“Polish-born Beata Pater started out as a violinist and later discovered her singing voice. This might explain why she preferred to sing wordless vocals in standards like Krzysztof Komeda’s “No Go Sleep” and “Southbound Train,” which are among the few covers on her US debut.
Playing with an ensemble formed by West Coast- and Japan-based musicians, Pater offers an eclectic mix that draws both from her classical training, Brazilian jazz and more avant-garde influences. To illustrate, the record opens with Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue,” a samba-inflected tune that features Brazilian percussionist and vocalist Celia Malheiros, but further in you hear “Mr. Tad,” a contemporary original piece in an odd tempo that opens with Carl Roessler’s didgeridoo and odd (uncredited) male vocals amidst her improvisations. “Rokminoff” goes more into a Brazilian mode (the piano seems to have lifted the riff from Sergio Mendes’ version of “Berimbau”) and includes an accomplished bass solo from Jon Evans.
She continues on a bossa mode with her take on Komeda’s “No Go Sleep,” and concludes the album with a haunting cover of Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green” in which Pater takes on Davis’ lead with her voice.
Purists might argue that the album lacks direction by featuring too many styles, but that is exactly its strongest characteristic, keeping the music fresh even after multiple plays. (Ernest Barteldes)”
Music.newcity.com
“The Polish jazz vocalist changes it up for her second release by reinventing scat singing for the pomo/electronic age. Art hipsters will want to make this art chick one of their own although they can hold her but they can never have her as she knows how to evanescently slip and slide away when you think you are looking at her but are really looking in another direction. You probably won’t get it but it’s sure to catch your girl friend by surprise. Listen and learn.”
Midwest Record
“If you are thirsting for some moving jazz vocals, Beata will quench your thirst, to be sure. A grand excursion through 13 vocal adventures that will both enchant and enlighten your jazz outlook. I particularly enjoyed Beata’s interpretation of “Afro Blue“… many times when vocalists take a jazz classic like that, they try to force it into some vocal mold that was never intended, but Ms. Pater fits the tune to her vocal talent like a silk glove & still projects her lively and energetic spirit through all 4:41! If you’re lookin’ for something a little more “groove-oriented”, you’ll definitely dig “Groove Ensemble“; it would have been nice if it were just a tad longer, though. My favorite, oddly enough, was Beata’s super-scat on “Fly Strip“… a tune that just keeps on “pushin’”!!!! I give this one a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.96. Get more information at Beata’s BLUE page. Dick Metcalf
Rotcod Zzaj“
Beata Pater at performing at The Spice of Life in London. Recorded during her 2011 European summer tour.
Afro Blue, a classic instrumental made famous by John Coltranes sax, here reinterpreted by Beata on throat. Original by Mongo Santamaria.
Beata Pater at Piwnica pod Baranami with Marek Balata. Recorded during her 2011 European summer tour.
“A follow-up to 2006′s Black, Polish vocalist Beata Pater’s Blue is a collaboration with pianist-composer Mark Little. Opening with an energetic take on Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue” and closing with Miles Davis and Bill Evans’ “Blue in Green,” nine of the remaining tunes are credited to Pater and/or Little. Pater isn’t singing lyrics on these recordings, but rather scatting with clarity and precision on both melody lines and solos. Blue, while always hovering near a contemporary jazz ambiance, covers a great deal of stylistic ground.
Blue is a highly inventive album with a variety of moods and textures. The intro to Little’s “West Wind” roars out of the gate, recalling David Bowie’s “Young Americans” thanks to the beefy sax of Mikole Kaar. “Southbound Train” opens with a duet between Pater and bassist Jon Evans before Kaar joins them on clarinet. The trio cast a smoothly melodic spell. Composed as an emotional response to Michael Jackson’s memorial service, written by Pater and Little as they watched the telecast, “The Little Prince” is a mournful piano ballad. “Fly Strip,” another Pater/Little composition, kicks a solid groove with a bold, funky sax solo by Darius Babazadeh. Loaded with memorable hooks, it’s a very accessible album. James Scotch”
Meditation Secrets
Seattlepi.com
Blogcritics.org
O’s Notes: Polish born vocalist, Beata Pater makes her US debut with Blue but she is hardly a rookie. She is influenced by Brazilian samba and incorporates a lot of that genre into her style along with some avant-garde. Beata uses vocalese to express herself and pours her heart out especially on tunes like “The Little Prince”. We also enjoyed “Southbound Train”, “Freedom Song” and the spirited “Fly Strip” where she scats in unison with bassist Jon Evans in what turns into a funky beat allowing each of them to solo freely. That groove spills over into “Sludgeekee”. Take a listen and don’t be surprised if you get hooked!” D. Oscar Groomes
O’s Place Jazz Magazine