Face the music
Sinne Eeg
Keywords
Reviews (2)
All about jazz
d. 15. Sep. 2013
By
By
C. Michael Bailey
d. 15. Sep. 2013
"Schrire's voice is punctilious. Think of Ivory soap: clean and unscented by anything artificial - genuine. The same can be said of her composing. She is not looking to show off with technical fireworks; she is showing off with the unseen and unheard: grace, class and a certain élan. Organically speaking, her instrument is that special gift that is readily recognized as finely tuned and superior, without knowing why. Schrire favors older material for her standards performance. "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You" and Berlin's "Say It Isn't So," not to mention Gershwin's "Watch," echo from the jazz age and before. Then Schrire sings George Harrison and something as fine as her title piece and anyone trying to pigeonhole this vocalist has lost the critical battle before it has started. Schrire's support - pianists Fabian Almazan, Gerald Clayton and Gil Goldstein - each rise to the occasion, following the direction of Schrire, who keeps everything basic and uncluttered. Thisismusic for the soundtrack of life: joy, peace and hope".
LondonJazz news
d. 11. Sep. 2013
By
By
Sebastian Scotney
d. 11. Sep. 2013
"Nicky Schrire, the South African/British vocalist, now lives in New York, which is where this concise album of twelve songs was recorded. The subtitle of this well thought-through, executed, and produced second album is modest, direct, and all in lower case: "songs for voice and piano". She has chosen twelve songs for the intimate duo setting, of which five are originals. The album has been produced by Matt Pierson, who is known for producing records of Diana Krall, Brad Mehldau, and Joshua Redman ... There are clever twists, perhaps above all the idea to work with - and on the album to rotate after every track - three very different pianists (...), a recipe for great variety. The most surprising and joyously anarchic of the pianists is Fabian Almazan ... The final track [has] some well-conceived voice multi-tracking. That title song "Space and Time" is ear-wormish, with its irresistible rising major sixth at the start of the tune".