I’ve Never Been In Love Before – 2020
Emmet Cohen and Cyrille Aimee
The pianist and singer tear the roof off during what is normally a ballad
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“I’ve Never Been In Love Before,” which debuted in the 1950 show Guys And Dolls, is normally performed as a ballad or at a medium-slow tempo.
Pianist Emmet Cohen and singer Cyrille Aimee had other ideas for the song.
With the assistance of bassist Russell Hall, drummer Kyle Poole, and guest guitarist Armand Hirsch, they perform the standard quite uptempo and with plenty of energy, power, and enthusiasm.
After Cyrille Aimee’s melody chorus, Cohen tears into the piece and for a few choruses plays unaccompanied stride piano.
When the singer comes back, she scats for five choruses with the power and uninhibited energy of a saxophonist before the piece comes to a close.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald