them…The music is fantastic…sensuous sounding…is 11 out of 10 high enough?
Lance Liddle, Bebop Spken Here (UK)
A voice quickly becoming cherished by the Japanese audience, the bright and beautiful Petra releases her latest…the applause at the end are the only thing by which one realizes this breathtaking album and its quality sound were actually recorded live…definitely recommended.
Keizo Takada, Record Collectors Magazine (Japan)
Van Nuis has a vocal tone that has a dash of late era Billie Holiday, along with an almost poetic timing to enunciation of lyrics…a rich collection of heartfelt stories…van Nuis’ sandied voice patiently producing moods via nuance and lyric.
George Harris, Jazz Weekly
A highly nuanced, silky-shimmering voice…singing which can plumb the dramatic depth of a piece with a whispered phrase and colorful articulation…succeeds in transporting the listener into the depths of nightlife with her intimate, highly atmospheric and creative renditions.
Andreas Geyer, Jazz Podium Magazine (Germany)
Captivating many fans with her sweet-sounding voice reminiscent of Beverly Kenney and Blossom Dearie, she has now managed to outdo herself with her latest album…standards are showcased in a graceful, mature fashion.
Kazune Hayata, CD Journal (Japan)
An album that is both hauntingly atmospheric and filled with creative substance…refined grace and emotive vocals. Van Nuis intones a warm and passionate lullaby.
Hrayr Attarian, All About Jazz
A splendid recording…engaging as it is imaginative…impeccable artistic synergy…voice and guitar sashaying in unison with sensuality and passion…ardent emotion and hypnotic resonance.
Hrayr Attarian, All About Jazz
…beautifully romantic, pure and ultimately masterful…swings magically…delicate, dynamic and ethereal…gorgeously under produced…undisturbed by commercial concerns. The soul throughout this recording is just relentless…an essential purchase.
Devon “Doc” Wendell, Dr. Jazz
The quality of her voice is so distinctive, with freshness and a hint of cleverness, perfectly balanced together that it leaves a lasting impression…Her style is delicate, and brings out the essence and original intentions of each song…Her voice produces an intimacy which warms the heart…instills a pleasant sense of nostalgia…It ever so gently moved my soul.
Hijiri Kanno, Jazz Life Magazine (Japan)
…a voice that makes every day seem like Spring. Flawless and original interpretations of songs, some of which you thought you knew only to find out you didn’t really know them at all! There’s also a few undiscovered gems as well as some you’d forgotten about. I guarantee they’ll never be forgotten again!
Lance Liddle, bebop spoken here
Underlying Petra’s light yet sensual vocal sound is a mature understanding of the lyrics…light-hearted yet engaging…performed in a fresh and thoroughly entertaining manner. This album is a real joy and warmly recommended to all who like to hear good songs well played and sung.
Bruce Crowther, Jazz Mostly
…the bravest project two young musicians could possibly put out in today’s market. A quaintly brilliant ‘platter’ amidst a world becoming increasingly less interested in subdued tender truly artistic music from the heart…a touch of pure class…just what this chaotic world needs right now.
Palmer Moore, Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club
Petra is quite distinctive in that she sings American Standards infused with her affectionate voice. Her sweet voice is reminiscent of legends such as Blossom Dearie and Ann Burton.
Shoji Ichikawa, Stereo Magazine (Japan)
…her sweet voice, clear diction, and individualistic phrasing set her apart….it’s clear the words mean everything to her. She can be tender, rueful, wistful, but she can also romp: her summons to “Doctor Jazz” is a pager that no medical professional could ignore…
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
Petra’s soft charming voice and tight vocal style are reminiscent of Beverly Kenney and Janet Seidel…beautiful…sylish…stands out from the rest.
Editorial Desk, Japan Jazz Magazine
…inherent charm and appeal…van Nuis tells a complete story that goes beyond the mere scope of the lyrics…sets a high bar for others to follow…the latest chapter in a continually unfolding success story…
Randy Freedman, Chicago Jazz Magazine
Her vocal style is Blossom Dearie-esque, a particularly difficult form of singing, which relies on precise pronunciation and accurate rhythm in place of heavy emotional expression.Petra’s vocal is impeccable in this sense…Her mastery of this technique is much more difficult than it appears.
Toshiro Kobari, Jazz Critique Magazine (Japan)
Petra van Nuis’ voice is at once alluring and robust…her tone alternates between delicate playfulness and declarative strength, perfectly suiting the hot jazz…
Jack Huntley, All About Jazz
What a joy…This session must have put everyone in a great mood…Petra holds her own throughout with all of her six amazing musicians…smashing vocals…sensational…a swinging dazzler.
Dan Singer, In Tune International
…a solid dose of happy, crazy depression era music…the kind of music we haven’t heard since the last time someone wrote Dave McKenna a sizeable check…a top shelf date…a dazzling set that should not be missed…
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
It’s a killer of a band that grabs your attention and doesn’t give it back until they’re finished playing…a jazz stylist that uniquely handles lyrics with respect for what they convey, massaging them to personalize the lyrical messages.
