Fleur
Stevenson (voice); Pete Billington (piano, arranger); Ralph Mizraki (bass);
Simon Price (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex)
'A
treat for fans of first class, straight ahead vocal jazz delivered by one of
the UK's fastest rising stars'. I quote from the information sheet, but I
couldn't have summed it up better. Yet another woman singer, some would cry,
but I reckon that we should rejoice and enjoy all these fine singers as they
are all somewhat different and there is room for many more and they will all
find their place. Though I would like to see more male singers and many more
women instrumentalists. I digress.
Ms
Stevenson comes recommended by Claire Martin OBE and this CD is a follow up to
a well-received EP. We have 11 tracks, all love songs except one, including 9
jazz standards and also versions of King Crimson's I Talk To The Wind and
the Elvis song Can't Help Falling In Love. The honey-toned voice is a
delight, excellent diction, feelingly sung, and the trio perform really well,
with lots of space for piano solos.
Tracks
which are worth a special mention are: the King Crimson number, a samba to fast
drums, with lyrics all about being in a confused world (like current
politics?); Misty Roses, sung in an intimate voice, comparing
short-lived roses to a love affair: Teach Me Tonight, where this singer
really swings, 'graduation's almost here my love' (whatever they did for
graduation is thankfully left unsaid!); I Thought About You, which has
the bass playing like the train over tracks; and You Must Believe In Spring,
which closes the album neatly, a slow contemplative song of optimism, with
a pleasing piano solo.
The
rest of the tracks are; Beautiful Love; Follow Me; The Nearness Of You;
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To; Old Devil Moon.
If
you're down London way on July 2 you can catch the album launch at
Pizza Express, Soho. See www.fleurstevensonjazz.co.uk
(self-released)
Ann Alex
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