Trudy Kerr & Ingrid James

Reunion

Jazzizit Records (JITCD1054)

Expatriate Australian singer Trudy Kerr has long been a very welcome presence on the UK jazz scene. She has recorded a string of fine albums for the Jazzizit label which she runs in conjunction with her partner the bassist Geoff Gascoyne and saxophonist/studio owner/recording engineer Derek Nash.

“Reunion” teams Kerr with fellow singer and fellow Australian Ingrid James. The two vocalists had sung together in Australia some twenty years ago and whilst Kerr has been carving out a successful career in the UK Queensland based James has been doing much the same in Australia and New Zealand. 

“Reunion” was recorded over an intense two day period in July 2009 when James was visiting England. The idea had been sown some months earlier and the new Skype technology had even allowed the singers to rehearse together whilst living on different continents. Apart from Kerr and James the album features an all star cast of Gascoyne on bass, Tom Cawley on piano and Sebastiaan de Krom at the drums. It was recorded to the usual high technical standards at Derek Nash’s Clowns Pocket Studio with Nash and Gascoyne sharing the engineering and production duties.

As you’d expect from this line up it’s a typically classy affair with the two singers a genuine double act, sometimes trading vocal lines, at others singing sweetly in unison. The accomplished and intriguing arrangements are mostly by Geoff Gascoyne and the material covers a broad sweep of the jazz spectrum, a smattering of pop tunes and the alternative Australian national anthem “Waltzing Matilda”.

Kerr’s informative liner notes shed light on the provenance of many of the arrangements. The album begins in lively fashion with “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big” inspired by vocalist John Hendricks’ version of Steve Allen’s tune. Kerr in the right channel and James in the left playfully exchange lyric phrases, their voices sometimes coalescing on what were the horn lines in the Hendricks version. Cawley, Gascoyne and de Krom swing effortlessly and the whole thing is infused with a sense of joyousness. Great fun.

Both Kerr and James are huge fans of songwriter Bob Dorough. “Baby You Should Know It” features hipster style lyrics in a vocal arrangement by Kerr. Cawley sparkles with a pithy piano solo   and Gascoyne also features strongly, soloing briefly and otherwise driving the piece with his insistent walking bass.

James brought Chick Corea’s “You’re Everything” to the session. With lyrics by Neville Potter the tune originally featured on Corea’s Latin flavoured 1973 album “Light As A Feather” made with the original Return To Forever featuring Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim. Gascoyne’s waltz time arrangement brings a new feeling to the song with Cawley again shining alongside the two vocalists.

“Soft Shoe” is a piece of Kerr vocalese based on an old Gerry Mulligan tune. The lyrics are about-no prizes for guessing here-shoes. Well what else would you expect when two women get together?
There’s also some scat vocalising and the piece fits in nicely with the relaxed, playful vibe that permeates most of the album.

Kerr also adapts Bud Powell’s “Un Poco Loco” to come up with “A Little Crazy”, the sometimes dark lyrics offset by the exuberant playing of Powell’s famous melody.

Ann Hampton Callaway’s “Finding Beauty” is a sophisticated pop tune written by the versatile American singer and songwriter. It’s given a typically classy treatment by both singers and the band but it’s a little too saccharine for my tastes.

More to my liking is “When My Anger Starts To Cry” a melancholic, psychologically informed ballad by the Norwegian group Beady Belle. Both singers are fans of the band but it was Gascoyne’s idea to bring the tune to the album. Kerr and James’ interpretation of Nordic angst works well and helps to give the album a degree of emotional depth.

Neal Hefti’s “Girl Talk” seems to be an increasingly popular vehicle for jazzers. I’ve always hated its casual sexism so I’m not quite sure what to make of this. Have Kerr and James reclaimed the song are they just surrendering to sexual stereotyping? Maybe I’m taking it all too seriously, the   music itself-singing, playing and arrangement-is excellent and deserves to be enjoyed on its own merits.

No such qualms about the pared down, gospel influenced arrangement of Carol King’s “Way Over Yonder/So Far Away”. King is another composer that contemporary jazz artists seem to be turning to in increasing numbers, Kerr and James version of King’s tune which originally appeared on the “Tapestry” album appears shortly after singer Christine Tobin and pianist Liam Noble’s reworking of the entire album.

Ingrid James brought the song “Cry No More” to the album. The tune began life as “Canto de Ossanha” by the Brazilian songwriter Baden Powell. Given insightful lyrics by Australian singer Diane Clark this is ultimately uplifting, life affirming music with assured vocal performances and another strong contribution from the excellent Cawley and his colleagues.   

“Dancing On The Ceiling” is a Rogers and Hart standard with a new lyric by Georgie Fame that brings a sense of fun back to the proceedings. Cawley and Gascoyne impress instrumentally with de Krom providing understated swinging support as ever.

