Kat Gang Albums
"No fair! The Wednesday night attraction at New York's Plaza Hotel is one of the country's best kept secrets---and she shouldn't be. This lightly swinging jazz baby knows how to put the oldies across just by being there in service of the song. Forget that her session is an excuse for us to hear Pizzarelli, Renzi, Leonhart, Allen, Vache and others turning it out in fine style once again, this is a cooker from top to bottom by a gaggle of national treasures that we better see turning up on stage at the Kennedy Center sooner than later. A classic jazz thrush album from start to finish, this is what easy sophistication is all about. A stone cold winner and hats off to all involved."
- Chris Spector - Midwest Record
"This band is just about the most stellar that it is possible to put together in the 21st century. Kat Gang goes with the flow of the music, and is part of the total picture."
- Will Friedwald - The Wall Street Journal
Love And The Lack Thereof
"With "Love And The Lack Thereof" Kat continues her love of standards, but becomes a ledge stepper, adding a couple of her own inspirations.
The musicianship here is outstanding. Pianist/arranger Mike Renzi, bassist Jay Leonhart, saxophonist Harry Allen and Warren Vache on flugelhorn return from the last record date, alongside bassist Phil Palombi, Bill Mobley on flugelhorn and drummer Buddy Williams, all first tier players."
-Gary Walker, WBGO
Dream Your Troubles Away, Arbors Records
Could a jazz singer have a cooler name than Kat Gang? It is doubtful. Kat Gang is not only a singer, though. She is also a noted actor also, an embarrassment of talent riches. But Kat is short for Katherine and Gang is short of absolutely nothing when considering her refined vocals and keen take on the less- travelled streets of the Great American Songbook. Dream Your Troubles Away is Gang's second full-length album after 2013's Kat Gang (Self Produced) and features an elegant throwback to a simpler and more erudite brand of singing and songwriting. Gang alines her stars with a septet of keepers of the flame that includes guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, saxophonist Harry Allen and trumpeter Warren Vache. Gang obviously has fun with Bobby Troupe's 'Baby, Baby All The Time' which features the walking bass of Jay Leonhart and piquant blues voicings of pianist Mike Renzi. Sexy and confident, Gang sings playfully and with purpose. 'I Didn't Know About You' boasts the same charms, while 'Bye Bye Blackbird' is refreshed by Gang's coquettish approach. This quiet and incredibly refined recording demonstrates the riches of a great voice coupled with exceptional material. --All About Jazz
Kat Gang - DUET
"Vocalist Kat Gang must have been thinking of the old show business adage, "always leave them wanting more," when she conceived of and recorded this four-song EP; this sub-sixteen-minute musical appetizer whets the appetite, as Gang inhabits each song with a world-wise voice and delivery, and certainly leaves room for a larger portion to fill the void.
The Boston-born, New York-based Gang lives a double life as actress and singer, but both of those worlds converge here. Gang understands that singing isn't just about accurate pitch, pleasant timbre and memorized lyrics; singing is about living within the meaning and circumstances of a song and that's where her dual talents serve her best. She has clarity and focus in her delivery, understands the intentions of the writers and makes it all sound easy, despite the fact that it's clearly not.
Gang's partner on this abbreviated journey is pianist Tedd Firth, who has no shortage of experience in this particular environment. His credits include work with singers like Hilary Kole, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Joan Crowe, Maureen McGovern and Tony DeSare, to name just a few. He's been firmly ensconced in the "singer's pianist" category for quite some time and helps magnify the supper club suggestions in Gang's voice through his own tasteful playing. Together, they take an appropriately measured approach through "Say It," "How Sweet You Are" and "Something To Remember You By." Irving Berlin's "The Best Thing For You" proves to be the only number with some spring in its step. Firth keeps things lively, while Gang scats in unison with his piano lines and makes a convincing argument with the song's lyrics.
It's unclear whether brevity here is born out of artistic intentions, time constraints, financial concerns or other matters, but 'tis better to appreciate what's here than to dwell on what's not.. " - Dan Bilawsky - All About Jazz
Kat Gang - Come Closer
Singer KAT GANG has issued a session; COME CLOSER [NKR 888295 802734]. Here the program is 12 mostly standards [49:38] with backing from, Matthew Fries-p, John Sneider-tpt , Phil Palombi-b, and Tim Bulkley-drm. Her 3 originals are quite interesting, simple melodies handled and drawn out to give greater emphasis to the lyrics. Trumpeter Sneider is only on board for 4 tracks and his playing adds a melancholy touch on a number of tunes. The fact is there is not one song on this CD that is handled in a traditional manner. This is a singer worth following and I wish there was more. All involved should share the praise as there is not a weak or false moment on the CD.
-Cadence Magazine, December 2018