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Product Description
Album Description
Norma Winstone’s new CD with the NDR Bigband is a lesson in how to sing contemporary songs with ease, style and a depth that comes from a place that most singers reach for but never realise. Her experience and love of all good songs and songwriters shines through on this album, which includes songs by Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman. Norma’s career is well documented with musicians such as John Taylor, Ralph Towner, Michael Garrick, Kenny Wheeler, Fred Hersch and Jimmy Rowles. She recently featured very prominently in Gilles Petersons ‘Jazz Brittania’ concert, CD and also the TV series.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this album solely on the recommendation of Humphrey Lyttelton, who played a track from it on his BBC Radio 2 show "The Best Of Jazz". His view was that it would be wonderful if it became a hit, but that the way of things was that it wouldn't, but it deserved to be. How I agree with him. The whole album is full of such pleasant surprises. Her versatility is breathtaking. After the beautiful sultry opening of an original version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" she then gives us a truly startling rendition of "Big Yellow Taxi" - eat your heart out Joni Mitchell!. And she then reels off original readings one after another of what would otherwise be simply quality pop songs (none the worse for that of course); I won't be able to listen to any of them again without believing that she has given us the definitive versions of them all. The beauty of jazz is that it is so often personal to the listener, as evidenced by the fact that my particular favourite is the only one that E.C.Goodstein felt was the least successful (great review by the way). I thought "Feels Like Home" was achingly beautiful and that her rendition transformed an otherwise lightweight song into a masterpiece - Randy Newman should be grateful for great mercies! Norma also had a real empathy with The NDR Big Band, who were great throughout; minimalist when required, and a real Big band when required. I have only had the occasional acquaintance with Norma up to now, but that is all going to change after this.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album for the most part is a departure for Norma-- as it features mainly songs by well known contemporary
pop songwriters if within a a jazz context. I like the energy and variety here. And it does show Norma's versatility. Some outstanding stuff like "Watching John"-- more like her delicate ballad material & almost akin to
Chekhov in theme. I also especially like the arrangements of Costello's "15 Petals" and Cohen's "Sisters of Mercy." The wordless ones are interesting too-- esp. transformation of Capercaillie's instrumental "Take the Floor" into almost a 'Weather Report for big band' groove. Least successful for me is Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home." It's beautifully sung, but arrangement is more pedestrian & somehow the length just highlights the
song's weaknesses as much as its strengths. Heartfelt though. Overall, nice one for showing the breadth of Norma's talent, and most of the band arrangements/playing are very effective.
pop songwriters if within a a jazz context. I like the energy and variety here. And it does show Norma's versatility. Some outstanding stuff like "Watching John"-- more like her delicate ballad material & almost akin to
Chekhov in theme. I also especially like the arrangements of Costello's "15 Petals" and Cohen's "Sisters of Mercy." The wordless ones are interesting too-- esp. transformation of Capercaillie's instrumental "Take the Floor" into almost a 'Weather Report for big band' groove. Least successful for me is Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home." It's beautifully sung, but arrangement is more pedestrian & somehow the length just highlights the
song's weaknesses as much as its strengths. Heartfelt though. Overall, nice one for showing the breadth of Norma's talent, and most of the band arrangements/playing are very effective.
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