Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Thera Hoeijmans: Another Mile

4

Thera Hoeijmans: Another Mile

By

Sign in to view read count
Thera Hoeijmans: Another Mile
As a jazz singer, it always takes courage to sing your own songs. No one questions the quality of the familiar standards and there is also the aspect of tradition, knowing that the song can be phrased in a certain way. But sometimes singing your own songs becomes a necessity. Interpreting the works of other songwriters isn't enough for a singer who is also a songwriter.

Thera Hoeijmans is a Danish jazz singer, but she is also a songwriter and on her album Another Mile, she has chosen to include songs from two of the greatest songwriters of all time: Joni Mitchell and Jimmy Webb. On Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Hoeijmans brings out the poetry and quiet despair of the song while the sparse accompaniment from Pojken Flensborg's piano and Jacob Venndt's harmonica add to the ambiance of the song.

The reading of Webb's "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" is just as strong, with Flensborg sprinkling stardust from his piano and Venndt providing skeletal bass patterns and sweeping romantic tones from his harmonica.

With the inclusion of compositions from two masters of songwriting, Hoeijmans doesn't make it easy for herself, but her own material holds up very well. Ballads like "Another Mile," "Kiss Me Love Me" and "Dance With Me" possess a tender poetry and Hoeijmans voice is clear and pure and flows like water from a deep well.

The chamber-like setting with voice, piano, harmonica and glockenspiel allows the song to breathe. There's room for contemplation, but also soft swing on "Dazzling Night."

Another Mile is a record filled with personality. Hoeijmans is more than a jazz singer with a beautiful voice. On "Don't Lie To Me" she sings about "A poet with no pen." Clearly this isn't Hoeijmans. She is a songwriter who has stories to tell and her musical narratives are worth hearing.

Track Listing

Cry Me A River; Another Mile; Both Sides Now; Kiss Me Love Me; Dazzling Nights; Don't Lie To Me; Dance With Me; Misty Heart; Spinning Around; The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress; Mr Right.

Personnel

Thera Hoeijmans: vocal; Pojken Flensborg: piano; Jacob Venddt: bass, harmonica, glockenspiel.

Album information

Title: Another Mile | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Longlife Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.