Rose Room blew every one away when they played the Globe back in February and they do it again on this delightful and varied album.
They hit the deck running with an arrangement of a traditional Yiddish folk tune, Joseph Joseph that had the speedometer doing a second lap of the dial.
It's Been a Long, Long Time. The title track has a lovely vocal by Seonaid that totally captured me - perfect diction with just a hint of her Scottish roots. Beautiful string writing.
Swing Gitan chugs along in true Hot Club fashion. Aitken and Smith displaying their virtuoso technique to great effect.
I Wish You Love. Complete with verse and a chorus in French plus some atmospheric accordion playing that I'm sure the composer, Charles Trenet, would have approved of.
On the Alamo. More gypsy jazz. Again the interplay between guitar and violin is outstanding.
I Found a New Baby. Uptempo vocal, guitar and violin swinging their sox off.
Nuages brings Owen Gunnell and his vibes into the studio to augment the group. A good move as it puts some life into the old dirge (sacrilege I know but c'est la vie!)
Everybody Wants to be a Cat. Tam Gallagher takes the vocal. After a guitar solo the tempo ups and all the cats join in to quote from an old movie cartoon - Make Mine Music.
I've Got a Feelin' I'm Falling. Another fast vocal. This girl can handle words as fast as she does notes. Fabulous.
Troublant Bolero. A Django composition again featuring Aiten and Smith. Lovely melody, great solos.
The Nearness of You. I'm running out of superlatives for this great singer, violinist and, of course her band. The voice is so pure whilst still retaining that jazz feeling. Aces all.
Oh, Lady be Good. Perhaps no other standard personifies the Hot Club sound more than the Gershwin classic.
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? Composer Frank Loesser complained that nobody sang his song until Christmas when in actual fact the song was intended to be sung long before then. Rose Room have timed it just right.
Highly recommended. Lance
No comments :
Post a Comment