Beth Duncan

“ Whether you’d hear her in a concert hall, a hotel bar, or in a recording studio, Duncan defines what singing is about, www.thisisbooksmusic.com ” - John Book

“BETH DUNCAN/Comes the Fall:  Seemingly a hidden treasure if you aren’t conversant with the NoCal jazz scene, Duncan shows up in fine voice with some dandy off beat song choices among the standards.  A solid, sweet fast ball down the middle that reawakens you to the possibilities out there honing chops as they labor in the fields.  Tasty throughout with a real jazzbo heart at the core. Chris Spector - "http://www.midwestrecord.com"   ” - Chris Spector

“..cue up “Embraceable You”, with voice and bass. It’s happening. http://theentertainmentbankcd.blogspot.com/” - Paul Anderson

“ “Come the Fall” finds Duncan luxuriating within a breezy rhythm, one that exudes an autumnal gold.  Tenor saxophonist Mike Mullen’s sweet, rounded interlude only adds to the sense of easy-going joy.  It may be cold outside, but there’s no wind that’s chilly enough to penetrate this song’s essential warmth. ... Bassist Bill Douglass’ funky thump gives Duncan plenty of room to move around inside the Gershwins’ “Embraceable You,” and she takes full advantage there, too – handling the lyric and then a thrilling wordless interlude with a charming finesse. Artist: Beth Duncan Album: Come the Fall Reviewer: Nick DeRiso Rating: 4 stars” - Rick DeRiso

“Beth Duncan – COMES THE FALL:  Beth’s silky jazz vocals are a perfect front for the “heavy” band of jazzers (9 of them) she has lined up behind her.  As you listen & groove to “I’m On A Cloud“, you’ll hear how talented Beth (& her players) is!  There are lots of standards, all sweetly done, with pieces like “Moon River” standing out as “new listens” for you, even though you’ve heard them before – Beth grabs hold of this piece & “owns it”.  My personal favorite on the 14-track CD, though, was “Give Me The Simple Life“… high-energy love for jazz is fully evident – this one will stay on your playlists for months to come.  I give this great vocal jazz CD a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.97.  Get more information at Beth’s site.       ” - Rotcod Zzaj - Improvijazzation Nation

“FRIDAY, NOV. 23 Jazz singer Beth Duncan brings her rich, expressive vocals to Chinatown tonight in a performance with the Satomi Yarimizo Quartet. The Sacramento, Calif.-based singer made a splash last year with her second CD, “Come the Fall,” earning radio play on stations in the U.S., Canada, Japan and the Netherlands. Her album features a vocal version of John Coltrane’s famous saxophone work “Giant Steps,” a harmonically difficult work that many pop singers would find challenging to even hum. Guitarist and collaborator Steve Homan arranged the song, and the result was compelling enough that many jazz stations played hers and Coltrane’s recordings one after the other. Her voice, praised for its clear, elastic nature, complements stylishly rich arrangements and jazz standards. She makes new compositions by Bay Area-based composer Martine Tabilio sound so good they could well become standards. “Tasty throughout, with a real jazzbo heart at the core,” wrote one critic. "http://thedragonupstairs.com”

“ Jazz vocalist Beth Duncan said her fine new album, “Comes The Fall,” really came together for her when she found a trio of original songs by composer Martine Tabilio. The songs, including the title track and Tabilio’s “Wish I May,” combine with Duncan’s love of classics such as Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Quiet Nights” for a rich, satisfying album of fluid, cliché-free jazz vocals with top-flight supporting players. Duncan will present tunes from the record Sunday with her quintet. The 14-song album is produced by drummer Guy Kowarsh, and playing behind Duncan are bassist Bill Douglass, saxophonist Mike McMullen and guitarist Steve Homan, who helped with the arrangements. There is a particularly strong percussion section with Babatunde Lea and Brian Kendrick, and pianist Jim Martinez adds keyboard string parts. Duncan puts an original stamp on classics from the American songbook, including a couple of Johnny Mercer tunes. “Moon River,” co-written with Henry Mancini, has more of an edge than you think it might, while “I Thought About You,” composed with Jimmy van Heusen, re-imagines the song’s essential wistful melancholy. Tracks from the album have been played on more than 110 stations nationally, along with stations in Canada, Kobe, Australia and the Netherlands. Along with Douglass, Homan and McMullen from the recording sessions, the live band has Joe Gilman on piano and Jeff Minnieweather on drums. ” - Marcus Crowder

“Beth Duncan can’t sit still. Whether she’s performing to the percussive beats of her favorite musical genre, jazz, or lending her mellifluous voice to radio news, Duncan is a whirling dervish of action and artistry. “Rhythm is part of my soul,” Duncan says with the velvet vocal resonance that has made her not just a popular jazz singer but has also kept her busy as a broadcast journalist for more than 30 years. Whether she’s singing standards straight or improvising around a familiar melody, Duncan does it all for the same reason she did when she was 5. “I’m just thrilled to be singing,” she says. "http://www.insidepublications.org/bethduncan.comartist-spotlight” - Jessica Laskey