Charlie Chech
www.charliechech.com
5 stars
Reviewed by Keith Pettigrew
There were the great crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett. Then there are the modern-day equivalents like Michael Bublé and Harry Connick Jnr. And now there is Charlie Chech, a young Sydneysider with a debut EP, Checkmate. He was part of the prestigious Talent Development Project, being mentored by Peter Cousens AM, and has sung on-stage with Michael Bublé. What makes him different is a warmth and sincerity to his voice. Checkmate features five carefully re-imagined classics, a delightful mix of jazz standards including Summer Wind made famous by Frank Sinatra, and Almost Like Being in Love by Nat King Cole. But add the modern magic with Your Latest Trick by Dire Straits, and Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind, to make an EP to enjoy. Having trained as a drummer, Chech understands the enchantment of rhythm, but it is his clear voice with superb open tonality that carries the elegance of song.