Minnesota’s “First Lady of Song” and perhaps the best known diva of the Twin Cities, Debbie Duncan "is blessed with a large, full, yet feathery voice and stylistic subtlety ranging from gospel to jazz and pop” (Jazziz). With a background rich in jazz, gospel and Motown, Debbie always packs the house for a live performance. This weekend (October 22-23), you can join Debbie in celebrating the release of her fourth recording as leader, I Thought About You, on Saturday night at the Dakota in downtown Minneapolis, and on Sunday night at the French Press Jazz Café in St. Paul’s Lowertown.

About Debbie

Born in Memphis, Debbie Duncan grew up in Detroit, surrounded by jazz, gospel, folk, and classical music, and studied classical voice for 14 years, including 4 years at Wayne State University. After recording back-up vocals for Mitch Ryder and Bob Segar, she spent ten years on the club circuit in LA. Her performance resume includes opening for Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Stephane Grapelli, and appearing with Bob Seger, Bobby Watson (Horizon), Mark Murphy, Von Freeman, Marlena Shaw, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Henderson, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy McGriff, and John Hendricks. Moving to Minneapolis, Debbie sang with Rupert’s Orchestra, then formed a quartet with Don Stille, Gary Raynor and Phil Hey. She soon became known as the “Working-est Singer” in the Twin Cities, winning many Minnesota Music Awards as well as the MMA’s first award as “Perpetually Outstanding Performer.”

Duncan’s recording credits include work with Oleta Adams, Jimmy McGriff, pop bands Iffy and B-3, and numerous local bands including the Adi Yeshaya Big Band and Fat Kids Wednesday. She previously released four of her own recordings, Live at the Dakota (1993), It Must Be Christmas (1995), and Travelin’ at the Speed of Love (2002), all on the Igmod label and featuring casts of first-call area musicians. Local gigs include frequent appearances at the AQ, Times, and Dakota; popular performances with “The Girls” and the Phil Aaron Trio; opening for Al Green at the Guthrie last spring; and working with the Adi Yeshaya Big Band and a host of other local musicians. And, while Debbie Duncan is often on stage, she still manages to find time to perform for a variety of charity benefits and teach at the McNally Smith College of Music (formerly MusicTech), which has established the Debbie Duncan Award for Excellence in Voice, and to serve as an instructor at the Twin Cities Youth Jazz Camp.

Photo by Andrea Canter

I Thought About You

Debbie’s new recording brings together what she describes as “beautiful classic tunes and some forgotten gems” along with an original tune co-written with Beth Yeshaya. All tracks were arranged by Adi Yeshaya, who does triple duty as co-producer and pianist. Masterminded by executive producer Rich Leone of FS Music, the recording was mixed and mastered by Brian Ricke at Fuzzy Slippers Studio. The supporting cast features Yeshaya with two rhythm sections—bassist Gordy Johnson with drummer Phil Hey on 5 tracks and bassist Kevin Clements with drummer Nathan Norman on 4 tracks; Pete Whitman adds tenor sax to 4 tracks and trumpeter Dave Jensen joins Whitman on 3 tracks. Duncan adds some personal touches with her liner notes.

This recording bursts with energy and passion (usually at the same time), with expected touches of Debbie’s humor. Perhaps less expected is a playlist that showcases Debbie as a sensual balladeer. If you frequently hear Debbie in the context of her high-flying entertainer mode such as her performances with The Girls, you know she can belt out the blues and scat up a storm. On I Thought About You, the emphasis is on the softer side that turns you into emotional taffy, to be twisted and gently pulled by Debbie’s turns of phrase and tugs of heart.

