Norma Winstone: Distances
Jazz ¬ ECM 2028 | 2008 | FLAC 287 MB | Time 52:09 | Front Cover
This is the first ECM album from noted English jazz vocalist Winstone in a decade. She is well known for her five CDs with the trio Azimuth (with John Taylor and Kenny Wheeler). Instead of the vocalese voice-as-an-instrument approach of that group, Winstone here has put together a “songs band” for some very chamber music-like interpretations of songs. In fact, for a clear demonstration of this, check out her cover version of Cole Porter’s Every Time We Say Goodbye; accompanied only by bass clarinet, she presents Porter’s lyrics in a low-key, affecting style whose purity and depth place it alongside any Schubert lieder.