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“Without a doubt, Miles Griffith has a unique, incomparable voice in jazz. The man not only sings, but he groans, uses breathtaking phrases, discharges strange guttural sounds and produces sounds like a trumpet. Miles Griffith and his congenial Italian colleagues Tony Pancella (p), Aldo Vigorito (b) and Pietro Iodice (dm) are spinning a net, in which they catch all emotional aspects of improvised music. A wonderful composition is the “Child morning scat†with the merry scat dialogues between Miles and some children.â€
Andreas Geyer (JAZZPODIUM)
“In the vein of notable names such as Jon Hendricks, Al Jarreau and Kurt Elling, jazz vocalist Miles Griffith has a resounding presence filled with earthiness and panache. For his second release, Smile Again, Italian jazz pianist Tony Pancella and his trio/quartet join him for a rousing venture of traditional and modern compositions.
Griffith's developing art form has been witnessed on recordings by Jimmy Heath and Wynton Marsalis, and most recently on Nick Russo's Ro. But his distinct scatting and vocalizations, which have been described as “scatolicious†and likened to “Satchmo on steroids,†really make him stand out as he entertains and exhibits a tremendous level of improvised technique.
Covering the sounds of mainstream and modern jazz, the album literally takes flight with “Arioso (Take Flight And Be Free),†where Griffith provides warm and colorful lyrics, and the band swings divinely. From the urban/rural reflections of “Life in The City†to the dark clouds of “Here's That Rainy Day,†the vocals and the music cover a broad area of moods. The band is also tight, as on “Domingo,†where Pancella’s trio delivers impeccable timing and solos, and Griffith provides his own vocal instrument.
The time-weathered classic “Autumn In New York†and the earthy ballad “Smile Again†are both warmly inviting, but there are also free exploits on “What Is That Beautiful Sound?†and â€Too High,†where Griffith mixes strange vocal sounds and the band offers dissonant lines. The recording closes with the spirit-lifting “Something Special,†which lends a warm glow to the set. Griffith is definitely one to watch and listen for, and this aptly titled release may indeed give listeners something to smile about. “
Mark F.Turner ( www.allaboutjazz.com)
"Miles Griffith is a very talented, multi-faceted singer who can croon short and sweet as in "Hello Friend" or, using his voice instrumentally, can unleash passionate, informed swing as in his
version of Thelonious Monk's "We See." I like Tony's solo on "Autumn in New York" and Miles scatting here combined the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic beautifully.
We see and we hear. Oo-pa-pa-da."Ira Gitler (Author/Historian/Critic)
