Holding Back the Years
There's always something unearthly about hearing Jimmy Scott, the jazz ballad singer whose startlingly high voice stands in marked contrast to the deep baritones, likeBilly EckstineandJohnny Hartman, who largely defined the art. The material here may come as a surprise, too, drawing on the rock era for songs byJohn Lennon,Bryan Ferry,Prince, andSimply Red's Mick Hucknall, whose work has rarely, if ever, appeared in a jazz context. It's a refreshing change to hear a senior jazz singer breaking with the standard repertoire and to hear these tunes accompanied by an acoustic rhythm section, with occasional touches of strings and muted trumpet. Scott's eerily plaintive voice brings a different poignancy to the gospel-tinged "Jealous Guy" and "Nothing Compares 2 U." This may be novel, but it's also substantial.--Stuart Broomer