Ginetta’s Vendetta delivers a tasteful and elegant take on jazz with an outright timeless approach to “Fun Size.” Utilizing a pocket trumpet, she sculpts an entire world teeming with life. The songs flow one into the other, ensuring the album works best when taken together as a coherent whole. Best of all, her instrument of choice stands alongside Miles Davis’s work, as a similar subtle quality informs her playing. Outside the trumpet, the piano has a graceful gallop that recalls Vince Guaraldi’s playful, easy-going, and melancholy output.
The chords mesh with the nimble rhythms of the sophisticated introduction, “Ginetta.” Upright bass embodies gleefulness, as “There Will Never Be Another You” has a giddy energy that draws the listener into a teeming world. “Black Orpheus slows the tempos down, resulting in a gracious and stately elegance as the piece’s groove evolves slowly. Like balanced on a dime are the hushed gestures of “Moon River.” Understated movement unspools with the fragile flourishes of “All Blues,” her vocals are a wonderful part of the immersive experience. Pop elements enter the equation on the downright infectious “Misty.” A togetherness and holiday spirit allows “Christmastime” a compassionate cadence. “Blues For Pop Pop (Alternate Take)” has a low-slung swinging presence. Perfectly embodying all that came before it is the regal closer “There Will Never Be Another You (Alternate Take).”
“Fun Size” presents the strength and power of Ginetta’s Vendetta, going for this rather gorgeous, spirited performance, which harkens back to the midcentury of jazz’s most significant era, where expertise intermingled alongside inspiration.
