Album Review: Steve Lipman – “Ridin’ the Beat”
Steve Lipman must lead one of the most interesting lives. By day, Lipman cleans teeth and checks for cavities; at night, he becomes Frank Sinatra. Dubbing himself “The Singin’ Dentist,” Lipman is no mere novelty. The fiftysomething jazz singer sounds and even looks a tad like Ol’ Blue Eyes.
Lipman’s first album, 2011’s There’s a Song in My Heart, reached into the Chairman’s hatful of hits with insatiable enthusiasm. It felt like Sinatra reborn, his old records given renewed vigor with Lipman’s swinging renditions. On his latest effort, Ridin’ the Beat, Lipman sifts through the golden days of the Great American Songbook, offering his exuberant renditions of standards from Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, and Johnny Mercer. Instead of doing paint-by-numbers covers, Lipman gives it his all, letting his voice soak in the feelings in every word.
Lipman is truly gifted with a sparkling gem of a voice, and his performances are dazzling. The soulful quality that Lipman invests in these old tunes tears the cobwebs away. Hard to believe that such a magnetic personality isn’t headlining a show in Las Vegas. Perhaps Ridin’ the Beat will take Lipman from the dentist’s chair to the front row.
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