COMPOSERS: STACEY KENT
LABELS: Candid
PERFORMER: STACEY KENT
CATALOGUE NO: CCD 79999
Both her detractors and her supporters will claim that Grammy-winning vocalist/pianist Diana Krall has reopened quite a few doors for jazz singers. It may or may not be a coincidence that there has been a spate of jazz-imbued vocal albums of late, but itcertainly a good time to be exploring vocal jazz, particularly if you share the scene’s rediscovered passion for standards.
Several of the current wave of jazz vocalists are British, my favourite being the Yorkshire-born CLARE TEAL, whose excellent Orsino’s Songs features both standards and co-written originals. Teal’s deep, rich yet surprisingly agile and expressive voice renders the material with a genuine and heartfelt jazz sensibility.
I do wish I could find the same degree of enthusiasm for her label stablemates STACEY KENT (British by adoption if not by birth) and JAMIE CULLUM, both of whom are enjoying considerable acclaim.
Kent in particular has already reached the ‘greatest hits’ stage with Collection, most of which is drawn from her Candid back catalogue, but her sinewy voice and occasionally brusque delivery are rather a matter of taste (although, in all fairness, it’s a taste shared by many).