Search - Cleo Laine :: Jazz

Some of the world's great jazz musicians join Laine in fine

Mary Whipple | New England | 10/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here Cleo Laine shares the stage and the recording studio with great jazz musicians, including Gerry Mulligan. Tracks range from slow, moody, and melancholy tunes, such as "My One and Only Love" and "Won't You Tell Me Why," to exciting, upbeat, jazzy numbers, such as "Just a Sittin' and a Rockin'," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "St Louis Blues," and "You Can Always Count on Me." Laine and the musicians concentrate here on the total effect, giving new interpretations and presenting wonderfully coordinated arrangements.



With her strong alto voice, Laine ranges to the heights when the mood strikes, frequently so in sync with the sax (by Gerry Mulligan, Jane Ira Bloom, or Laine's husband and producer, John Dankworth) that one has to listen carefully to hear the voice within the timbre of the solo instrument. Unusually long tracks, about 5 minutes, on average, give Laine and the instrumentalists ample opportunity for solos and star turns. With Mulligan, Clark Terry on trumpet, Toots Thielemans on jazz harmonica, Mark Whifield on guitar, and Jane Ira Bloom on soprano sax, Laine directs traffic in the solos, taking advantage of the varied skills which these outstanding artists bring to this jazz collection.



The CD starts with generally slower, more contemplative songs, working through swingy numbers to wild and wailing jazz, with improvisations. In "It Don't Mean a Thing," with Larry Koonse on guitar, John Campbell on piano, and Jim Zimmerman on drums, Laine and the instrumentalists go wild with the rhythm and spirit of the song. "Bluesette," with its wonderful jazz harmonica solo by Toots Thielemans, and Mike Renzi on piano, is upbeat and jazzy, with improvised vocals and a strong, wonderfully coordinated beat.



In "Midnight Sun," Laine frees herself from the timing and expectations of most versions of this song, and, with Gerry Mulligan on sax and Renzi on piano offering encouragement, she captures the mystery and excitement of this Lionel Hampton tune. "St. Louis Blues," one of my favorites, is the most improvisational track as Laine soars into her highest register and wails. The grand finale is "You Can Always Count on Me," upbeat, swingy, and vampy, perhaps Laine's strongest song.



Beautifully coordinated and exquisitely paced, these tracks range from Laine's deepest to highest registers, the musicians always in sync, always thinking of the total picture, and always complementing each other. A wonderful CD for Laine, this is also a tribute to the ability of her musicians to think as an ensemble, working together for maximum effect. n Mary Whipple

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