Another singer new to me, Sarah Thorpe is resident in France and here is joined by musicians mainly, I think, visiting from America. Thorpe’s husky vocal sound is well suited to her approach, which is intense and thoughtful. The mood varies from song to song, sometimes introspective, other times brightly outgoing.
In choosing the songs for this album, Thorpe has demonstrated her respect and affection for modern jazz composers. There is Horace Silver’s Lonely Woman, Pat Metheny’s Free (lyrics by Pamela Watson), Carmen Lundy’s To Be Loved By You, Randy Weston’s Pretty Strange (lyrics by Jon Hendricks), Wayne Shorter’s Infant Eyes (lyrics by Dianne Reeves) and Marcus Printup’s Sunday Daydreaming, for which Thorpe has written lyrics. The other four songs all have music and words by Thorpe.
Joining the singer and the core trio of Oliver Hutman, Darryl Hall and John Betsch are guests Josiah Woodson, playing trumpet on five tracks and flugelhorn on one, Ronald Baker plays trumpet on two tracks, and T.K. Blue, who plays alto saxophone on four tracks, soprano saxophone on one and flute on three. On one track, To Be Loved By You, drummer Betsch is replaced by Ismaël Nobour.
This will appeal especially to those who like artists with an uncompromising approach to their work.
Discography
Deep Blue Love; Free; Sweet Love Serenade; Urban Nostalgia; To Be Loved By You; Pretty Strange; Sunday Daydreaming (The Bishop); The Wind; Lonely Woman; Infant Eyes (44.01)
Thorpe (v, arr); Oliver Hutman (p, arr); Darryl Hall (b); John Betsch (d); and others. Paris. 26, 27 March & 22 May 2019.
Dot Time DT 9087
