CD Review: World Behind Your Eyes: Lynn Jolicoeur And The Pulse

Lynn Jolicouer (vocals); Mike Natsis (guitar); Steve Travis (piano); Warren Olsen (bass); Jean-Marie Corrois (drums); also Bill Vint (tenor sax on 2 tracks)

(Review by Ann Alex)

Boston based Jolicoeur, has traced an interesting career path,  worked as a TV journalist, done all kinds of singing, including pop, choral and jazz, as well as playing piano.  The Pulse, formed in 2008, have performed at many jazz and arts festivals.  This is their debut album.

The voice is rich and warm, the musicians are well competent, and the album comprises four numbers composed by Steve Travis, one by Jolicoeur and seven other arrangements of songs from a wide range of writers, including Sting, (Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic); Corinne Bailey Rae (Like A Star); Chick Corea (Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly); and Truman Capote (A Sleepin’ Bee).

I preferred the songs which were done as jazz arrangements.  For instance, the Chick Corea track has a skilful guitar solo, lively chops from the piano and jazzy swaps between piano and drums. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning is played as it should be, with sleepy sax and lazy-sounding piano, light drums, and the voice with just the right amount of poignancy.  Travis’s Out Of My Comfort Zone comes over quite boppish, with the voice repeating a rather angular riff, and adventurous instrumentation.  Some tracks were less suited to my taste but this is purely subjective.  On one or two of the more rock-orientated tracks I thought the lyrics and tune were a bit predictable, with not enough ‘hooks’ to make the words memorable, .  That said, the CD as a whole is enjoyable, with lots of short solos from the musicians, and effective call and response between singer and musicians.

World Behind Your Eyes: Lynn Jolicoeur And The Pulse is Self-Released in mid May.

Samples.

Ann Alex