A review of the new CD releases
Faithless – To All New Arrivals * * *
After selling more than a million copies of their greatest hits album, Faithless have returned with this fifth studio album which is less dance and more ambient in style.
The trance superband may have filled many a large venue with its lively dance gigs as clubbers rocked to God is a DJ, We Come One and Insomnia but the more ardent clubbers may be disappointed with this latest offering.
No big house grooves here as rapper Maxi Jazz goes for political point scoring in his musical chants, managing to cram in all the great fears of the decade from terrorism to immigration, war and the environment.
While you hear an interesting contribution from Robert Smith of The Cure in a dance/rock fusion Spiders, Crocodiles & Kryptonite, it was a real disappointment to hear the dreary tones of Dido (sister to Faithless' Rollo) in Last This Day on this album.
However, for those who want a decent chill out album, you can't go wrong with this one and there are some great highlights here, including the new single Bombs.
Sarah Probert
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Solveig Slettahjell Slow Motion Quintet – Good Rain * * * * *
While the scribes debate what is and is not jazz, the musicians just carry on making new and exciting music. And deeply beautiful music, too, in the case of this Norwegian singer and her band.
Like Susanna & The Magical Orchestra she likes achingly slow tempi, and she also shares Susanna’s Orchestra in the form of keyboard maestro Morten Qvenild. He contributes tunes as does trumpeter Sjur Miljeteg and Solveig herself.
They are lovely songs, poppy in their immediate appeal, yet often as substantial as the classics from the American songbook.
The settings are sparse and subtle, though they can also do sleazy and sloppy as on Don’t Look Back.
It’s Slettahjell’s singing that grabs the attention, though: precise intonation, a gorgeous tone, and striking a miraculous balance between light and shade, always serious though never po-faced and self-conscious, always just right for the lyrics, but never placing those above the music.
Buy this for everyone you know for Christmas – it will appeal to Ella fans and Norah Jones ones, too. Assuming you know any Norah Jones fans, of course.
Peter Bacon
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Alcyona – Around The Sun * * * *
Birmingham jazz fans will remember Alcyona Mick from her days at Birmingham Conservatoire – now the young pianist is developing her career in London and this debut disc is a strong calling card to announce a fresh force in British music.
Alcyona has developed a writing and arranging style that pays great attention to subtle musical colours and textures, and gives, I imagine, a lot of fertile material to improvisers. Certainly tenor player Mark Hanslip, trumpeter Robbie Robson, bassist Phil Donkin and drummers Asaf Sirkis or John Blease sound like they are enjoying themselves.
Out on Malcolm Creese’s rich sounding Audio-B label and well worth seeking out..
Peter Bacon
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Patricia Barber – Mythologies * * *
Barber is a fascinating singer, pianist and composer and a musician of serious intent. For her ninth disc she tackles various mythical subjects, from Icarus to Narcissus, The Moon to Pygmalion, in a song cycle. It’s based on the Metamorphoses of Ovid.
She has always had her dark side but this is a bit relentlessly stern.
Peter Bacon
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George Benson & Al Jarreau - Givin’ It Up * * *
It seems hopelessly frivolous to be singing the praises of George and Al after quibbling with the high art of Patricia Barber, but the light and nostalgic step of Benson’s Breezin’ with Jarreau adding lyrics just brings a smile to the face.
Yep, it’s superficial pop jazz with a nod and a wink to the 1970s of my youth if not yours.
Jarreau offers his hit Mornin’, then there’s a revamped tune from Miles Davis’s Tutu disc with Marcus Miller in tow. One track features Patti Austin, another showcases a younger diva, Jill Scott.
Most bizarrely Bring It On Home To Me adds Paul McCartney to the vocal mix.
Then there’s Seals and Crofts’ Summer Breeze (made famous by the Isley Bros and playing in a supermarket near you right this minute) and even a Hall & Oates song. Does these men have no pride at all?
The musicians include Patrice Rushen, Herbie Hancock, Marion Meadows and Vinnie Colaiuta, but they are less important than the sumptuous wash of smooth jazz production.
A Lexus of an album – you wouldn’t want to drive it every day, but sometimes some luxury is in order.
Peter Bacon
