The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, A Celebration of Maurice Hines – Tappin’ Thru Life Review

The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: Honoring Maurice Hines with Rhythm and Grace

By Sylvannia Garutch

In the pantheon of jazz’s most charismatic entertainers, Maurice Hines stood as a bridge between the golden era of swing and the contemporary stage. His autobiographical show, Tappin’ Thru Life, was a jubilant reflection on family, legacy, and rhythm as a way of life. Now, in A Celebration of Maurice Hines – Tappin’ Thru Life, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra transforms that stage energy into a recorded tribute, bringing Hines’s infectious spirit into the heart of big band jazz.

Under the direction of drummer and music director Sherrie Maricle, the all-women DIVA Jazz Orchestra brings an invigorating blend of swing tradition and crisp modernity. With featured performers John and Leo Manzari, Tony-nominated vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway, and Grammy-nominated Clint Holmes, the album has an outstanding cast recording a heartfelt send-off to one of American entertainment’s brightest lights.

From its first downbeat, “Tappin’ Thru Life Overture” showcases the DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s command of swing-era vocabulary with infectious energy and razor-sharp execution. The arrangement is a tour de force of style blending, featuring brisk tempo changes, short-form shout choruses, and clever transitions between jazz idioms of the mid-century, seamlessly quoting Ellington, Basie, and beyond. Each section of the band acts as a dynamic force: the brass cuts with swagger, the saxes glide with elegance, and the rhythm section powers the ensemble with unrelenting clarity. Notable are the crisply articulated band hits and a gorgeously voiced horn glissando, both examples of how the players interpret the music not just with technical accuracy, but with a deep-rooted understanding of the swing tradition. It’s a classic opener with bold character and cohesion.

John Manzari’s performance on “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” is buoyant in both voice and footwork, blending his smooth crooning with the percussive elegance of a seasoned tap dancer. His solo tap section keeps the swing feel locked with the orchestra’s big band sound, developing rhythmic motifs with clarity and charisma. These motifs serve as a launchpad into an expressive series of solos—Jennifer Krupa’s buttery trombone tone and Jami Dauber’s bright trumpet lines weave beautifully with the ensemble’s pulse, all under Maricle’s responsive direction. The final return to the melody is especially thrilling, as John and the ensemble dig deep into the swing pocket, culminating in a powerful cadence that lands with style and snap.

Leo Manzari brings a gritty, soulful energy to “Every Day I Have the Blues,” his vocals saturated with classic jazz-blues inflection. The DIVA Jazz Orchestra leans into a swing shuffle, laying the groundwork for Leo’s rhythmically locked tap work. Backing vocals add conversational flair, while Laura Dreyer’s tenor sax solo cuts through with swing authenticity. Leo’s tap solo unfolds with a clear sense of dialogue as his rhythms form a conversation with Jackie Warren’s piano. As the arrangement builds, Leo returns for a finale that fuses his singing and tap in a joyful, full-bodied climax. Like his brother, he channels both the form and feeling of the blues with theatrical finesse and rhythmic command.

Across the album, the vocalists draw from a shared wellspring of classic swing vocabulary with each bringing a distinct hue to the palette. Clint Holmes radiates charm and confidence, effortlessly gliding through Sinatra-era phrasings with clarity and control. Ann Hampton Callaway adds a luxurious warmth and emotional nuance, balancing humor and pathos with her signature theatrical grace. The Manzari brothers, meanwhile, contribute an energetic blend of vocal phrasing and tap-rooted rhythm, bridging the worlds of jazz singing and percussive storytelling. Though stylistically unified by era-specific diction, swing rhythms, and vintage melodic turns, each singer crafts their own emotional arc in making the album flow with a vibrant sequence of moods and personalities. Jazz vocal enthusiasts will delight in the vocal tones and character on display, while big band devotees will appreciate the DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s impeccable, authentic support across every vocal setting.

In “Smile,” Clint Holmes delivers a vocal performance steeped in classic jazz phrasing with his elegant, sincere, and gently melancholic rendition. Warren’s piano accompaniment is blues-tinged and swinging, anchoring the mood with warmth and subtle harmonic coloration. Amy Shook on bass and Maricle on drums create a rich, textured under toe that propels the tune forward while never disrupting its intimacy. When the ensemble rejoins with a swinging, ascending figure, their phrasing is perfectly fluid, a testament to the DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s unified articulation and impeccable sense of time. As Holmes reenters for his final vocal passage, Warren continues her lyrical interplay, letting the relaxed groove support her dialogue with the vocalist. It’s a moment of classic jazz styling, elegantly shaped by ensemble cohesion and individual artistry alike.

While each track on the album has its own highlights, it’s the cumulative energy of A Celebration of Maurice Hines – Tappin’ Thru Life that feels most true to Maurice himself. His philosophy, perform with joy, with class, and from the heart, radiates through every solo, every tap break, every ensemble hit. The DIVA Jazz Orchestra channel Maurice’s showmanship, his storytelling, and his sheer love for the stage. From the kinetic excitement of the Manzari brothers’ footwork to the elegance of Holmes and Callaway’s vocals, and through every crisp ensemble figure, the album embodies Hines’s lifelong devotion to entertainment as an act of love. It’s not one song that captures his essence; it’s the way the entire ensemble becomes the stage he once lit up, keeping his presence alive in every downbeat and every phrase.