Whistle down the wind
Joan Baez
Keywords
Reviews (4)
All about jazz
d. 16. Nov. 2017
By
By
Karl Ackermann
d. 16. Nov. 2017
"During his career, Seal has sold more than thirty-million albums and those who appreciate his popular music legacy are not likely to crave a shift to crooner status. Be that as it may, Annie Lennox and Lady Gaga have successfully taken on standards and Seal is, arguably, a more comfortable fit in this genre. Standards never feels like a pop star cross-over and it would be a welcome treat if Seal chose a follow-up with less ancient material".
AllMusic
2017
By
By
Andy Kellman
2017
"Albums of reworked pop and jazz classics released in November bear warnings of creative resignation and commercial opportunism. Seal, however, evidently entered the historic Capitol Studios and United Recording more delighted than a kid in a candy store who just had his braces removed ... Seal wasn't merely thrown a stack of sheet music and told to crank out the product. It's a treat for fans, as well as the singer, which is part of the appeal".
LondonJazz news
d. 12. Oct. 2017
By
By
Adrian Fry
d. 12. Oct. 2017
"Many have tackled the Great American Songbook, and Seal said of this album: "Recording these timeless tunes was a lifelong dream". While for other artists one might argue that such projects might best have remained a dream, I believe that Standards is a laudable realisation of Seal's ambition and he may well need to make room for another award or two".
Berlingske tidende
d. 28. Nov. 2017
By
By
Kjeld Frandsen
d. 28. Nov. 2017
"Selv om de fleste fortolkninger [af sange fra Den Store Amerikanske Sangbog] - både hvad angår frasering og akkompagnement - er gennemsyret af jazz, har de melodiøse og formfuldendte sange fristet ikke så få sangere uden for jazzens faste stok til at tage en tur i standardland ... Den nu 54-årige britiske soul-sanger Seal (...) lægger ud med »Luck Be a Lady« fra Frank Loessers musical »Guys and Dolls«. Og her glider sangeren efter en pompøs indledning over i det kontante refræn, hvor han - med ledsagelse af et mildt sagt superlækkert og råswingende orkester og med en frisk jazzfrasering - sparker nyt liv i den gamle standard. Wow! ... [Her er] ingen slinger i hverken vals eller nogen som helst anden musikalsk form, hvilket en smuk ballade-udgave af »Autumn Leaves« i høj grad bekræfter. Ligeledes sørger solisten og orkestret for rette styrke og stil i det dramatiske slowrockslagnummer »I Put a Spell on You«, der også byder på flot spil fra mestertrompetisten Till Brönner. Ogsågynger versionen af George Gershwins »They Can't Take That Away From Me« helt suverænt af sted på alle planer".