Customer Reviews

Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Stacey Kent's third release is a triumph! In fact, it's even better than The Tender Trap, which I hardly thought possible. I just received this last week and have listened to it over and over and it sounds better with each listen. Not only is she the best vocalist to a come along in a long, long time, but her band is equally superb. This collection is made up of songs made famous in Fred Astaire movies and it's a wonderful collection. Her voice is upbeat and swinging on the fast numbers and sweet and romantic on the slower ones. She reminds me of a young Doris Day. I paid twice the price to get this imported CD and it's worth every penny. It's funny, I feel like I've made some incredible discovery that the world has yet to hear. And it's like being in love. You want the whole world to know.

This third CD from Stacey Kent covers songs performed by Fred Astaire. This presents an interesting analogy. Fred Astaire, as a dancer, was far more about "feel" or "class" than he was about technique (although he obviously had that too). What made him such a wonderful dancer was his ability to make the dance seem effortless and flowing, when in reality if any of us (in the 'audience') tried the same movement we'd most likely be involuntarily rearranging the furniture with our clumsiness. In his best dancing, he worked within the song and within the choreography, expressing something simple and elegant, without overemphasizing or showing off what he could do. He just flowed. Stacey Kent is much the same way even at this early stage in her career. I've sat for hours trying to analyze why I like her so much, and I gave up. Sure, she's got a wonderfully clear and well pitched voice. And yes, she has great phrasing and doesn't feel a need to show off with vocal pyrotechnics. But I think the key to it all is what she does so bloody well is just sing the dang song, to the point that you no longer care about the technical aspects of it and just listen and FEEL the song. I should change that and say her and her band just play the song, and as Astaire flowed, they flow, and you are along for the journey. Her sidemen, including her husband Jim Tomlinson on sax and clarinet, and especially the insanely talented David Newton on piano, just "know" where to be, when, and how, without ever calling attention to themselves in any sort of manner. When it's time to solo, the solos patiently support the music, and aren't ego driven exercises in excess. David Newtons work particularly is reason enough to buy this CD. His ability to play a piece and then go off on some incredible venture supports, almost defines actually, the musical, classy feel of this CD. There are a lot of singers with good bands singing standards. And I'll probably buy some of them. What sets Stacey apart from the crowd is that with her work, everybody and everything is on that same proverbial (but rarely achieved) page. Thus the song + vocalist + band all add up to become greater than any of the individual elements, yet what is so downright scary is that the songs, vocalist, and band all taken seperately all can easily stand excellently on their own. But together, we're talking about rare magic. On a good system, this nicely recorded CD will make you believe you're sitting in a small cozy nightclub, Remy Martin XO in your glass, listening to Stacey whisper "One for My Baby", " 'S Wonderful", or swing out on "I Won't Dance", "Let Yourself Go" (my four favorites), or any of the other great cuts on this CD. Those critics who wish to analyze and break down the music or technique here might be best to look for something else. Stacey Kent is for enjoying and listening to music of her chosen era, the standard 'American' Songbook. If these types of songs and this musical (versus analytical) approach is your kind of thing, this CD is way highly recommeneded. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. One of the best things I've ever purchased in well over a decade.

The concept of compiling the greatest songs of the career of film legend Fred Astaire is one that has lent itself amazingly well to Stacey Kent, who turns out 13 winning takes on some of the most memorable songs from Hollywood's golden years. Kent has a unique, pseudo-vibrato singing style that soars above yet blends perfectly with the complex arrangements on "Let Yourself Go." One of the album's most admirable traits is putting the focus on the musicians, among them Kent's saxophonist husband, as much as it does on Kent's fantastic voice. While hard to single out a highlight, Kent's smoldering take on what is, in my opinion, the best Gershwin song ever written, "They Can't Take That Away," something that simply must be heard to truly be appreciated. Kent somehow inhabits the personality of every single one of these songs, from a bubbly and lithe spirit on "Shall We Dance?" to a comtemplative, confident loner on "By Myself." However, it's her peformance on "Take" that proves once and for all that Kent is, in fact, the real deal. The heartache that comes through in her vocals is something that cannot be fabricated, and the very belief that the memories Ira Gershwin vowed to hold on to many years ago will indeed stay is very much intact on this song. Other highlights include a positively finger-snapping "I Won't Dance," a terrific version of "One For My Baby," and a bossa nova "S'Wonderful" that is right up there with Diana Krall's recent rendition as the best since Julie London's whimsical one-and-a-half minute performance nearly forty years ago. An absolute must for any jazz fan nostalgic for the heyday of Ella, Sarah, Billie, and Peggy, as well as for a rainy day.

