Album review: Claire Martin - Almost in Your Arms (Stunt Records)

Claire Martin (vocals); Martin Sjöstedt (piano/keys); Niklas Fernqvist (bass); Daniel Fredriksson (drums) + James McMillan (perc., trumpet, flugel, keys, programming); Karl-Martin Almqvist (sax on tks 2, 6); Nikki Iles (accordion on tk 4); Mark Jaimes (guitar on tk 11); Joe Locke (vibes on tks 1,7, narration on tk 7); Charlie Wood (vocal duet on tk 2).

Impeccable is the word that immediately springs to mind when I hear Claire Martin. I just know I'm going to like what I hear and I've yet to be disappointed. The magic is always there.

This particular album comprises a choice selection of mostly lesser known songs and it's none the worse for that.

Perhaps the best known is the swinging I Feel a Song Coming on. The Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh composition is tailor made for Claire with some equally swinging vibes from Joe Locke to add to the joyous mood.

This One's From the Heart is from the pen of Tom Waits and has Claire duetting with Charlie Wood. They work well together making Waits' imagery almost their own. Karl-Martin Almqvist's tenor sax gels nicely with the voices. As Claire puts it in the blurb, adding the brilliant Swedish saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist was the cherry on the cake.

Almost in Your Arms, by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the 1958 film Houseboat, is another swinger. Sam Cooke sang it in the film and the song got an Academy Award nomination. If Claire's version had been around then (she wasn't even born) the two songsmiths would have walked it!

Apparently, I'm Fine. Claire and  James McMillan collaborated on this, end of an affair type, song. It's relatively short and it seems as though everything did turn out fine. Nikki Iles effectively squeezes some notes out of an accordion.

Bitter With the Sweet. This philosophical gem came from Carole King. It has a Latin feel to it with great piano from Martin Sjöstedt and lots of business going on in the undergrowth.

Rufus Wainwright's The Art Teacher has quite an unusual subject - a student in love with her art teacher. Not your usual theme. In fact, back in the day the BBC would probably have banned it although I'm sure the guys on Radio Caroline would have plugged it 24/7! In actual fact it's a beautiful song with a compelling lyric. Karl-Martin Almqvist again captures the mood with his sax solo.

Train in the Desert. The first of two compositions by American legend Mark Winkler. It opens with a narration by Joe Locke who later kicks in with some tasty vibes. Songs like these are on the cusp of making the GASbook obsolete!

The House is Empty Now by Costello and Bacharach. Talk about a team! Did they link up for any other songs? If they didn't they should have done* Claire pours her heart into this one.

Water and Salt has Claire doing a Peggy Lee with muted trumpet by McMillan. Ty Jeffries, the British composer and cabaret artist, the composer. It's a hoot!

September Song. No, not that September Song but one by Don and Grant Black with an assist by McMillan both as the composer and the blower of some Milesian muted trumpet.

Do You Ever Wonder? The album closes with another by Winkler. A dreamy, love lost, lyric. If you ever want to cry, this will help you on the way.

One to check out - it's beautiful. Lance

*They did! LINK.