A truly memorable album from Jacqui Dankworth that is impeccably conceived and executed from beginning to end.
Perdido DOR-2401
Jacqui Dankworth (vocals); Charlie Wood (piano & arrangements); Oli Hayhurst (bass);
Ralph Salmins (drums)
The Carducci String Quartet (tracks 2,8,10,11,12)
Matthew Denton, Violin Michelle Fleming, Violin Eion Schmidt-Martin Viola Emma Denton Cello
The BBC Big Band (tracks 1,3,4,6) guest conductor: Julian Siegel
Trumpets: Mike Lovatt, Andy Greenwood, Tom Dennis, Hugh Pascall Trombones: Rob Harvey, Kieran McLeod, Rory Ingham, Pete North; Saxophones: Howard McGill (alto 1 / flute 1), Sammy Mayne (alto 2 / flute 2), Martin Williams (tenor 1 / clarinet 1), Robert Fowler (tenor 2 / clarinet 2) Chris Caldwell (bari / bass clarinet)
Bedazzle! led by Jacqueline Shave (tracks 1,5,6,9)
Jacqueline Shave, Magnus Johnston (violin 1); Richard George, Marije Johnston (Violin 2); Claire Finnimore, Clive Howard (violas); Jane Fenton, Helena Meikle, (celli)
Long renowned as one of the UKs finest vocalists, this latest release places Ms Dankworth in the perfect setting for her rich and luscious voice to be heard. With a line up that would be the envy of many, Jacqui is not just featured with the BBC Big Band on four tracks, but also with the Carducci String Quartet and the ensemble known as Bedazzle! led by Jacqui Shave.
Pianist and arranger, Charlie Wood, must have been delighted to have been presented to arrange for Dankworth with such a rich tapestry available to him, and it must be said that he has done an exemplary job. The sound is full of detail and yet most importantly does not take the spotlight away from the vocals and the interpretation of the lyrics.
If the orchestration is as good as it gets, then the song choice is inspired too. Jazz standards rub shoulders with Broadway show tunes featuring composers including Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Berstein, Michel Legrand, Sérgio Mendes and Jacques Briels, and all are sprinkled here with a little Dankworth magic.
In a splendid and diverse programme there is a wonderful arrangement of Michel Legrand’s ‘The Windmills of Your Mind’ that the singer totally makes her own in an absorbing performance. In a delightful surprise, Dankworth performs ‘On Raglan Road’ taking the poem written by the Irish poet Partrick Kavanagh that is set to the music of the traditional song ‘The Dawning of the Day’.
Showing her mastery at slower tempos Dankworth delivers a beautiful take on Sondheim’s ‘Send in the Clowns’ and also delights with the self-penned ‘Will You Wait For Me’. Shaking things up a little is a sparkling arrangement of ‘Baubles, Bangles & Beads’ and a cheerily optimistic and swinging ‘Lucky To Be Me’.
A truly memorable album from Jacqui Dankworth that is impeccably conceived and executed from beginning to end. So much so that I was sold from the outset, and the fact that the vocalist also sings some of my favourite songs including Bernstein’s ‘Some Other Time’ and ‘So Many Stars’ by Sergio Mendez among other was just the icing on the cake.
