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Review: Jack Foley
GWYNETH Herbert has rapidly become one of the most talked about
voices on the jazz circuit, thanks to her smooth, sultry vocal
style, and her ability to really inhabit the songs that she sings.
From simple beginnings at Bar Sia, on Wimbledon Broadway, word
quickly spread about her talent, so that when she door-stepped
Peter Wallis, co-runner of the famed jazz joint Soho Pizza Express,
and forced him to listen to her demo CD in his car, he became
immediately smitten.
Wallis didn't merely want Herbert to appear live at his jazz
joint, he wanted to create a CD, and, in October 2003, the duo
released First Songs, which included Herbert/Rutter originals
mingled with covers of songs by Bacharach and David (Trains
& Boats & Planes) and the Gershwin’s (I
Was Doin’ Alright), among other things.
The CD became an instant smash among the jazz fraternity, and
catapulted Herbert into the limelight she seemed born to inhabit.
Now, however, she releases an album of solo work, and the effect
is no-less scorching.
Recorded over the Summer, in west London, it also takes in many
cover versions - but not all from the jazz arena.
Hence, a wider listening base can truly get to hear this major
talent as she applies her voice to contemporary tracks from the
likes of Crowded House and Portishead, as well as dusky favourites
such as Fever, which is given a slightly funkier makeover.
The result is an album that quietly intoxicates, catching you
off-guard with some of its selections, but always surprising you
with the richness of the vocals, and the fresh outlook on several
tracks.
Crowded Houses' Into Temptation, for instance, has long
been a personal favourite of mine when Neil Finn sings it - but
is given a fresh impetus by Herbert.
As is Portishead's Glory Box, which comes stripped of
the gritty beats that made it stand out first time around.
Here, Herbert's voice is given centre stage and she gets to stretch
it quite beautifully, so that the track seems even more painful
and heartfelt than before (if that were possible).
Other highlights include the raspy, wee-hours textures of Tom
Waits’ early Seventies classic, The Heart Of Saturday
Night, which feels vividly atmospheric, and a nicely up-tempo
rendition of A Little Less, with its Jackson 5-ish melody
(and which should have Joss Stone looking over her shoulder).
Herbert is sure to be one of the star attractions of the London
Jazz Festival, and a major player on the jazz circuit for years
to come.
Bittersweet and Blue offers the opportunity to discover
the delights she has to offer at an early stage - and really ought
not to be passed over.
For any fans of jazz, great voices, Norah Jones style huskiness,
or all of the above, it rates among the autumn's must-have collections.
The Guardian wasn't wrong when it hailed this 22-year-old
sensation as 'a remarkably gifted talent'.
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Track listing:
1. Fever
2. (Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night
3. The Very Thought Of You
4. It's Alright With Me
5. Bittersweet and Blue
6. Glory Box
7. Every Time We Say Goodbye
8. Almost Like Being In Love
9. At Seventeen
10. Into Temptation
11. A Little Less
12. Fallen
13. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
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