(Stacey Kent, vocals; Jim Tomlinson, reeds; John Parricelli, guitars; Graham Harvey, keyboards; Dave Chamberlain, doublebass; Matt Skelton, drums/percussion)
Now here’s a highly individual female vocal album that stands out from the crowd. First, three of the songs are sung in French, a la Madaline Peyroux and Dee Dee Bridgewater recently. Only three of them come from the Great American Songbook tradition, and four of them have highly distinctive lyrics by Japanese novelist Kazuo Ishiguro. This is Stacey’s first CD for Blue Note and I’d like to know more about both her and lyricist Ishiguro.
The opening tune posits the very odd idea of a romantic getaway at a hotel made of ice. It’s a concept that, with the interesting tune, may stick in your mind. The lyrics of all of Ishiguro’s tunes came first, and reed player Tomlinson and leader of the band composed the music to go with them. I Wish I Could Go Traveling Again is a sort of nostalgic tune which leaves some questions unanswered; as a matter of fact, all of Ishiguro’s lyrics seem to do that. The album’s title tune creates a rather surrealistic situation but somehow makes you want to join the sweet-voiced singer for breakfast on that morning tram.
The band and arrangements are great, and those looking for a laid back, hip, intellectual and sexy song session will love this CD. My only beef is with the note booklet design. First, there are no translations of the three French songs – most frustrating to those of us who know a little French and can’t figure out the rest. Secondly, half of the lyrics are printed in tiny type over colored backgrounds that conflict and make them unreadable.
TrackList: The ice hotel, Landslide, Ces petits riens, I wish I could go traveling again, So many stars, Samba Saravah, Breakfast on the morning tram, Never let me go, So romantic, hard-hearted hanna, La season des pluies, What a wonderful world.
– John Henry
