The Changing Lights

Stacey Kent

Regular: £47.99

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Cat No: PPAN17529

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Release Date: 01 August 2014

Label: Pure Pleasure Records

Packaging Type: Gate Fold Vinyl

No of Units: 2

Barcode: 5060149621998

Genres: Jazz Vocal Jazz

Description
Ray Staff at Air Mastering Studios.

Stacey Kent's 'The Changing Lights' again demonstrates her vocal mastery. The immaculate intonation, timing and diction are flawless to the point of sheer purity. Her voice becomes an instrument with impeccable clarity and minimal vibrato. The album's musical focus is Brazilian, mixing classics with originals, while switching smoothly between English, Portuguese and French.

There are covers of Bossa Nova numbers from Tom Jobim, Roberto Menescal, Marcos Valle and others. Highlights include Jobim's How Insensitive, which is quietly and intensely melancholic, whilst the Jobim classic, One Note Samba, is given a cheeky up-tempo treatment. It is a difficult number to handle at such pace with the short-spaced, almost staccato notes. Stacey effortlessly takes the scale runs in her stride. Roberto Menescal's O Barquinho is given a fresh arrangement and is performed by the composer himself on guitar.

Six originals by Jim Tomlinson make up the rest of the album, three written with novelist and lyricist, Kazuo Ishiguro; the sublime title song, The Changing Lights, The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain, a story gracefully sung by Ms Kent and Waiter, Oh Waiter, a neat and jaunty request for help in choosing from a French menu. Two songs in Portuguese, Mais Uma Vez and A Tarde, written with poet, Antonio Ladeira, and Chanson Légère, written with Bernie Beaupère, who penned the title track to Stacey's Raconte-Moi, add yet more flavours to the album. The arrangements and accompaniment of producer and husband, Jim Tomlinson are outstanding. The rhythm section is wonderfully subtle with praise for the percussionists, Josh Morrison and Matt Home, pianist Graham Harvey, bassist, Jeremy Brown and the guitarists, Roberto Menescal and John Parricelli. However, 'The Changing Lights' is Stacey Kent's record first and foremost; impressive and top class.
Tracklisting