Jacqui
Dankworth (vocals); Charlie Wood (Fender Rhodes, piano, organ); Chris Allard
(acc/elec guitars,); Geoff Gascoyne (elec/acc bass, synth programming,
celeste); Ben Castle (sop/ten sax); Mike Smith, Ralph Salmins (drums); Paul
Clarvis (percussion) The Brodsky Quartet: Daniel Rowland, Ian Belton(violins);
Paul Cassidy (viola); Jacqueline Thomas
(cello).
(Review
by Ann Alex)
I agree with the quote
from the Guardian critic, who says
‘she exhibits a subtle control of dynamics and a voluptuous tonal richness that
seems to make almost any material sound special.’ This is a fine album of love
songs, but love in the widest sense, four standards and ten original songs, not
wholly jazz but with strong jazz influences.
I was interested to note that there is a slight similarity of tone
reminiscent of her mother’s voice (Cleo Lane) and just a hint of her mother’s
looks, but Ms Dankworth is very much her own person as a singer.
The four standards are
Wayne Shorter’s Palladium, a catchy,
jagged tune which seems to go round in circles; I Took Your Hand (Pieranunzi/Feather) all about love at first
sight; a gentle version of Someday We’ll
All Be Free (Hathaway/Howard); and Johnny Mercer’s Something’s Gotta Give, done so skilfully with just a tricky
acoustic bass and voice. How on earth
she kept to the tune is a mystery to me.
The originals include an
African-sounding Malala with lots of
band soloing, clapping and drumming; All
Is Quiet, an anti-slavery song about a lonely slave girl who is symbolised
by the melancholy tenor sax; this is wisely followed by an upbeat song in
praise of love with a happy keys solo; and we have the entertaining reggae
influenced theme from Tomorrow’s World. No readers, I hadn’t realised that this tune
was written by John Dankworth, and Jacqui has added amusing lyrics about
quantum mechanics, remember that from school? The Brodsky Quartet add much to
tracks such as All Is Quiet, blending
their sound well with the more conventional jazz instruments and not standing
out as something ‘different’. And with
seven other original tracks, the album makes for good listening.
Jacqui
Dankworth - Live To Love is due for release on September 30 on Specific Jazz
There is also a Live To Love tour
beginning on October 2, but the nearest it comes to Tyneside is York on October
9. More info.
Ann
Alex.
1 comment :
Congrats on being the only review I've come across that gave the musicians involved. It answered my question. The words synth programming acted like the warning skull and cross bone on a packet of poison.
Post a Comment