Search - McDermott, Ronnie Scott :: Crossing Bridge

An album that grows on you

Nick Bishop | U.K. | 08/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There are some albums you listen to a lot in the first few months and then tire. This one is the opposite. I have had this album about 7 years and it wasn't until it got onto my PC and tracks started turning up on random play that I really started to realise how good it is.



It is crossover music being recorded with both a jazz ensemble and the London Symphony Orchestra. The crossover genre (if it is one genre) has always attracted me since it is a pathway from pop to jazz to classical to world music to ...



The tracks cover a range of positions on the spectrum from Symphonic through big band swing to intimate (modern) jazz solos. Though most often heard accompanying his wife, Dame Cleo Laine, the consistent high quality of both composition and arrangement here has lead me to hold Dankworth himself in high regard.



Rather a lot of composers have had a bash at variations on a theme by Paganini but Dankworth's is up there with the best, which considering this includes Liszt, Brahms and Rachmaninov....!



The weak spots for me are the easy listening tracks such as "every time we say goodbye" and "the shadow of your smile". There is nothing wrong with these tracks it is just there are other versions that I prefer.



On the other hand, Afterglow and Sing Sing Sing are Dankworth originals which deserve to be standards. There is also humour in the form of the Three Blind Mice variations which is musically superb and illustrates Dankworth's versatility.



If you are looking to broaden your musical interests or just mining for undiscovered nuggets then this album has plenty to offer."