The two singers and the trio turn in a beautiful performance on “Art Deco”, a wonderful song with lyrics by the great Sheila Jordan and music by Don Cherry. A pioneer of vocalese Jordan has clearly had a major influence on Kerr and many other contemporary jazz vocalists.

To close what else but “Waltzing Matilda” here re-harmonised by Simon Purcell and with a vocal arrangement by Gascoyne. It’s a much slowed down version for piano and voices only, I was half expecting Tom Waits’ gravelled tones to join with the girls at any minute. If memory serves they miss a verse out, the bit where the swagman jumps in the billabong, preferring to die rather than surrender to the state troopers. Obviously this was a conscious decision and it would be interesting to learn of the reasoning behind it. In any event the song is sung with beauty and feeling by both women with Cawley providing suitably sympathetic accompaniment.

Jazz vocal duo albums are pretty rare and this is, as always a classy offering from Kerr and her colleagues. It’s also unusual to find two duetting singers who sound so similar when so many vocal pairings go for the “chalk and cheese” approach. Kerr and James come from similar musical and cultural backgrounds and have many shared influences. They obviously have great respect for each other’s abilities and this is reflected in their work, a partnership of equals where nobody gets in each other’s way. Cawley, Gascoyne and de Krom are superb throughout, sympathetic and supportive, always adding but never imposing. There are some neat instrumental solos and cameos, notably from Cawley, but really this album is all about the singing and the songs. There’s nothing radically different here but “Reunion” is a sophisticated package that is likely to attract healthy audience numbers for the duo’s forthcoming UK tour. Having already toured the album around Australia Kerr and James should be in fine voice. Their UK itinerary is listed below; 
     
Trudy Kerr & Ingrid James
?UK Reunion Tour Dates
(September/October 2010)
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Sat 25th Sept? 9 pm ?? ? ? ?
Maritime Jazz Festival, Chatham
Britannia Theatre Dickens World
http://www.maritimejazzfestival.co.uk
(Trudy and Ingrid perform with the house band)

Sun 26th Sept? 1 pm
Jagz at Ascot, Station Hill Ascot?
Tim Lapthorn, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
http://www.jagz.co.uk

Sun 26th Sept? 8 pm ?? ? ??
Hawth Theatre, Crawley?
Barry Green, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
https://tickets.hawth.co.uk/public/

Tues 28th Sept? 9 pm ?? ? ? ?
Live session BBC Radio Southern Counties Jazz Hour
Trudy and Ingrid perform live and chat with Roger Day

Wed 29th Sept? 8.30 pm
The Woodman, Goathurst Common, Ide Hill, Sevenoakds
Robin Aspland, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom Dick Pearce
http://www.thewoodman-idehill.co.uk

Thu 30th Sept? 8.30 pm ?? ?? ? ? ?
Grimsby Jazz, Stamford Club, Clee Road, Grimsby?
Robin Aspland, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
http://www.grimsbyjazz.com?

Fri 1st Oct? 8.30 pm
The Fleece, Stoke by Nayland Club, Colchester - 8pm
Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
http://www.dovbear.co.uk/fleece

Sat 2nd Oct ? ? ? 8pm ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Wooburn Festival, Jazz Supper Curzon Centre, Beaconsfield?
Robin Aspland, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom, Dick Pearce
http://www.wooburn.com/Web/jazz.htm

Sunday 3rd Oct? 8pm
CD LAUNCH
Pizza Express, Dean St, Soho,London
Robin Asplan, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
http://www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk/

Tuesday 5th Oct 8pm
Lord Rookwood, Leytonstone, London?
314 Cann Hall Road - E113NW
Robin Aspland, Geoff Gascoyne, Clive Fenner

Thursday 7th Oct 8.30 pm
Harri’s Jazz Club in Shepperton?
Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom, Derek Nash
http://www.harrisjazz.com

Fri 8th Oct ?8.30 pm
Poole Jazz Cafe, Shore Road, Sandbanks, Poole
Trudy and Ingrid perform with Ray D’Inverno’s Band
http://www.jazzyscafe.co.uk

Saturday 9th Oct 10 - 5 pm
Jazz Singers Workshop/Masterclass ?with Trudy and Ingrid
606 Jazz Club, 90 Lots Road, Chelsea, London
For Bookings: ?trudyannkerr@mac.com

Saturday 9th Oct ?9pm
606 Jazz Club, Chelsea Ingrid and Trudy perform with
the Geoff Gascoyne Band?
http://www.606club.co.uk

Sunday 10th Oct 8pm ?
Lichfield Arts, Lichfield?
Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne, Seb de Krom
http://www.lichfieldarts.org.uk??box office 01543-262223
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Dec ?7th Dec ?Southampton jazz Club, featuring Dick Pearce ?Southampton ?8pm
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