Harvey Barkan, American Rag Magazine
Do you like music that is sheer fun? If so, you must latch onto “Live in Chicago”…Their musicianship is first rate, and they swing mightily…
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz
The Recession Seven sells their jaunty melodies and sharp rhythms with panache…vocalist Petra van Nuis brilliantly embodies the best singers of the 1930’s…
Dan Healy, Arts America
…van Nuis’ vocal quality is at once strong and wistful…never fails to support the melody’s cadences with her range and endearing clarity…engaging vocal interpretations.. a beautiful landscape…interpretations are overflowing with skill and imagination.
Jack Huntley, All About Jazz
It ain’t about the fireworks, it’s about the purity of the performance…When you’ve got it going on, you’ve got it going on.
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
I heard her version of “A Cottage For Sale,” and I was just about stunned by its great dramatic range, mixing ruefulness, poignancy, and loss without overacting so much as a hair…I might never hear that song sung with such heartbreak again…
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
…a light, gorgeous and fairly delicate voice…a gift for melody and plenty of rhythmic confidence…overall intelligence makes nuance and subtlety virtues…beautifully rendered.
Frank-John Hadley, DownBeat Magazine
A solid contribution to the jazz guitar-vocal catalogue…a musical excursion into the creative minds of these two talented jazzers…their interaction is incredible to witness…you won’t be disappointed…
Matt Warnock, Guitar International
Songs just never sound the same to me after I hear Petra van Nuis sing them. She has a most unusual charming set of vocal pipes…a musical one of a kind message…simply enchanting…
Dan Singer, In Tune International Magazine
…charming, unassuming and completely guileless…relaxed, defenseless and disarmed…salt water taffy of a voice…This CD will remind you of the old adage that less is more.
George W. Harris, JazzWeekly.com
…magical musical dialogue, which can only partially be described as blind understanding…wonderfully relaxed music is an invitation to dream and listen.
Andreas Geyer, Jazz Podium Magazine (Germany)
She gives “Let’s Do It” the suggestive edge that makes it most effective. This recording will find an immediate place in my stack of must hear again and again discs…
Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz
Petra is not a belter but a soother, and she keeps things clean and simple when she sings, avoiding the pyrotechnics and histrionics that are increasingly popular today.
Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide
While sitting by the fireplace with a good drink in hand, I will often insert this CD into my player. Then I will dream…
Cor De Pater, Old Jazz Express (The Netherlands)
…a sweet voice, a straightforward delivery…a bit like Anita O’ Day…touches of Billie Holiday, Blossom Dearie, and Mildred Bailey in her phrasing but not in the sound of her voice which is distinctive…
Scott Yanow, Los Angeles Jazz Scene
Van Nuis manages to combine various influences into an original style all her own…obviously inspired by Peggy Lee and Chris Connor…also brings some of Lady Day Billie Holiday’s phrasing as well as a touch of Doris Day innocence. And it is a winning combination…
Brad Walseth, ChicagoJazz.net
Petra van Nuis caught my attention from her very first note of her opening song…what is revealed here is Petra’s unison elegance and swing…a delightful musical gift…an essential musical masterpiece…you’ll delight in the warm sensitivity of Petra’s vocal.
Dan Singer, Singer’s Singers
Performance Reviews
Van Nuis and guitarist Brown opened the proceedings in buoyant fashion, and when the rest of the band came roaring in, you realized how seriously they take the meaning of “swing.” The singer showed her interpretive savvy…light-and-silvery vocals and, better still, a saucy manner of delivery that emphasized the art of the double entendre.
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
Singer Petra van Nuis and guitarist Andy Brown could legitimately be called Chicago’s First Couple of Jazz…Her vocal quality stays seamlessly the same throughout her range, and her straight-tone style, with no hint of vibrato, is highly expressive. Her naturally cool, hip, yet engaging demeanor provides the perfect foil for these suave and sophisticated songs…
Sandor Slomovits, Ann Arbor Observer
…irresistible swing…phrasing that sounds conversational but is full of small sweet improvisatory surprises and a joyous confidence. Like Petra, the Recession Seven never falters but it never sounds over-rehearsed and reheated…musicians so expert that they thrive on risks and are happily loose.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
Her reading of lyrics tells a listener than she knows things, with the easy confidence of someone who doesn’t have to prove that she knows things…she gets to stretch and purr.
Neil Tesser, Examiner
The voice, the timing, the phrasing, the look, and everything else was all working and she was hitting the musical equivalent of a grand slam home run in baseball right there in front of me.
Randy Freedman, Chicago Jazz Magazine
I came away from this quietly glowing set feeling that I had heard the songs in emotionally satisfying ways. This delicious interlude is the result of Petra’s sensibility: her nice mix of delicate yet intense feeling and buoyant swing…I’m still grinning.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
Van Nuis and guitarist Brown opened the proceedings in buoyant fashion, and when the rest of the band came roaring in, you realized how seriously they take the meaning of “swing.” The singer showed her interpretive savvy…light-and-silvery vocals and, better still, a saucy manner of delivery that emphasized the art of the double entendre.