The first time I heard of Stacey Kent, I was half-listening to NPR in the morning, and they did a short feature on her and the album "Let Yourself Go." I heard snippets of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and "'S Wonderful." I was impressed and I tried, unsuccessfully, to find her in local stores. Then I came to college, and the college library had the album. I listened to it while doing calculus and was thrilled, by Stacey Kent that is, not the math. She sings the story and not just the song. She sounds as if she is feeling all the emotions in the songs, whether they be sorrow, wistfulness, or carefree abandon. Each song on this album is worth five stars, but my favorites are the two that I originally heard on the radio, "Isn't This A Lovely Day," and "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket." Don't miss out on this album just because you think you don't like jazz. My friend says she doesn't like jazz but she likes Stacey Kent. So don't think genre, think darn good music.

Stacey Kent's third CD is her best yet, another wonderful mix of pop standards, ranging from bouncy tunes like "I Won't Dance" to melancholy numbers like "One for My Baby," all performed to perfection. Once again I'm amazed at how Ms. Kent is able to make it seem as though each of these very different songs was written for her to perform. She can sing soft and sweet, but she can also sing with a bit of an edge. As always, she is ably supported by a fine ensemble featuring her husband, Jim Tomlinson, on saxophone. To paraphrase an old Alka-Seltzer commercial: Buy it, you'll love it.

Stacey Kent has managed to produce the goods once again with this offering which is the best so far. Her vocal qualities are more refined than on her previous albums and her phrasing is on a par with Sinatra himself! What's more, the CD radiates with that 'warm feeling' and gives you more than a glimpse of what she is like live.

Few contemporary vocalists interpret standards with new delight while keeping the original glory in tact. Stacey's voice is clear and warm; and unlike many recordings, the instrumentals accent the vocals instead of compete against them. Between Noah Jones, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, and Stacey Kent, I enjoy Stacey Kent the most.

I have been waiting for the release of this latest album. Stacey sings such beautiful songs with such a sweet purity and the Fred Astaire repertoire is perfectly delivered by her. I cannot get enough of her recordings and guess I'll be waiting for the next one!

According to the liner notes written by Stacey, as a child she used to imagine herself in place of Ginger Rogers. Stacey shows her obvious enthusiasm for, and familiarity with, Fred's music in this, her third album. It is unusual for a singer to pay tribute to an artist from the thirties and forties, as tribute albums devoted to that era usually focus on the composer, but this is a brilliant album.

Stacey chose mostly well-known songs including such classics as Let yourself go, They can't take that away from me, Isn't this a lovely day, S'wonderful and A fine romance. Of course, Fred had many more classic songs that Stacey didn't include (such as Putting on the Ritz, The continental, Cheek to cheek, Fascinating rhythm, Nice work if you can get it, Night and day), but the thirteen songs chosen offer a good representation. Irving Berlin composed three of the songs here, while there are five by George and Ira Gershwin. Between them, those three men were responsible for the majority of Fred's classics so it is no surprise to find they have the majority here. All the songs here suit Stacey's style perfectly, and all are suitably updated for modern listeners while respecting tradition.

The musicianship is, as always on a Stacey Kent album, outstanding. If you are a jazz vocal fan or a Fred Astaire fan, or you are simply wondering what made Fred legendary, this is just for you.

It is a rare thing to find an album these days that is an absolute 10 out of 10 from cover to cover. Run, don't walk and buy this album. You will wonder where Stacy Kent has been hiding all of her life. Her voice ranks up with the all time greats, Billy Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lina Horn and so on. Her creative interpertation is excellent. She performs a wonderful variation on some great classic songs, mostly written by Gershwin. This album will appeal to all ages, both young and old. My 63 year old father loves it. So does my 6 year old son. It's an underground classic. You will not be dissapointed.