Time: 43:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front
01. Little Jazzbird (4:31)
02. Champagne (3:22)
03. Show Me Love (3:51)
04. On A Summer's Day (4:32)
05. The Shadow Of Your Smile (4:31)
06. Inconsolably Blue (5:19)
07. Polaroid (4:32)
08. How Do You Measure A Life (4:20)
09. While The Music's Still In Me (4:38)
10. Songbird (3:49)
Among the many recent jazz-vocalist recordings I've heard, jazz singer/songwriter Anna Wilson's new album stands out for its mingling of classic jazz sensibility with skillful songwriting. Its title, Jazzbird/Songbird, in addition to naming the Gershwin and Fleetwood Mac songs that bookend the 10-song set, accurately reflects Wilson's musical identity on this disk and the nature of her art.
In a velvety, breathy voice both girlish and sophisticated, Wilson lives the songs, standards and originals alike, more like a cabaret singer than a cooler-than-thou jazz cat. The way she slides up to the second syllable of the word "champagne" in the song by that title, one of the six originals on the disc, is a small thing of beauty. "On a Summer's Day," another original, is a little bit Billy Joel and a little bit Marvin Hamlisch (the melody echoes the latter's "What I Did For Love" in jazzier style). And Wilson's understated take on the standard "The Shadow of Your Smile" demonstrates her way of putting her own interpretive stamp on a good melody without bending it all out of shape.
The original, vintage-style ballad "Inconsolably Blue," a gem of accessible pop-jazz songwriting, forms the centerpiece of the album. "While the Music's Still In Me," Wilson's declaration of the preeminence of music in her life, sounds like sophisticated 1970s pop in a jazz setting. It leads into a slim, airy, tasteful version of one of that era's loveliest songs, Christine McVie's "Songbird" from Fleetwood Mac's legendary Rumours album. Wilson sings the hit fairly straight, proving, as if this needed further proof, that a great song remains a great song in any era.
In a velvety, breathy voice both girlish and sophisticated, Wilson lives the songs, standards and originals alike, more like a cabaret singer than a cooler-than-thou jazz cat. The way she slides up to the second syllable of the word "champagne" in the song by that title, one of the six originals on the disc, is a small thing of beauty. "On a Summer's Day," another original, is a little bit Billy Joel and a little bit Marvin Hamlisch (the melody echoes the latter's "What I Did For Love" in jazzier style). And Wilson's understated take on the standard "The Shadow of Your Smile" demonstrates her way of putting her own interpretive stamp on a good melody without bending it all out of shape.
The original, vintage-style ballad "Inconsolably Blue," a gem of accessible pop-jazz songwriting, forms the centerpiece of the album. "While the Music's Still In Me," Wilson's declaration of the preeminence of music in her life, sounds like sophisticated 1970s pop in a jazz setting. It leads into a slim, airy, tasteful version of one of that era's loveliest songs, Christine McVie's "Songbird" from Fleetwood Mac's legendary Rumours album. Wilson sings the hit fairly straight, proving, as if this needed further proof, that a great song remains a great song in any era.
Jazzbird/Songbird
Really charming singer ! But it's not jazz. Don't say it's jazz because there is some piano or saxophone : this is pop music. Pretty good one.
ReplyDeleteWith the flurry of posts I sure hope Giullia is taking it appropriately easy. Thanks for all the attention Yara. I was hoping this could be re-upped as I just discovered her by accident and really liked what I heard. Heal well Giullia. :-)
ReplyDeleteGiullia is taking it easy, Otis. I can guarantee ;-)
DeleteNew link posted. Enjoy this wonderful singer.
Wonderful indeed! Both the Giullia update and the Anna Wilson post. :-)
ReplyDelete