Search - Stacey Kent :: Dreamsville

Dreamy

Allan Suchinsky | Kensington, MD United States | 03/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first time I heard Stacey Kent sing (Bali Hai on "In Love Again"), I said "where have I been?"



Very few singers are a consistently perfect match for their material and sing strictly within themselves. Kent's material, on disc after disc, is a perfect match for her little girl, soft-cell vocalizing. She never stretches to reach ends that are beyond her, as so many other singers often attempt to do. Plus, her back-up group, as is this set, supports and complements her, and never attempts to overshadow her with "I'm here too" type playing. In this regard, listening to Stacey Kent on this album reminds me of Karrin Allyson, another fine vocalist, whose work on "Ballads, Remembering John Coltrane" was totally overwhelmed by tenorman Bob Berg's obvious attempts to remind listeners that he was there too.



On "Dreamsville," listen to When Your Lover Has Gone, and you will know what Stacey Kent is all about. Also, her version of Polka Dots and Moonbeams is so well done, it will be easy to set aside the notion that this is a "guy" song and that only someone such as Sinatra can get away with singing this Jimmy Van Heuson gem.



For what she does, and how she does it, Stacey Kent is perfection."

Pure and sweet

Rocky Mountain Jazz Fan | Wyoming USA | 01/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is the best of times and worst of times. The first decade of the 21st century may be remembered as a time when some of the most talentless trash was ever produced for popular music--while, at the same time, a new crop of very talented young jazz vocalists came to the forefront. Stacey Kent is one of those talented singers.



First, what Stacey is not. She is not a multi-octave range singer like Sarah Vaughan (of course, Billie Holiday also had a very limited range and still was a "lion"). Stacey's sound is clear, pure, and sweet. Some might say it to be "innocent," but--when she sings of love, or love lost--you just sense that she knows of what she sings.



It doesn't hurt that she has a first-rate band. We Americans have probably heard of none of them, but no matter. They deliver the goods here. Special note should be made of Stacey's husband, Jim Tomlinson. He is an excellent tenor saxophonist of the Lester Young/Ben Webster school. That is, unlike many modern tenor players who tend to "overblow" the instrument, Tomlinson knows how to bring out the romantic sensual tones. In this, he is comparable to one of the few contemporary players who has also figured this out, Scott Hamilton. It sure works here.



There really isn't a bad tune on this album--I would say "Thanks for the Memories" is my least favorite, but it's still OK. For my favorites, I would nominate "Violets for Your Furs," a somewhat forgotten standard and "When Your Lover Has Gone." Now, the latter tune has been done by just about everybody recently, but Stacey still puts her stamp on it, and Tomlinson's solo is wonderful. My favorite on this album, though, is "You Are There," where Stacey sings a single verse, accompanied only by piano. You can just tell that she feels the quiet, but intense emotion of love lost that is in every word that she sings.



This album is a "keeper.""

Enchanting Voice!

Jay Tiger | Boston, MA | 04/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm in my 20s and love jazz/standards. I've never heard a voice like Stacey's... she sounds 'innocent', pure... you just have to hear the samples! My favorites are "I've Got a Crush on You", "Dreamsville", & "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". Wonderful band too!"