Jazz Articles about Norma Winstone

Norma Winstone: Stories Yet to Tell

by John Kelman
September 8, 2010

Distances (ECM, 2008) wasn't British vocalist Norma Winstone's first release to feature her current trio of reedman Klaus Gesing and pianist Glauco Venier, but with ECM Records' greater exposure and reputation, it was the first to reach a broader international audience. With Distance a largely lyric-based alternative to Winstone's always lovely wordless vocals on Chamber Music (Universal, 2004), Stories Yet to Tell is a worthy successor to both, with even greater emphasis on Winstone the lyricist--she contributes to eight of ...

Mike Taylor: Remembered

by AAJ Italy Staff
October 23, 2008

Non si può certo dire che il pianista inglese Mike Taylor sia stato un abitante fortunato del nostro pianeta. Pur godendo di grande considerazione fra i suoi colleghi inglesi (da Jon Hiseman a Jack Bruce, da Ginger Baker a Dave Gelly) a metà degli anni sessanta, quando il jazz era ancora ben distinto dal rock, pur avendo pubblicato due album (da anni praticamente introvabili) e pur avendo scritto tre brani assieme a Ginger Baker che poi li portò al successo ...

Norma Winstone: Distances

by C. Michael Bailey
July 17, 2008

Practice brings one closer to perfection. British singer Norma Winstone has enjoyed a very prolific 35-plus year career that has been divided among a number of recording labels. Her recordings with John Taylor and Kenny Wheeler in the form of the group Azimuth brought her international exposure and recognition. These formats were the unusual combination of voice, piano, and either horn or reeds. This spare instrumentation and arrangement qualifies what Winstone does as chamber jazz.

On her first ECM release ...

Norma Winstone, Glauco Venier and Klaus Gesing at Joe's Pub

by Budd Kopman
July 12, 2008

Norma Winstone at Joe's Pub, NYCJoe's PubNew York City, New YorkJune 26, 2008 Vocalist Norma Winstone came to Joe's Pub for two sets with her new trio composed of pianist Glauco Venier and reedman Klaus Gesing, supporting her release on ECM, Distances (2008). In front of a packed, enthusiastic, early-set house, the trio gave a mesmerizing performance that highlighted their strength as a unit, as well as each player's unique musical identity.

Norma Winstone: Distances

by AAJ Italy Staff
July 9, 2008

Dopo Chamber Music, uscito alcuni anni fa per la Universal, Norma Winstone, Glauco Venier e Klaus Gesing tornano a registrare assieme, stavolta per ECM, un lavoro eclettico per scelta di brani, ma assai unitario per interpretazione. La “chamber music” è senz’altro il tratto caratteristico di questo Distances, che vede la voce certo poco jazzistica della Winstone affiancata dal piano post-classico di Venier e dalle ance liberamente espressive di Gesing. Affrontare in questo modo standard come “Every Time We Say Goodbye” ...

Norma Winstone: Distances

by Martin Gladu
June 14, 2008

Nostalgia is a good thing. Who has not experienced some sort of catharsis through the unexpected surging of special, tender memories? Time stops. An emotive film starts rolling inside the mind. One wanders back to a time when life was good...Those fortunate to have witnessed the magic between trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, pianist John Taylor and vocalist Norma Winstone may still cherish fond memories of the music they made from 1977 to 1995 for ECM under the Azimuth sobriquet.

Norma Winstone: Distances

by Budd Kopman
June 8, 2008

Listening to vocalist Norma Winstone's Distances is an entrancing experience. The concentration required to fully appreciate the music created by Winstone, Klaus Gesing (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone) and Glauco Venier (piano) is requested rather than demanded. The performances are intimate and delicate, while at the same time possessing a distilled strength, embracing both sound and words, neither taking precedence. The space of the recording is enveloping in its sparseness, and the trio's individual timbres, when blended with ...