I recently received Epps and Cathy's self-title CD - "Epps & Cathy". In the weeks that I've had the CD, I have listened to it many times, trying to squeeze every nuance out of each song prior to penning this review.
Epps, .a.k.a Albert Deinum, is the guitarist on this project, backing the wonderful vocals of Cathy, a.k.a. Katelijne van de Loo.
To his credit, Epps coaxes beautiful jazz tone out of his Epiphone Emperor II, Joe Pass guitar. As some of you know, the Epi Joe Pass model is a sub-$700 archtop, but with Epps jazzy rhythms, you'd think that you were listening to a top of the line custom archtop. The only mod that Epps did to the Joe Pass guitar was to swap out both pickups for Bartolini 1CTA's (the same ones that Tuck Andress uses).
On this CD, Epps plays his Joe Pass guitar through a Roland CG-8 and Alesis Quadraverb GT guitar processors. Cathy's vocals were recorded through a Rode Classic valve microphone with a Jensen preamp. All recording was done in Epps "recording closet" as Cathy calls it. For one of the cuts, Epps and Cathy were joined by fellow band members Reimer van Bevervoorde on drums and Klaus Ozinga on double bass.
The cuts line up as follows:
All in all, there are over 40 minutes of great music covering vastly different styles of music that Cathy refers to collectively as "pop jazz".
The CD kicks off with a swinging rendition of "Yeah, Yeah". Cathy does a great job of singing the praises of a presumably ficticious lover as she peppers the melody with scat. Epps takes a single note solo, accompanying himself with bass and short chords which is made all the more remarkable considering he is the only one playing an instrument.
Next up is "Castles made of Sand" by Jimi Hendrix. Epps sounds more like Robin Trower than Hendrix through the intro, quickly shedding any semblance as Cathy kicks in with her expressive vocals. Epps does a magnificent job of outlining Cathy's vocals with his rhythm playing on this tune. Catch Epps unaccompanied solo; it's cool stuff.
The next track, "In My Life" reminds us of how great a writing team Lennon and McCartney were! Epps leads in with a short intro after which Cathy catches the vision and does a remarkable job of interpreting what one can only think was Lennon and McCartney's original intent for the song. Check out Epps fingerpicking on this tune; it's delightful. Cathy's timing is impeccable as well.
Fourth in line is "Fever" - a catchy, upbeat tune that makes you tap your feet. You'll even swear that you hear drums and a bass. And what a great tune to show off Cathy's sexy vocals and Epps rhythm! Those of you who are Joe Pass fans will undoubtedly enjoy Epps accompaniment.
Next in line is "Petite Marie" - a gorgeous tune sung completely in French. I have no idea what Cathy is singing, but for the sheer beauty of her vocals on this piece, "Petite Marie" is my favorite tune.
The next cut, "Live in the Light" approaches what one might term funk-jazz, if there were such a thing. Epps cooks on rhythm, bouncing in and out of Cathy's swinging vocals. There is a fair amount of contra-movement in this short, but delightful tune with Cathy vocals rushing into higher ranges as Epps slides chords down the neck.
Next up is "I aint gonna let you break my heart again". Cathy uses this tune to convince listeners that nobody will ever break her heart again. This tune is a slower tempo and lasts just over 2 minutes. While Epps playing is once again admirable, this piece highlights Cathy's interpretative vocals. She'll make you wonder how anybody could even want to break her heart in the first place.
Eighth in line is Lennon and McCartney's "Honey Pie". If you didn't know better, you'd think that Chet Atkins was sitting in on this one. Epps proves his versatility with great fingerpicking. Cathy's vocal essentially back Epps guitar playing on this one.
The next track, "Tears in Heaven" showcases Cathy's expressive nature. Don't think of the tragic circumstances that prompted Clapton to write this tune or you'll be reaching for a handkerchief in the opening measures.
Although not my top pick, the next track, "Peace on Earth", speaks to my soul at a level that many songs never reach. Great vocal expression matched by fantastic lyrics makes this a wonderful song. Cathy is the soloist on this tune with Epps fleshing out an entire rhythm section during this slower tempo song.
The next to the last cut, "Live in the Light" revisits an earlier track with a slightly different funky feel applied to the rhythm and vocals. A neat change of mood and pace.
The CD goes out with "Time after Time" which Cyndi Lauper rode to fame. As cute as I think Cyndi Lauper was at the time, I much prefer Cathy's vocals. In this tune, Epps and Cathy are joined by fellow bandmates who do an admirable job of breathing new life into this tune.
Cathy and Epps produced, recorded, and performed the music on this CD. As such, they pressed several thousand CD of which there are only a few left. If you want to hear a great CD with varied expressions and moods along with great vocals and solo jazz-pop guitar, you can email Cathy by clicking here. Tell her that you heard about her CD here and she will provide instructions on how you can grab a copy.
Before you leave, make sure you check out Epps and Cathy's music here. And don't forget to stop by the Epiphone Joe Pass Appreciation Page.