Review and More

Our Review

Miché Fambro is a man who wears many hats--always with panache and exquisite style! He is, among other things, a consummate crooner who carries a rich baritone that is strongly reminiscent of Nat King Cole's. Truly! Even the cover art on Fambro's In a Christmas Mood recalls Cole, and the vocals here definitely do not disappoint.

What does disappoint, however, is the length of this slim offering. I absolutely adore Fambro's phenomenal voice, which he largely showcases here in a simple framework of piano or guitar (Fambro plays the guitar himself!). His jazzy, soulful interpretations are spell-binding, and he absolutely owns classic chestnuts such as The Christmas Song and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Everything from his enunciation and phrasing to his inflection and intonation is spot-on; I listened raptly to every bar, savoring Fambro's amazing talents. This is a magical recording, but the magic slips away after a measly 30 minutes. Thirty minutes! It's a crime--I could have happily listened to the man sing all night. I should note, too, that the final track (I'll Be Home for Christmas, with Ralph Diekemper) is a bit synth-heavy for my tastes, especially when compared with the other numbers' simpler, cleaner instrumentation.

If you obtain the hard copy of this magnificent offering, you should know that the album's physical presentation is quite minimal. No liner notes are present; just a few informational points are printed on the CD itself, and the simple cover slip shows a softened, Nat King Cole-esque image of Fambro. The CD's bare-bones appearance, however, should not deceive; there is nothing low-budget about Fambro's exciting abilities.

What a find! If you enjoy jazz vocals, particularly the confident and comfortable renditions that have been the trademark of great crooners from past generations, then open your arms and give Fambro a big hug. His In a Christmas Mood is a relatively short blaze of jazz brilliance in an otherwise dark December night. Simply terrific!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2009)

More

From the liner notes:

Miche Fambro: Vocals

Piano: Scott Bradley & Quinn Lawrence
Ralph Diekember (on I'll Be Home for Christmas)



From the artist's Website:

Armed with a phonographic memory, and an appetite for all kinds of music, Miché defies traditional labels. Weaving elements of Jazz, Latin, Folk, Soul, R&B, Reggae, Pop. Miché simply plays what he loves, and people simply love what Miché plays.

Miché Fambro

In a Christmas Mood

Artist link

Track List