Album Review: Jumaane Smith's "I Only Have Eyes For You"

Jumaane Smith
"I Only Have Eyes For You"
2014

Let me say up front that I (Lara) am not a musician, nor do I claim to be a music expert. I don't even know a lot of the lingo! I am an eager student, though, and I can tell you that while listening to Jumaane Smith's new cd, "I Only Have Eyes For You," while driving through Coldwater Canyon in Los Angeles on a sweltering day in May, I felt my heart soar. Being a huge fan of The Great American Songbook, it's really cool to see a talented young artist embrace this music and help bring it to a new generation. 

You may know Jumaane as Michael Buble's trumpet player, but this album should definitely help launch him to a place where he is known in his own right. "I Only Have Eyes For You" actually made me really dig the trumpet; Jumaane's playing seems to capture the feel and intensity of hearing a great trumpeter live in concert. I swear, his trumpet was singing, hitting the notes that a vocalist would and really making me hear classics like the title track, "The Way You Look Tonight," and "Yesterday" (you know, that little hit by The Beatles!) with fresh ears.

Jumaane also has quite a nice voice; maybe at his shows he could sing along with a hologram of himself playing trumpet? I think it was a great move to invite the aforementioned Mr. Buble, Naturally 7, and Jackie Evancho to sing on "Come Rain or Come Shine," "I Only Have Eyes For You," and "La Vie En Rose," respectively, and it was nice to hear their familiar voices. "La Vie En Rose" is my favorite song on the album, and I definitely heard the angels sing and went to the place where roses bloom as Jumaane's trumpet and the vocals captured the exquisite longing in the Edith Piaf tune. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of "La Vie En Rose!"

Grab Jumaane Smith's new cd, and then tell all of your friends about it; it's fun to feel like you have discovered a new artist, and you will look like a musical genius when his career explodes. "I Only Have Eyes For You" is the perfect cd to put on when you need to calm down in traffic, relax after a crazy busy day, or when you are setting the mood for a special night with wine, cheese, and candles. Jumaane is definitely an artist to keep your eyes on!

You can hear Standards 24/7 on www.MartiniInTheMorning.com, and catch me playing them Saturdays and Sundays from 10a-2p Pacific Time.