CD Review: Nancy Lane - Let Me Love You

Nancy Lane (vocals); Kenny Bibace (guitar); Lara Driscoll (piano); Aron Doyle (trumpet, flugelhorn); Francois D’Amours (tenor sax); Mike De Masi (bass); Dave Laing (drums)

(Review by Ann Alex).

Now wouldn’t you suppose that What Is This Thing Called Love? would be sung slowly to convey the sadness of lost love?  Not a bit of it on this CD.  Nancy Lane gives us the song in short fast phrases, sung to a pattering bass, slowing down only for the last few bars to bring out the full meaning, and it works wonderfully, like so much on this totally enjoyable disc.  I hope we’ll hear more of this lady in the future. 
The CD includes mostly jazz standards, some not so well known, and a slinky, seductive Tout Ce Que Veut Lola, (Whatever Lola Wants) sung in French, with accompaniment including a suitably muted trumpet.  The voice is sultry, husky and warm, and the musicians are well up to their job, although solos tend to last for just one chorus as the disc is meant to be singer-orientated.

Every Time I’m With You is one of those delightful ‘list’ songs, a list of the ways she feels with her lover, eg ‘I’m a camel that wants a big drink’.  You couldn’t make it up, except that a clever lyricist did.  Similarly, in You Took Advantage Of Me: ‘lock the doors and call me yours’ (from the brilliant Lorenz Hart).  Other songs are: Let Me Love You; I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me (a lovely intimate interpretation, including the verse); We’re Together; Cry Me A River; Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You; All Of You. And all rounded off effectively with a slow, sad, sincerely sung ballad Just Say I Love Him.

Nancy Lane hails from Montreal and she comes from a musical background: her grandmother sang opera, an aunt sang jazz and her father played saxophone.  She has taken part in various recording projects previously and this is her debut album.  The CD is self-released on October 23: see nancylanemusic.com 

Ann Alex