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MARLENE VERPLANCK TAKES THE LEAD The most prominent star in the book is evidently the lady on the cover of the book: Marlene Verplanck. De Lafayette wrote: "With 20 solo albums, numerous awards and citations, including "Singer of Best Song of the Year" by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), worldwide recognition from Ontario to Tokyo, and glowing reviews by giants of the music industry, Diva Marlene VerPlanck has secured her name in the annals of America's greatest singers, no questions asked! "He also reviewed her most recent CD My Impetuous Heart. He wrote: "Marlene Ver Planck’s “My impetuous heart”: Best Jazz CD of the year. A treasure. As you start with the very first song on the CD, Irwing Berlin’s “FOOLS FALL IN LOVE”,” Marlene VerPlanck instantly grabs you because you are held by the beauty of her voice and the smoothness and richness of the musical arrangement. You keep on listening, again and again, to that magnificent song, but then you realize that you should also start listening to the remaining seventeen tracks, because you don’t want to miss a single note. The same happens whenever you hear Marlene’s other songs. This superb singer is addictive. “Soul Eyes” is another one of Marlene’s delivery knockouts. From the very first bar, and the very first word, you feel the immediate impact of the warmth, sensuality, and vocal elegance of this diva. To that haunting tune, Bucky Pizzarelli, on the guitar, added the richness of brief symphonic moments in a simple and eloquent delivery. It is evident that Marlene Ver Planck’s “My Impetuous Heart” is a CD on its way to become a collector’s item. Miss VerPlanck’s limpid voice, blended with elegant vocal delivery, enriched by Billy VerPlanck ‘s superb musical arrangements, brings a touch of high class to a medium that could sometimes be merely sensual; this elegance takes Jazz to a much higher level. It does not get any better than that when Marlene is accompanied by pianist virtuoso Hank Jones who previously collaborated with diva Marlene on her first album “Every Breath I take.” Each note he hits is like throwing one diamond on the clear surface of a lake; it splashes, bursts, and radiates beauty. Gary Mazaroppi, on the Bass, adds a discrete, hidden musical intimacy to the arrangement.
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 The majestic diva Marlene Verplanck in concert. Joe Cocuzzo, on the drums, freezes, frames, and then frees the music at just the right moment. His timing is impeccable. Two Jazz giants, George Shearing, (who wrote Lullaby of Birdland), Jazz piano master virtuoso, a world celebrity, internationally known for “The Shearing Touch”, and invested by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his “service to music and Anglo-US relations”, and the legendary Marian McPartland (Winner of the 2004 Grammy Award, among so many other prestigious awards) were invited by diva Marlene as her special guests. Both, gracefully agreed to accompany Ms. VerPlanck at the piano. VerPlanck’s invitation came in the form of a tribute to their illustrious accomplishments in the world of music. And it was a brilliant idea. The participation of maestro Shearing in two songs “All in Fun” and “You Must Believe in Spring” adds an extraordinary musical beauty and lyrical finesse to the CD, that were felt from the very first bar of his short intro and especially his solo performance in the middle of “You Must Believe in Spring”.
There is a stunning symbioses between Marlene VerPlanck and George Shearing which enhances the music and the mood immeasurably. Ms. McPartland’s glorious mastery of the piano was evident in her original composition “Willow Creek”. Her elegant style, intuitive feeling of harmony, and salient harmonic sense link in an unmatched grace and good taste, the exquisite vocal beauty of Ms. VerPlanck to the smoothly romantic cadence of the music, the tempo, the meaning of Loonis McGlohon’s lyrics, thus creating a warm ambiance and an elegant flair. Continues on P. 141
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