NYC R&B/jazz singer Lauren Desberg spins a classic for today on her take of "He Loves And She Loves"

05 May 2015, 09:45 | Written by Jon Putnam

(Tracks)

“Is there the possibility of creating a kind of synthesis of jazz and….the more popular forms of music?”

Why yes, there evidently is, to answer the question put forth opening up Los Angeles-born, New York City-based jazz/R&B vocalist Lauren Desberg’s spin on the standard, “He Loves And She Loves”.

The song originates from the 1927 musical, Funny Face, and has been covered by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Julie Andrews. Desberg freshens the tune up 90 years on with contemporary R&B and soul flavours alongside the smooth jazz. Her peerless vocal work slices the groove like a warm knife through butter, eventually cascading down in multi-tracked layers amidst the glitzy instrumental chaos.

Desberg speaks to this, offering us her insight on recreating such a timeless classic:

''It was written by George Gershwin in 1927! It's been completely reharmonized and has a different groove to make it more user friendly. The song is saying, he loves, she loves, they all love – why don't you love me? So at the end of the song, we go into what I call ‘ballad of a crazy person.’ There are three rounds repeated over and over. The first says, "you love and I love, he loves and she loves;" second, "he loves and she loves, you don't love me;" and, lastly, just a big scream belted to represent the insanity.''

Desberg’s debut LP, Twenty First Century Problems, released last week and is currently available via Toronto-based Do Right! Music and at Desberg’s Bandcamp page.