CALLUM AU / CLAIRE MARTIN - Songs And Stories
Stunt Records STUCD 20062
Arrangements - Callum Au
Vocals - Claire Martin
Big Band:
Trumpets - Louis Dowdeswell, Tom Walsh, George Hogg, James Davison; Trombones - Andy Wood, Callum Au, Chris Traves, Barry Clements; Saxophones - Sam Mayne, Simon Marsh,
Paul Booth, Tom Richards, Martin Williams; Piano - Rob Barron; Guitar - Tommy Emmerton; Bass - Jeremy Brown; Drums - Matt Skelton; Percussion James Turner
Orchestra:
Conductor - Mark Nightingale; Violins John Mills* (leader), Jeremy Isaac*, Anna Harpham, Ben Buckton, Charis Jenson, Charles Mutter, Ciaran McCabe, Emma Parker, Everton Nelson, Helena Wood, Gemma Sharples, Katerina Nazarova, Kate Robinson, Lizzie Ball, Marianne Haynes, Maria Spengler, Matt Elston, Natalia Bonner, Nicole Wilson, Patrick Savage, Pete Graham, Ruth Rogers, Thom Gould, Tom Piggott Smith; Violas- Lydia Lowndes-Northcott*, Anna Cooper, Annie Beilby, Ben Newton, Bruce White, Bryony Mycroft, Jonathan Barritt, Kay Stephen, Celli Bozidar Vukotic*, Adrian Bradbury, Frank Schaeffer, James Barralet, Magda Pietraszewska, Rowena Calvert; Basses - Dom Worsley*, Richard Pryce, Laurence Ungless; Woodwind -Karen Jones*, Monica McCarron, Jane Marshall, Howard McGill, Simon Marsh, Jessamy Holder, Peter Long; Horns - Richard Watkins*, Katy Woolley, Corrine Bailey, Matt Gunner; Trombones - Andy Wood*, Matt Lewis, Barry Clements; Tuba Owen Slade; Rhythm: Bass - Laurence Ungless; Drums - Matt Skelton; Percussion - James Turner; Piano & Celesta - Rob Barron; Guitar - Tommy Emmerton; Harp - Hugh Webb
* = principal
Recorded 11-13 February & 20 March, 2019
This is the third album that I have reviewed by Claire Martin in the last twelve months, and what is remarkable is that they all so different and yet have Claire's personality and touch of class stamped all over them. Last year there were two albums, the incredible Believin' It released on Linn Records and in contrast, Bumpin': Celebrating Wes Montgomery on the Copenhagen based Stunt Records, who also releasing this album too.
Songs And Stories is another collaborative project for the vocalist, this time with the talented trombonist and composer/arranger, Callum Au. Having worked with Quincy Jones, Jamie Cullum and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as on London stage shows impressively demonstrates the diversity of his work, but it is his composing and arranging for big bands and large jazz ensembles that set him apart. Unashamedly then, Songs And Stories is straight out of the big band sound of the 1950 but with a contemporary feel that lifts these beautiful songs with Callum's sumptuous arrangements.
Being able to call upon the services of a big band and an orchestra, there are no less than eighty two musicians on the album, along with a selection of some of the greatest jazz standards and American Songbook classics, Callum must have felt like a kid in a sweetshop. The result is an album that ranks among the very best. The arrangements on all eleven tracks are absolutely stunning . Au has taken what is required to make each work for the song and the singer, nothing more and nothing less. Every note and phrase is made to count. As one would expect there are some exhilarating and swinging performances, most notably on 'Let's Get Lost', 'You And The Night And The Music' and 'Hello, Young Lovers!', but it is the slower tempos and ballads that really stand out and allow Claire to put her own mark on these lovely songs. This she does to devastating effect on 'The Folks Who Live On The Hill' with Rob Barron's exquisite piano introduction and accompaniment, and an orchestral arrangement to die for. Equally good is 'Don't Like Goodbyes', and Claire acknowledges with fondness her friend and fellow collaborator, Richard Rodney Bennett, on a warm and heartfelt 'I Never went Away'.
As if all this were not enough, for me the bar is further raised on the opening 'Pure Imagination' with the delicate arrangement for strings and horns, and the hushed tones of Claire's vocal brings just the right dreamy quality to the lyric, and Freddie Gavita's trumpet solo threatens to steal the show. Another show stopping solo is heard on what can be considered the album's centrepiece, Cole Porter's 'I Concentrate On You'. This is also the longest track, and again nothing is wasted or superfluous, just pure music and joy. Callum's writing for for piano and strings set things up perfectly for Claire's beautiful vocals extracting every nuance and meaning from the lyric, and then in the middle is a suerb tenor saxophone solo from Nadim Teimoori that is weighted and phrased to perfection.
