As a longtime fan of all things Mark Winkler, I immediately gravitated to “Paris Apartment” when I began immersing in singer/songwriter Steve Sieck’s sublime, stylistically diverse new album Crazy That Way. The breezy, shuffling, wistfully poetic tune was billed as “featuring Mark Winkler,” yet Winkler did the entire lead vocal.
No complaints, of course, but the concept of having so many guest lead vocalists is something the listener will need to adjust to as they explore Sieck’s talents not only as an dreamy-voiced crooner but also as a songwriter whose beautiful tunes can also be brought to vibrant life by other singers. Now immersed in the L.A. jazz scene after a peripatetic musical life that includes some years of cabaret and jazz shows in NYC, Sieck invites some great vocal stalwarts to the party to take the mic – including 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition winner Tawanda, Nicolas Bearde and Sidney Jacobs of The 5th Dimension.
Their selections may be wonderful, but the most inspiring tracks here are the two that find Sieck interacting with others, including the rousing, brass-fired gospel anthem “We Will Find A Way” and the rambunctious, Tower of Power-influenced “Temple of Soul,” backed by the Perri Sisters. Having so many guests is a clever way to introduce himself to a new audience 11 years after his debut album 21st Century Blues.
But though his style is more laid back, he’s just as amazing in his own way, tackling the highs, lows and vicissitudes of romance on pure Sieck numbers like the soulful bossa “The Mystery of Love,” the easy swinging title track, the brisk, summery “September Seems So Far Away” and “Good Morning L.A.”, a playful, infectious wink to his adopted hometown that is the true emotional centerpiece of this most appealing album.
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