KAREN STACHEL

A WHIM AND A PRAYER

Purple Room Productions

Karen Stachel, flutes/lead vocals/percussion effects/arrangements; Carlos Chung & Marc Malsegna, acoustic & electric guitars; Manuel Valera, acoustic piano/arrangements; Carl “The Rev” Wheeler, synthesizer/organ/electric piano/synth strings; John Benitez, acoustic & electric bass/arrangements; Eric Smith, electric bass; Francis Benitez, drums/congas/shekera/compana bell; Dante “Taz” Roberson, drums; Chris Velazquez, congas; Benny Kooneyevsky, middle easter percussion; Rob Holland, bongos/congas/woodblock/percussion effects; Norbert Stachel, tenor & soprano saxophone/bass clarinet/shakers/sleighbells/dumbek/percussion effects/arrangements; Derick Hughes, lead & background vocals; Meredith Joseph Augustin, Irma Treminio & Yaritza Lopez, lead vocals.

Karen Stachel is a flautist whose music reflects a solid convergence of creativity and technical skill. On this beautifully produced holiday album, she brings a familiar repertoire of songs we know and love with a special jazz flare. Stachel opens with “Let It Snow,” her flute fluttering above the swinging ensemble.  The opening introduction to this old standard is a repeating interlude, creating an arrangement that is stellar. Her husband, Norbert Stachel is featured on tenor saxophone and puts the “J” in jazz.  Manuel Valera adds a whimsical piano solo to the mix, improvising with fingers dancing all over the keys. This production makes me want to cuddle up on the couch and watch the fireplace glow.  It’s the perfect music for a winter evening, for holidays, or any other day.

Next, they do their rendition of “Angels Have You Heard on High” that features Carlos Chong on guitar.  Karen Stachel’s flute is still the star of her show, sparkling on this hymnal with a sweet, emotional tone. Then, the guitar reappears towards the end of this arrangement with Chong’s improvisation adding a soulful groove to the song’s fade. Another holiday favorite is “Mary Did You Know?” featuring the beautiful voices of Yaritza Lopez and Irma Treminio telling us the story of Jesus, born to his Mother Mary.  The arrangement is contemporary and very smooth jazz with Karen’s flute improvisation singing above the voices like a soaring snowbird. I enjoyed Norbert Sachel’s compelling bass clarinet solo on “I Wonder as I Wander.”

Karen Stachel has both jazz and classical training.  She formed the Karen Anderson Jazztet in 1991. They played Acid Jazz in the San Francisco area.  In 1993, she debuted her premiere album called “In the Name of the Father.”  In 1996, Norbert, her saxophonist became her husband. In 2000, she released a Christmas CD, “And of the Son” under her married name, Karen Stachel. They moved to New York City in 2002, where she recorded more music with a group called “LehCats.” This group plays jazz, world music, Latin jazz, R&B, classical, gospel and some folk music, along with their original music.

Karen Stachel’s album offers interesting and imaginative arrangements, from swinging renditions of standard holiday songs to easy-listening tunes and even jazz waltzes. This is a package of beauty, to be played on a cold winter afternoon or for the holiday season.  It will put you in a festive mood!

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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