CD Review: The Lindsay Hannon Plus – The Spy (Take 2)

Lindsay Hannon (vocals), James Harrison (piano), John Pope (double bass) & Tom Chapman (drums)

(Review by Russell).

The Lindsay Hannon Plus’ debut CD – The Spy – grabs the attention from the first note of the eponymous opening track. Vocalist Lindsay Hannon’s phrasing is second to none and this ‘live’ recording is of exceptional quality. Hannon’s regular working band gives nothing less than a five star performance on all of the album’s twelve tracks. There is a wide range of material including Hannon favourites Jim Morrison and Joni Mitchell, a brace of jazz standards and a joyous take on Paul Simon’s Diamonds.  

James Harrison is a dynamic young pianist with an infectious enthusiasm be it as soloist or accompanist. The band arrangements make full use of a collective exuberance – piano, double bass (John Pope), drums (Tom Chapman) and, of course, Hannon. Pope’s louche bass line on The Spy underpins Harrison’s fabulous old school piano playing, Chapman’s intro to Nature Boy establishes a Latin vibe, Pope solos, then Harrison takes it into the stratosphere with Hannon right up there. Hannon’s sister in music Liz Corney receives a writing credit on the album with the ballad Heather Forever. Late night saloon bar songs are handled with sensitivity; The End of a Love Affair hears Hannon turn the lyric inside out, So Long, Big Time is a vocal tour de force with fizzing accompaniment from Messrs Harrison, Pope and Chapman.                 

It is Hannon’s inventive, playful interpretation of a lyric that places her in the top bracket of singers currently working the jazz club circuit. The release of  The Spy is sure to secure a wider audience. The album is dedicated to the memory of Keith Crombie, jazz promoter and supporter of Lindsay Hannon and many other musicians on the Newcastle jazz scene. The Spy is available at bookings@lhplus.co.uk

Russell.

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