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Close Your Eyes

Stacey Kent (Artist) | Format: Audio CD
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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People seem to get hooked on Stacey Kent. She's not so much an acquired taste as someone who takes command of the listener. An American who lives in Britain, she has her own jazz style but has obviously absorbed the work of all the other singers from Billie Holiday to Frank Sinatra and back again. Unusually--for she is quite young--she interprets the great songbook in the terms of the swing era. But she has all the technical sophistication of contemporary singers, and the total of her talents in various directions makes her one of the most enticing singers of the day. The delicacy of her taste leads her to little- known gems of the Broadway writer's art and, although there are unhackneyed standards from Porter and Kern in this collection, there are also beautiful pieces like "There's A Lull In My Life" and "Sleep Warm". She works regularly with the members of the backing group here and they include pianist Dave Newton, the remarkable drummer Steve Brown, and Kent's husband, Jim Tomlinson, a tenor player of Getz-like proportion. --Steve Voce

Review

... Her instrument is girlish but strong, plaintive but warm. It's the kind of voice you'd like to get to know better. With a great selection of standards, a tasty quintet of British sidemen, and a voice to stimulate daydreams, Stacey Kent turns in one of the finest vocal debuts in years. She's got that certain intangible that separates Nat "King" Cole from brother Freddy and Frank Sinatra from Frank Jr. That's not to say Kent is in league with the legends but she's got some of the important ingredients: namely, style and swing (not to mention perfect pitch). Listen to her timing on the uptempo numbers such as "I'm Old Fashioned" or "It's Delovely." Check out her unadorned honesty on a ballad ("You Go to My Head"). She's in complete and delightful control and the listener is in for an enchanting spell. -- Jonathan Eig -- JAZZIZ , November 1997

When a seasoned commentator such as Humphrey Lyttelton describes a singer's voice as "strong and clear", with the "invigorating tang of Vermouth" and talks about the first bars of her opening song "quivering with electricity," it is only sensible to sit up and take notice. Stacey Kent, New York-raised but now resident in the UK, more than justifies such praise. Backed by a supremely sympathetic band, including David Newton on piano and Jim Tomlinson on tenor, she is at her best on the confessional ballad, where her extraordinary fluttering vibrato imbues everything she sings with affecting poignancy. But she is clearly thoroughly at home, too, with the popular songbook, and her debut album demands to be heard by anyone who relishes great songs beautifully sung. CP -- JAZZWISE MAGZINE, CD OF THE MONTH, June 1997
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5.0 out of 5 stars
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5.0 out of 5 stars Quality debut from a brilliant jazz singer Dec 23 2003
By Peter Durward Harris TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Stacey was born and raised in New York but moved to London and it was there that she embarked on a career as a jazz singer. Stacey is now a major name in British jazz and a new album release from her is always something to look forward to. Stacey claims Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Mildred Bailey among her influences, but her voice is more like Mildred's than the other two.

This debut album is a great showcase for Stacey's talents, with plenty of great covers of standards from the Great American Songbook, on which Stacey is backed by some of the finest musicians on the British jazz scene. Among the classics (mainly ballads) on this album are two Cole Porter songs (Dream dancing, It's de-lovely) and two co-written by Johnny Mercer (I'm old-fashioned, Day in day out), together with six other excellent songs. Stacey interprets the songs her way - superbly.

Experts will tell you that Stacey has perfected her craft with subsequent albums, but by my reckoning there really wasn't all that much room for improvement. This is a great jazz vocal album.

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5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!! Why haven't I heard of her before ??? July 30 2001
By M. Saunders
Format:Audio CD
Sometimes you get surprised. A while ago I was in purchasing an addition to the stereo system and the salesman demo'd using a Stacey Kent CD. My jaw dropped. Instantly.

I honestly don't remember which CD, so I gambled and picked up 'Close Your Eyes'. I've heard (and own) Diana Krall and Holly Cole (both great), considered Jane Monheit (jury is still out for me), occasionally delve into the coolness of Patricia Barber, but I gotta tell ya, Stacey doesn't have to take a back seat to any of these. There is this hard-to-define "something" in her voice and approach to the song that makes one stop dead in their tracks and go "whoa". Maybe the other reviewers can identify it. I'm not sure it's something definable in print.

As for the CD, I'll admit to liking the vocalist + quartet/quintent approach used on this album more than the typical singer + trio approach. Vocally, Stacey isn't as 'whispery' a stylist as, say, Diana Krall, but I like them both quite a bit for different reasons. Diana tends to be a bit more intimate and dreamy, Stacey a bit brighter and flirty. Both excellent, but very different sounds.

Staceys' sidemen just swing the house down, especially her pianist David Newton, and although I usually am not a big tenor sax fan, I certainly am on this one, with utterly superb work from Jim Tomlinson (who reminds me strongly of Stan Getz). Add in solid drumming, rhythm guitar and bass playing from cats who can hold their own with most anybody, top it off with a shimmering, gorgeous, uniquely styled & perfectly pitched voice, and you have a winner. After a few listens, I now must say this CD goes in my "stranded on an island" collection without any doubts.

If you're a fan of the aforementioned singers, you seriously need to check this one out. Highly, highly recommended.

(Recording quality is pretty good too, very natural and unforced.)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Viberant jazz July 12 2001
By "apetedale"
Format:Audio CD
This album is a must have to any jazz collection. Stacey Kent has a viberant voice to bring the jazz standards back to popularity. Her soulful sound is stimulating and carries the emotion of every syllable, whether playful or romantic.
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