This is the third album by Lauren Bush that I’ve reviewed for Jazz Journal, and it gives me great pleasure to record that, after two self-published albums, her talent has now been recognised, ergo this album is on the Mighty Quinn label.
Common to all three albums is that the listener is aware, from the very first downbeat, that this is an out-and-out jazz album. Ms. Bush has been lucky in her musicians, two of whom, Liam Dunachie, piano, and David Ingamells, drums, have been with her on all three albums, and given that All My Treasures was recorded in 2015, that is surely time enough to both form and sustain a rapport that is second to none.
Whilst it would be churlish to deny Ms Bush the right to expand her repertoire and flaunt her considerable range, speaking as an old codger, born and bred into a world of standards, I’m just a tad disappointed that Ms. Bush appears to be slowly but surely, weaning herself off melodic melodies, welded seamlessly onto literate lyrics, after which, of course, there is only one way to go – if you wean yourself off pâté de foie gras and caviar you’ll eventually wind up with pork scratchings.
Having said that, I must stress that this is only one opinion, and I have no doubt that her many admirers will find nothing wrong with her choice of material, which is eclectic to say the least, ranging from Clifford Brown to Joni Mitchell via Earl Okin. She does include, I’m happy to say, four standards, encompassing Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers (2), and Harry Warren, and it is not, perhaps, surprising, that these were the ones I enjoyed the most, and to which I will return.
As always, she allows the musicians ample time to stretch out, resulting in an album studded with fine solos throughout. So far as I can see, this fine album will have little difficulty in finding its audience.
Discography
Joy Spring; Tide Rises; Madrugada; Circle Game; Easy Does It; Nobody Else But Me; Happier On My Own; Oh What A Beautiful Morning; This Is Always; Only You (54.35)
Bush (v); Liam Dunachie (p); Dave Mannington (b); Conor Chaplin (b, elb); Nick Costley-White (g); Martin Shaw (t); Dave Ingamells (d). Factory Studios, October 2022; Air Studios, February 2023.
Mighty Quinn MOR 1166
