Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters

Although the vocal trio Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters lasted 11 years, it wasn't as well documented as it should have been. The trio, which consisted of Andy Bey and his sisters Geraldine and Salome, was formed in 1956 and broke up in 1967 — and during that 11-year period, they only recorded three albums. The first was provided for RCA Victor in 1961, and the other two, Now! Hear! and 'Round Midnight, were recorded for Prestige in 1964 and 1965, respectively. In late 2000, those two Prestige dates were reissued on this excellent CD. There are some parallels between the Bey siblings and Lambert, Hendicks & Ross, but that comparison is only valid up to a point because this threesome has a bluesier, more churchy outlook. Essentially, Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters falls into the jazz category, although it isn't the work of myopic bop purists. This is jazz, but it's jazz mixed with R&B, gospel, and the blues. So a very earthy, down-home approach prevails on material that ranges from Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child," Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So," and Horace Silver's "Sister Sadie" to Consuelo Velazquez's "Bésame Mucho" and Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Corcovado." It's regrettable that the trio didn't become better known, because it had a lot of potential. Risk-taking but quite accessible, this is a CD that both jazz and R&B enthusiasts should be aware of.