Dedicating the recording to early muse Oscar Brown, Jr., Debbie opens the set with Brown’s “Sleepin.’” Her delicious scat sets the tone for the rest of the recording—Debbie doesn’t need lyrics to convey emotional nuance. The full quintet provides support, with the two horns engaging the rhythm section in hip conversation. The longest track of the set, “Poor Butterfly,” sans brass, includes an opening vocal/piano duet and a beautiful piano solo from Yeshaya, while Kevin Clements’ resonant basslines and Nathan Norman’s laid-back shimmers add emotional impact. Here Debbie projects a rich vibrato, with her twisting and bending notes adding drama and passion. The title track starts off with a fairly solemn first verse introduced by Clements, giving way to Duncan’s trademark improvisational phrasing, twisting the melody, pulling lines inside out as she moves into a swirling scat. The original might belong to Van Heusen and Mercer, but this track belongs only to Debbie Duncan. Adi Yeshaya shines again, reprising Debbie’s twists and turns.

One of the “forgotten gems,” Gordon Parks’ ballad, “Don’t Misunderstand,” deserves more attention than it usually gets. Duncan’s final verse takes this to another plane of impassioned declaration of love. A standout ensemble track (if it is even possible to single one out) is Cole Porter’s “I Concentrate on You.” A very slow introduction provides a seductive invitation to the rest, then the tempo upshifts with a samba-like rhythm accentuated by Phil Hey’s feathery percussion. Adi Yeshaya further pushes the tropically tinged swing with a layer of celestial electronic keyboards.

“Little Girl Blue” is gently introduced by Pete Whitman’s tenor. Here Duncan slowly draws out her phrases like butter melting on velvet. Phil Hey’s brushwork and cymbals keep pace with his typical restraint and elegance. Whitman returns with an engaging solo--he’s a consummate balladeer himself, and he perfectly entwines with Duncan on closing bars of the melody. Moving from sublime to swing, Lerner and Loewe’s “On the Street Where You Live” never swung so hard! Sometimes this is sung as a more wistful tune but Debbie restores what I remember of the energy when I first saw the film version (and who’s counting how many years ago?). Duncan’s liberties with the lyrics reflect her joy and humor; you can easily imagine her interacting with a live audience despite the studio recording. The horns join in late but really push up the mood and energy. Pete Whitman again shines on tenor, a buzzy vibrato adding to the joy, and Dave Jensen sings the trumpet like a big band soloist. The rhythm section, with Clements and Norman, busily pushes the pulse ever forward. The pace slows down again with a bluesy, seductive rendition of Monk’s “Round Midnight.” Bassist Gordy Johnson provides a rich, dark mesh supporting the vocals, and the rhythm section (Yeshaya, Johnson and Hey) interject a darkly subtle break, with Hey pulling out the mallets for a dramatic finish.

Photo by Andrea Canter

The almost-was title track of her last recording, Debbie’s “Traveling at the Speed of Love” finally was completed in tandem with Beth Yeshaya. Opening with a great bassline from Gordy Johnson, Debbie launches her musing on the nature of love above a fluttery trumpet from Dave Jensen. Adi Yeshaya provides an edgy vamp throughout, opening up the soundscape with a solo moving, perhaps, at the speed of love. The two horns add some dissonance as if the traveler has encountered some rush hour traffic, and Debbie closes the tune with some vocal gymnastics—mid-air twists and slides, traveling along the last bars of melody. The set closes appropriately with a simple, beautiful ballad, a vocal/piano duet rendition of “It Never Entered My Mind.” It’s a fairly straight-forward reading that tugs at the heart primarily through Debbie’s phrasing, her long notes, and softened vibrato.

CD Release Celebrations

Join the party! Debbie Duncan will celebrate the release of I Thought About You twice this weekend. On Saturday, October 22, she’ll be on stage at the Dakota, sets starting at 7:30 pm ($12 cover). On Sunday, October 23, Debbie will perform at the intimate French Press Jazz Café, sets at 7:30 pm ($10 cover). Scheduled to join Debbie are recording partners Adi Yeshaya, Gordy Johnson, and Nathan Norman. The CD will be available at these performances.

For more information and CD orders, visit Debbie Duncan online at www.debbieduncanjazz.com. The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis ( www.dakotacooks.com); the French Press Jazz Café is located at 213 4^th Street East in St. Paul’s Lowertown across from Union Depot (www.fpjazz.com). I Thought About You is also available at the Electric Fetus and Applause/Cheapo Records outlets.

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