SARA DOWLING - Two Sides Of Sara
SD 1802
Sara Dowling vocal, Gabriel Latchin piano, (tks 1-7) Bill Mudge Hammond organ, (tks 8-14)
We are blessed in this country to have a number of remarkable world class female jazz vocalists, Liane Carroll, Norma Winstone and Claire Martin easily come to mind, among others. Added to that list now, is surely the wonderful Sara Dowling. A lady of Palestine and Irish decent with a previous resendency at "The Ritz" she has been playing to sell out audiences throughout the UK since the release of her debut album "Shadows Into Light" back in 2015. One high profile jazz commentator recently exclaimed "Something really special happens when Sara is on stage, we have not heard the like since Ella, Billie and Sarah". It is difficult to disagree. For this her second album she is accompanied only by her regular trio pianist Gabriel Latchin and Hammond organ specialist Bill Mudge. Influenced by Oscar Peterson and Barry Harris her pianist who was mentored by US bass giant Christian McBride, is firmly set in the pure jazz tradition as demonstrated on his debut trio album of 2017 "Introducing The Gabriel Latchin Trio". Lymington born Bill Mudge has been part of the London scene since 2011 and has perhaps fallen under the radar of some, but proves to be a total master of his instrument both on this recording and his own trio release "Skylight".
The album itself contains fourteen superb tracks, seven with each accompanist. The choice of material draws on some of the greatest composers and lyricists of the last century or so. Sara has a voice of immaculate diction but at no point ever remotely loses the jazz sensibility. This is immediately demonstrated on the opener, Irving Berlin's "Isn't It a Lovely Day" where new life is brought to this very popular song that originated in the 1935 film Top Hat. Jimmy Dorsey did not write too many compositions but two have become classics, Pennies from Heaven and the superb ballad here, "I'm Glad There Is You" where on this recording every possible emotion is exquisitely squeezed from the lyric alongside an immaculate piano accompaniment. Sara shows just how wide her vocal range can be in a sprightly up tempo version of the Matt Dennis, Tom Adair composition "Will You Still Be Mine" which also provides the platform for a fine piano interlude. Every track is a highlight on the piano section of this recording, but if one does stand out it must be "Some Other Time" from the Bernstein musical On The Town where the sheer profound pathos of Betty Comden's lyric is given it's full deserved reign.
The second half of the disc, with organ accompaniment is by definition a more muscular sequence and has equal impact to the first. The first cut "You Turned The Tables on Me" is a very relaxed affair with a fine organ solo splitting the vocal choruses in a style very reminiscent of Anita O'Day's nineteen fifties version. It has always been said that Mel Torme, for good reason owns Rogers and Harts "Mountain Greenery" . However Sara's version is a sheer delight with numerous changes of tempo handled expertly over low key chordings and stands up well alongside the Velvet Fog's original. Hammond and voice are in total harmony on "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry" a piece written by Sammy Kahn with Jule Styne back in 1944. The delivery here is again at a very slow tempo with great story telling qualities over a majestic and at times churchy background. There is a quiet melodic authority to "Miss Brown" a song which is often delivered in a tearaway up beat fashion. Here there is a liberal dose of scat vocal which is both subtle and assured. The disc closes with the old New Orleans standard "When it's Sleepy Time Down South". A song favoured throughout his career by Louis Armstrong. It's an excellent way to finish as Sara makes it her very own with yet another performance of class and restraint.
In summary this is a very high class album of fourteen superb jazz vocals with two contrasting keyboard players fully in tune with the vocalist. Sara is now a real force of nature within Uk jazz with surely a great future ahead of her. You can buy the recording and learn a lot more about the artist at saradowling.co.uk which also lists no less than thirty gigs on her upcoming schedule.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
SD 1802
Sara Dowling vocal, Gabriel Latchin piano, (tks 1-7) Bill Mudge Hammond organ, (tks 8-14)
We are blessed in this country to have a number of remarkable world class female jazz vocalists, Liane Carroll, Norma Winstone and Claire Martin easily come to mind, among others. Added to that list now, is surely the wonderful Sara Dowling. A lady of Palestine and Irish decent with a previous resendency at "The Ritz" she has been playing to sell out audiences throughout the UK since the release of her debut album "Shadows Into Light" back in 2015. One high profile jazz commentator recently exclaimed "Something really special happens when Sara is on stage, we have not heard the like since Ella, Billie and Sarah". It is difficult to disagree. For this her second album she is accompanied only by her regular trio pianist Gabriel Latchin and Hammond organ specialist Bill Mudge. Influenced by Oscar Peterson and Barry Harris her pianist who was mentored by US bass giant Christian McBride, is firmly set in the pure jazz tradition as demonstrated on his debut trio album of 2017 "Introducing The Gabriel Latchin Trio". Lymington born Bill Mudge has been part of the London scene since 2011 and has perhaps fallen under the radar of some, but proves to be a total master of his instrument both on this recording and his own trio release "Skylight".
The album itself contains fourteen superb tracks, seven with each accompanist. The choice of material draws on some of the greatest composers and lyricists of the last century or so. Sara has a voice of immaculate diction but at no point ever remotely loses the jazz sensibility. This is immediately demonstrated on the opener, Irving Berlin's "Isn't It a Lovely Day" where new life is brought to this very popular song that originated in the 1935 film Top Hat. Jimmy Dorsey did not write too many compositions but two have become classics, Pennies from Heaven and the superb ballad here, "I'm Glad There Is You" where on this recording every possible emotion is exquisitely squeezed from the lyric alongside an immaculate piano accompaniment. Sara shows just how wide her vocal range can be in a sprightly up tempo version of the Matt Dennis, Tom Adair composition "Will You Still Be Mine" which also provides the platform for a fine piano interlude. Every track is a highlight on the piano section of this recording, but if one does stand out it must be "Some Other Time" from the Bernstein musical On The Town where the sheer profound pathos of Betty Comden's lyric is given it's full deserved reign.
The second half of the disc, with organ accompaniment is by definition a more muscular sequence and has equal impact to the first. The first cut "You Turned The Tables on Me" is a very relaxed affair with a fine organ solo splitting the vocal choruses in a style very reminiscent of Anita O'Day's nineteen fifties version. It has always been said that Mel Torme, for good reason owns Rogers and Harts "Mountain Greenery" . However Sara's version is a sheer delight with numerous changes of tempo handled expertly over low key chordings and stands up well alongside the Velvet Fog's original. Hammond and voice are in total harmony on "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry" a piece written by Sammy Kahn with Jule Styne back in 1944. The delivery here is again at a very slow tempo with great story telling qualities over a majestic and at times churchy background. There is a quiet melodic authority to "Miss Brown" a song which is often delivered in a tearaway up beat fashion. Here there is a liberal dose of scat vocal which is both subtle and assured. The disc closes with the old New Orleans standard "When it's Sleepy Time Down South". A song favoured throughout his career by Louis Armstrong. It's an excellent way to finish as Sara makes it her very own with yet another performance of class and restraint.
In summary this is a very high class album of fourteen superb jazz vocals with two contrasting keyboard players fully in tune with the vocalist. Sara is now a real force of nature within Uk jazz with surely a great future ahead of her. You can buy the recording and learn a lot more about the artist at saradowling.co.uk which also lists no less than thirty gigs on her upcoming schedule.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
