Riffing off both the title of Judy Wexler’s seventh album No Wonder, and line from of one of its most breathtaking tracks “The Summer Knows,” longtime fans and newcomers alike enjoy the “wonder of it all” as the L.A. jazz treasure and vocal interpreter extraordinaire weaves her way through a collection that’s all at once joyous, slyly soulful and utterly infectious and charming.
That’s surely a lot of vibrant descriptive adjectives but I’m not the first reviewer Judy has inspired such colorful praises from. There’s truly no way to top liner notes writer Neil Tesser’s description of her voice: “If a string of pearls could sing, I imagine they’d sound like this.” And what about Dan Bilawsky’s description of her 2019 gem Crowded Heart: “She’s an actress, mood painter, song archeaologist and vocalist par excellence.”
Lofty, more than well-deserved adjective tossing aside, it’s significant to realize that No Wonder – a title taken from the spry, alternately punchy/poppin’ and breezy/dreamy opening track – marks the first time the versatile singer has lent her sly personality, hip phrasing, and colorfully emotive tones to songs associated with the Great American Songbook.
In addition to offbeat repertoire, which here ranges from the Kitty Margolis’ inspirational refresher on the dramatic, deeply percussive Cedar Walton barnburner “Firm Roots (Are What You Need To Win”) to a haunting, slow simmering spin on Leonard Cohen’s dark and resonant “Dance Me to the End of Love,” Judy’s simply the best at gathering her top L.A. musician pals to create a jazzy synergy like no other. This time out, she’s vibing to grand effect with the storied likes of Danny Janklow, Bob Sheppard, Snarky Puppy’s Jay Jennings, Larry Koonse, Gabe Davis and Steve Haas.
The narrative flow of No Wonder is fascinating as well, taking us from the snappy zing of the title track, the sweet seductive wistfulness of “The Summer Knows” and the cheery romance “You Stepped Out of a Dream” through a dreamy waltz-flavored arrangement of “Never Will I Marry” (sung no doubt for others, since Judy’s been happy married for decades!), a soothing, atmospheric rendering of Henry Mancini’s “Slow Hot Wind” and tunes that capture both the auspicious beginnings of love affairs (“A Weaver of Dreams,” “That Sunday, That Summer”) and their sorrow-filled endings (“I Wish You Love,” “The Night We Called It A Day”).
No Wonder is a wonderful and wonder-filled album reflecting the evolving artistry of a jazz artist whose creative muse always steers her in magical directions.
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