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
Singer Petra van Nuis and guitarist Andy Brown could legitimately be called Chicago’s First Couple of Jazz…Her vocal quality stays seamlessly the same throughout her range, and her straight-tone style, with no hint of vibrato, is highly expressive. Her naturally cool, hip, yet engaging demeanor provides the perfect foil for these suave and sophisticated songs…
Sandor Slomovits, Ann Arbor Observer
…irresistible swing…phrasing that sounds conversational but is full of small sweet improvisatory surprises and a joyous confidence. Like Petra, the Recession Seven never falters but it never sounds over-rehearsed and reheated…musicians so expert that they thrive on risks and are happily loose.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
Her reading of lyrics tells a listener than she knows things, with the easy confidence of someone who doesn’t have to prove that she knows things…she gets to stretch and purr.
Neil Tesser, Examiner
The voice, the timing, the phrasing, the look, and everything else was all working and she was hitting the musical equivalent of a grand slam home run in baseball right there in front of me.
Randy Freedman, Chicago Jazz Magazine
I came away from this quietly glowing set feeling that I had heard the songs in emotionally satisfying ways. This delicious interlude is the result of Petra’s sensibility: her nice mix of delicate yet intense feeling and buoyant swing…I’m still grinning.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
No ordinary jazz duo, like the ones you see everywhere…sometimes she sounds like an early Billie Holiday…she sings very poetically…completely free of sugar-coating…musical magic.
Henning Gaiek, Die Rheinpfalz (Germany)
The packed Wiesloch Jazz Club…experienced international class…Petra van Nuis captivated her audience from the first song with her highly expressive and versatile singing…
Weisloch Woche (Germany)
Petra van Nuis made the lyrics accessible to her audience in a loose, relaxed and entertaining manner with her very melodic and supple voice, which is both expressive and varied. As a duo, they both harmonized perfectly and understood each other almost blindly.
Badische Zeitung (Germany)
…an enormous vocal range…full of nuance…a lot of expressivity, which she conveys very emotionally…so great as to have been repeatedly applauded in mid-performance by the audience, who was swept along with great enthusiasm…
Hans Kraus, Die Rheinpfalz (Germany)
Interviews
“That’s the thing,” says van Nuis. “One purpose of making music, of what we do, is to bring people together, to be part of humanity.”
Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
“I always see every gig as a chance to hire someone more experienced than me and to learn something,” says van Nuis of her seasoned colleagues. “All those guys have such a history — all the people they’ve played with! My idea of good leadership is to get people that you believe in, that you love, that you trust, and then kind of cut them loose, let them do their thing.”
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
“I enjoy when the magic happens…the real magic that occurs when everybody’s listening to each other and the audience really hears something…When you really feel that sincere emotion…that moment when you really connect with yourself, the other musicians, the audience. When you feel those sparks fly…every time you take a chance and you release yourself and surrender in your brain—that little critical voice stops yapping at you.”
Rita Juanita Mock, Jazzgroupiez
“I don’t know what it is about us, but we’ve always hung out with people older than us,” van Nuis says. “It is an amazing thing to see and hear those of a previous generation still so vital and still growing creatively. It is so inspiring.”
Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
Reminiscent of the immortal Blossom Dearie, her sound is poetic and light but not without evoking a true depth of experience and tone that is undeniably the real thing…Ms. van Nuis nods to her experience in learning to sing jazz as “more the way it used to be done, where you just kind of find people in your town that you dig and follow them around.”
Patrick Romanowski, Evanston RoundTable
“That’s the thing,” says van Nuis. “One purpose of making music, of what we do, is to bring people together, to be part of humanity.”
Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
“I always see every gig as a chance to hire someone more experienced than me and to learn something,” says van Nuis of her seasoned colleagues. “All those guys have such a history — all the people they’ve played with! My idea of good leadership is to get people that you believe in, that you love, that you trust, and then kind of cut them loose, let them do their thing.”
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
“I enjoy when the magic happens…the real magic that occurs when everybody’s listening to each other and the audience really hears something…When you really feel that sincere emotion…that moment when you really connect with yourself, the other musicians, the audience. When you feel those sparks fly…every time you take a chance and you release yourself and surrender in your brain—that little critical voice stops yapping at you.”
Rita Juanita Mock, Jazzgroupiez
“I don’t know what it is about us, but we’ve always hung out with people older than us,” van Nuis says. “It is an amazing thing to see and hear those of a previous generation still so vital and still growing creatively. It is so inspiring.”
Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
Reminiscent of the immortal Blossom Dearie, her sound is poetic and light but not without evoking a true depth of experience and tone that is undeniably the real thing…Ms. van Nuis nods to her experience in learning to sing jazz as “more the way it used to be done, where you just kind of find people in your town that you dig and follow them around.”
Patrick Romanowski, Evanston RoundTable