BEVERLEY BEIRNE - Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun
BBR Records BBR002
Beverley Beirne (vocals); Sam Watts (piano); Flo Moore (bass); Ben Brown (drums, percussion); Rob Hughes (saxophones, flute)
Guests: Jason MIles (Hammond); Romero Lubambo (guitar); Dean Brown (guitar)
When I first heard about this album with the title Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun, and a concept of taking some 80's pop songs (and two from the 70's), I feared that this might just be a car crash waiting to happen. However, I needn't have worried as Beverley Beirne and pianist Sam Watts have rearranged some iconic songs of the time in a manner that swings hard with some fine solos, yet still retain enough of the original versions to raise a smile upon hearing them again, and wonder as t have the have been re-invented.
Beirne's idea is on paper quite simple, take some songs that she grew up with a view to transforming them for vehicles for jazz interpretation. The reality proved to be somewhat different, and from a long list of songs the vocalist and fellow arranger, Watts paired down the choices t the twelve selections heard here. The success of such a project then falls on the shoulders of the arrangements and and how they are transformed by the band, and of course the willingness of the listener to step away from the originals and hear these tunes a new.
Inevitably we all have our favourites from this period of time, and like Beverley I grew up with this music. The album opens strongly with Noddy Holder's 'Come On Feel The Noize' which immediately reassures that despite any initial reservations that we are in safe hands. 'Bette Davis Eyes' has a superb tenor solo from Rob Hughes, and 'When Smokey Sings' slows things down nicely, with Beirne's wonderful delivery of the melody underpinned by sensitive comping from Sam Watts, and Hughes again on tenor.
The Kajagoogoo tune 'Too Shy' shouldn't work but does thanks to the agility of both bassist, Flo Moore and Beirne in driving this along at quite a clip, and Bananarama's 'Cruel Summer' is transformed with it's Latin rhythms and percussive and lyrical flute from Rob Hughes who once again draws the ear. The saxophonist adds the weight of his baritone to power along the Billy Idol tune 'Hot In The City', also using the larger horn to add some gravitas to 'Waiting For A Girl Like You'.
Beirne brings an infectious enthusiasm to this project and the interpretation of this songs from another era (the pop music of today seems very different), and the flexiblty and expressive vocal range to make this album a real success, and by the time we get to the fitting closer of Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' with (again) some booting baritone from Hughes, the realisation dawns that we have all had fun taking this somewhat unusual yet euphoric journey down memory lane.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
BBR Records BBR002
Beverley Beirne (vocals); Sam Watts (piano); Flo Moore (bass); Ben Brown (drums, percussion); Rob Hughes (saxophones, flute)
Guests: Jason MIles (Hammond); Romero Lubambo (guitar); Dean Brown (guitar)
When I first heard about this album with the title Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun, and a concept of taking some 80's pop songs (and two from the 70's), I feared that this might just be a car crash waiting to happen. However, I needn't have worried as Beverley Beirne and pianist Sam Watts have rearranged some iconic songs of the time in a manner that swings hard with some fine solos, yet still retain enough of the original versions to raise a smile upon hearing them again, and wonder as t have the have been re-invented.
Beirne's idea is on paper quite simple, take some songs that she grew up with a view to transforming them for vehicles for jazz interpretation. The reality proved to be somewhat different, and from a long list of songs the vocalist and fellow arranger, Watts paired down the choices t the twelve selections heard here. The success of such a project then falls on the shoulders of the arrangements and and how they are transformed by the band, and of course the willingness of the listener to step away from the originals and hear these tunes a new.
Inevitably we all have our favourites from this period of time, and like Beverley I grew up with this music. The album opens strongly with Noddy Holder's 'Come On Feel The Noize' which immediately reassures that despite any initial reservations that we are in safe hands. 'Bette Davis Eyes' has a superb tenor solo from Rob Hughes, and 'When Smokey Sings' slows things down nicely, with Beirne's wonderful delivery of the melody underpinned by sensitive comping from Sam Watts, and Hughes again on tenor.
The Kajagoogoo tune 'Too Shy' shouldn't work but does thanks to the agility of both bassist, Flo Moore and Beirne in driving this along at quite a clip, and Bananarama's 'Cruel Summer' is transformed with it's Latin rhythms and percussive and lyrical flute from Rob Hughes who once again draws the ear. The saxophonist adds the weight of his baritone to power along the Billy Idol tune 'Hot In The City', also using the larger horn to add some gravitas to 'Waiting For A Girl Like You'.
Beirne brings an infectious enthusiasm to this project and the interpretation of this songs from another era (the pop music of today seems very different), and the flexiblty and expressive vocal range to make this album a real success, and by the time we get to the fitting closer of Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' with (again) some booting baritone from Hughes, the realisation dawns that we have all had fun taking this somewhat unusual yet euphoric journey down memory lane.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