Surprisingly this is Claire's first Big Band or orchestral recording and she takes full advantage of the opportunity bringing Callum Au's scores to life. It is also hoped that this will be the first of many such projects, and that further collaborations between these two fine artists are in the stars. In the meantime, once heard this is a recording that you will find yourself returning to time and time again.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Stunt Records STUCD 20062
Arrangements - Callum Au
Vocals - Claire Martin
Big Band:
Trumpets - Louis Dowdeswell, Tom Walsh, George Hogg, James Davison; Trombones - Andy Wood, Callum Au, Chris Traves, Barry Clements; Saxophones - Sam Mayne, Simon Marsh,
Paul Booth, Tom Richards, Martin Williams; Piano - Rob Barron; Guitar - Tommy Emmerton; Bass - Jeremy Brown; Drums - Matt Skelton; Percussion James Turner
Orchestra:
Conductor - Mark Nightingale; Violins John Mills* (leader), Jeremy Isaac*, Anna Harpham, Ben Buckton, Charis Jenson, Charles Mutter, Ciaran McCabe, Emma Parker, Everton Nelson, Helena Wood, Gemma Sharples, Katerina Nazarova, Kate Robinson, Lizzie Ball, Marianne Haynes, Maria Spengler, Matt Elston, Natalia Bonner, Nicole Wilson, Patrick Savage, Pete Graham, Ruth Rogers, Thom Gould, Tom Piggott Smith; Violas- Lydia Lowndes-Northcott*, Anna Cooper, Annie Beilby, Ben Newton, Bruce White, Bryony Mycroft, Jonathan Barritt, Kay Stephen, Celli Bozidar Vukotic*, Adrian Bradbury, Frank Schaeffer, James Barralet, Magda Pietraszewska, Rowena Calvert; Basses - Dom Worsley*, Richard Pryce, Laurence Ungless; Woodwind -Karen Jones*, Monica McCarron, Jane Marshall, Howard McGill, Simon Marsh, Jessamy Holder, Peter Long; Horns - Richard Watkins*, Katy Woolley, Corrine Bailey, Matt Gunner; Trombones - Andy Wood*, Matt Lewis, Barry Clements; Tuba Owen Slade; Rhythm: Bass - Laurence Ungless; Drums - Matt Skelton; Percussion - James Turner; Piano & Celesta - Rob Barron; Guitar - Tommy Emmerton; Harp - Hugh Webb
* = principal
Recorded 11-13 February & 20 March, 2019
This is the third album that I have reviewed by Claire Martin in the last twelve months, and what is remarkable is that they all so different and yet have Claire's personality and touch of class stamped all over them. Last year there were two albums, the incredible Believin' It released on Linn Records and in contrast, Bumpin': Celebrating Wes Montgomery on the Copenhagen based Stunt Records, who also releasing this album too.
Songs And Stories is another collaborative project for the vocalist, this time with the talented trombonist and composer/arranger, Callum Au. Having worked with Quincy Jones, Jamie Cullum and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as on London stage shows impressively demonstrates the diversity of his work, but it is his composing and arranging for big bands and large jazz ensembles that set him apart. Unashamedly then, Songs And Stories is straight out of the big band sound of the 1950 but with a contemporary feel that lifts these beautiful songs with Callum's sumptuous arrangements.
Being able to call upon the services of a big band and an orchestra, there are no less than eighty two musicians on the album, along with a selection of some of the greatest jazz standards and American Songbook classics, Callum must have felt like a kid in a sweetshop. The result is an album that ranks among the very best. The arrangements on all eleven tracks are absolutely stunning . Au has taken what is required to make each work for the song and the singer, nothing more and nothing less. Every note and phrase is made to count. As one would expect there are some exhilarating and swinging performances, most notably on 'Let's Get Lost', 'You And The Night And The Music' and 'Hello, Young Lovers!', but it is the slower tempos and ballads that really stand out and allow Claire to put her own mark on these lovely songs. This she does to devastating effect on 'The Folks Who Live On The Hill' with Rob Barron's exquisite piano introduction and accompaniment, and an orchestral arrangement to die for. Equally good is 'Don't Like Goodbyes', and Claire acknowledges with fondness her friend and fellow collaborator, Richard Rodney Bennett, on a warm and heartfelt 'I Never went Away'.
As if all this were not enough, for me the bar is further raised on the opening 'Pure Imagination' with the delicate arrangement for strings and horns, and the hushed tones of Claire's vocal brings just the right dreamy quality to the lyric, and Freddie Gavita's trumpet solo threatens to steal the show. Another show stopping solo is heard on what can be considered the album's centrepiece, Cole Porter's 'I Concentrate On You'. This is also the longest track, and again nothing is wasted or superfluous, just pure music and joy. Callum's writing for for piano and strings set things up perfectly for Claire's beautiful vocals extracting every nuance and meaning from the lyric, and then in the middle is a suerb tenor saxophone solo from Nadim Teimoori that is weighted and phrased to perfection.
Surprisingly this is Claire's first Big Band or orchestral recording and she takes full advantage of the opportunity bringing Callum Au's scores to life. It is also hoped that this will be the first of many such projects, and that further collaborations between these two fine artists are in the stars. In the meantime, once heard this is a recording that you will find yourself returning to time and time again.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
