Juliet Wood (vocal); John Crawford (piano); Andres Lafone (bass); Andres Ticino (drums).
Juliet Wood, a new name to me, is a little bit different to most jazz singers inasmuch as her diction is near perfect whilst still retaining the jazz feeling.
A mix of the familiar and not so familiar, Juliet makes each song tells a story.
Manhattan in the Rain, one of two Duncan Lamont songs, begins with our singer colliding with a man whilst running for a cab. They share the cab but does romance blossom?
Midnight Sun, the classic Johnny Mercer lyric where he manages a triple rhyme with red and ruby chalice, alabaster palace and Aurora Borealis!
Kirsty MacColl's In These Shoes has a Latin feel and the lyric is rather raunchy.
Jimmy Woode's Sconsolato is described by Ian Shaw as "beautifully arranged and beautifully sung". Well Ian knows a thing or two about these things and I'm not going to disagree. Sconsolato in Italian means sad and disconsolate (in case you're wondering).
Strayhorn's Chelsea Bridge is a wordless virtuoso performance worthy of Covent Garden (The Royal Opera House not the market).
Voice and bass bring in Fascinating Rhythm in reflective mode before breaking out into a brief Latin shake it shuffle.
Kenny Barron's Journey Within (Voyage) enables our girl to manipulate the tricky theme and change of rhythm with seeming ease.
A Slow Hot Wind by Mancini is another probing, melancholic song.
Hoagy's Lyin' To Myself is not too well known but it should be.
Hoagy and Mercer combine for I Walk With Music. Another hidden gem that brings out the best in Juliet - and vice versa,
Just as she started the lady finishes with another Duncan Lamont song. A tribute sung by a lady singer about another lady singer - Lady Day - Billie Holiday.
I know know I've concentrated on the songs and the singer but the album wouldn't mean a thing without the splendid support from the accompanying trio.
Well worth checking out and if she's on a gig (remember them?) or streams onto your smart phone or PC (remember them?) then seize the moment. If not, by the CD (remember them?)
Lance
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