At 96 years young, Los Angeles mainstay Betty Bryant delivers another deeply lived-in statement with Nothin’ Better To Do, a recording that reflects nearly seven decades of immersion in blues-inflected jazz and unvarnished storytelling. Mentored early on by Jay McShann and long celebrated as “Cool Miss B,” Bryant’s piano and vocals remain direct, conversational, and […]
At 96 years young, Los Angeles mainstay Betty Bryant delivers another deeply lived-in statement with Nothin’ Better To Do, a recording that reflects nearly seven decades of immersion in blues-inflected jazz and unvarnished storytelling. Mentored early on by Jay McShann and long celebrated as “Cool Miss B,” Bryant’s piano and vocals remain direct, conversational, and rhythmically assured, shaped more by experience than polish. Working closely with longtime collaborator and producer Robert Kyle on tenor saxophone and flute, The singer is joined by a rotating cast of talented players, including Richard Simon on bass, Hussain Jiffry on bass, Kevin Winard on drums, Aaron Serfaty on drums, Tony Guerrero on trumpet, Kleber Jorge on guitar, Luanne Homzy on violin and viola, and Ned Taro on cello. The music leans comfortably into blues, swing, Latin, and New Orleans flavors, with arrangements by Bryant and Kyle that leave room for wit, understatement, and melodic brilliance. The phrasing, timing, and lyric sensibility, warmth, humor, and resilience Ms. Bryant presents demonstrate the longevity of artist excellence.
