Invitation Beat Kaestli

• 1 Day in Day Out 03:35
• 2 It Could Happen to You 05:59
• 3 Invitation 06:40
• 4 My Foolish Heart 04:35
• 5 The Island 05:25
• 6 My Romance 03:43
• 7 The Nearness of You 04:15
• 8 Moonlight in Vermont 03:59
• 9 I've Got You Under My Skin 08:08
• Total Runtime 46:19

Info for Invitation

Beat Kaestli’s debut on Chesky Records is a tribute to the American Songbook and features the songwriting of Rube Bloom and John H. Mercer, Johnny Burke and Jimmy van Heusen, Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington and Cole Porter among others.

"With Invitation, Kaestli gives everybody a front row invite to his gentle, melodically enchanting musings." AllAboutJazz)

"Born in Bern, Switzerland, Beat Kaestli (pronounced "Bay-ott Kest-lee") sings in hushed tones and romantic visions on this, his second recorded effort. With a voice that has been gauged somewhere between Chet Baker and Kenny Rankin, Kaestli's immaculate phrasing and low-key demeanor are best suited for late-night listening. While his vocals are the centerpiece, the instrumentalists he uses are nearly an afterthought, shadowing his lyric content, not embellishing, but perfectly accompanying as if they are entirely in the background. This is not a critique, just a fact, as guitarist Paul Meyers, bassist Jay Leonhart, drummer Billy Drummond, and guest horn soloists (Joel Frahm and Kenny Rampton) only lightly frame these standards. Beyond Baker or Rankin, perhaps Mark Murphy's stoic persona also plays a part in how Kaestli interprets the light but funky title selection, the slow ballad "It Could Happen to You," or "Day In, Day Out" which does recall both older and modern-day crooners. Kaestli works best with Leonhart, as all jazz singers love hooking up in duet intros or full-blown bluesy tunes with the upright bassist of their choice. Understated to the max, Beat Kaestli and friends make candlelight mood music both genders can get next to." (Michael G. Nastos, AMG)

Beat Kaestli, vocals
Billy Drummond, drums
Joel Frahm, saxophone
Jay Leonhart, bass
Paul Meyers, guitar
Kenny Rampton, trumpet

Digitally remastered

Beat Kaestli
is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. In 1993 he moved to New York City and was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music. While honing his craft alongside noteworthy Jazz performers, such as Jane Monheit, Jason Moran and Stefon Harris, he immersed himself in Manhattan’s fiercely competitive music scene, emerging as a seasoned performer. He now appears in clubs such as The Blue Note, Birdland, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The Jazz Standard and The Stone, performing with Jazz greats, like Esperanza Spalding, Jon Hendricks, Gregoire Maret, Joel Frahm, Billy Drummond, Magos Herrera and Hendrik Meurkens. In 2005, Beat was the chosen vocalist for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, thrilling audiences in concert halls across the USA. Since the release of his acclaimed CD “Happy, Sad and Satisfied” in 2006, he’s been touring the world extensively with his own projects, showcasing his music in renowned clubs and at festivals across the US, Canada, Europe, Mexico and Central and South America. In 2007 he earned the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation Scholarship to complete his Masters Degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music, followed by the release of his European song tribute "Far From Home" (B+B Productions) in 2009. 2010 was highlighted by his major Jazz label debut "Invitation" (Chesky), a eclectic array of American Standards, which lead to a 12 month CD feature on Swiss Airlines in 2011, tours in the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Europe, Mexico and Brazil. Both his CDs “Far From Home” and “Invitation” were included in the official 2010 GRAMMY Selection for “Best Jazz Vocal Album”. March 2014 marked the release of Kaestli’s fifth CD, the French tribute “Collage” (Unit Records), as he continues his international touring with festivals in Brazil, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Africa, Asia and Australia and shows in Chile and Europe throughout 2015. His first Live CD "Live in Europe" is scheduled for a physical release in spring 2016 followed by a release tour in Europe and USA.

This album contains no booklet.