MADELEINE PEYROUX - Secular Hymns
Impulse Records
Madeline Peyroux (vcl) John Herrington (gtr's) Barak Mori (bs)
At the age of fifteen Madeline Peyroux was living among the street musicians in the Latin Quarter of Paris. By twenty two she had been "discovered" and recorded the highly successful and critically acclaimed album "Dreamland". Although compared to Billie Holiday by some, she became a very shadowy figure spending a further six years busking around Europe before returning to the recording studio and concert circuit. Over the past twenty years she has released a further six albums covering a wide range of jazz tinged styles, receiving further acclaim but still flits in and out of the music industry at will.
For this project she was working with the ex Steely Dan guitarist Jon Herington and the renowned New York bass man Barak Mori. The unusual venue for the recording session of a 12th century church in the Oxfordshire countryside which with it's high vaulted wooden ceiling gives a unique sound, highly compatible with the music on offer. As the album title suggests these well chosen songs, from some of the most forward thinking lyricists and composers, are hymn like as well as being delivered in the highly personal way associated with this artist throughout her career. Both guitar and bass play a full part in the intimate minimalist style conveyed by the trio. The overall mode of the album is more Country Blues than Jazz from the mellow reflection of "Hard Times Come Again No More" to Allen Toussaint's low key "Every Thing I Do Gonna' Be Funky" but every single track is highly absorbing in it's own way. Tom Waits, contributes one of his many fine story telling lyrics on "Tango Till They're Sore", whilst the Willie Dixon classic "If The Sea Was Whiskey" is a further album highlight.
Overall this is a listening experience of the highest quality, the content of which is bound to play a significant part in the singer's forthcoming performance at The London Jazz Festival.
See also www.madeleinepeyroux.com
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Impulse Records
Madeline Peyroux (vcl) John Herrington (gtr's) Barak Mori (bs)
At the age of fifteen Madeline Peyroux was living among the street musicians in the Latin Quarter of Paris. By twenty two she had been "discovered" and recorded the highly successful and critically acclaimed album "Dreamland". Although compared to Billie Holiday by some, she became a very shadowy figure spending a further six years busking around Europe before returning to the recording studio and concert circuit. Over the past twenty years she has released a further six albums covering a wide range of jazz tinged styles, receiving further acclaim but still flits in and out of the music industry at will.
For this project she was working with the ex Steely Dan guitarist Jon Herington and the renowned New York bass man Barak Mori. The unusual venue for the recording session of a 12th century church in the Oxfordshire countryside which with it's high vaulted wooden ceiling gives a unique sound, highly compatible with the music on offer. As the album title suggests these well chosen songs, from some of the most forward thinking lyricists and composers, are hymn like as well as being delivered in the highly personal way associated with this artist throughout her career. Both guitar and bass play a full part in the intimate minimalist style conveyed by the trio. The overall mode of the album is more Country Blues than Jazz from the mellow reflection of "Hard Times Come Again No More" to Allen Toussaint's low key "Every Thing I Do Gonna' Be Funky" but every single track is highly absorbing in it's own way. Tom Waits, contributes one of his many fine story telling lyrics on "Tango Till They're Sore", whilst the Willie Dixon classic "If The Sea Was Whiskey" is a further album highlight.
Overall this is a listening experience of the highest quality, the content of which is bound to play a significant part in the singer's forthcoming performance at The London Jazz Festival.
See also www.madeleinepeyroux.com
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
