Beverley Beirne: Dream Dancer

Beverley Beirne may not be a familiar name to many American readers. Maybe she should be. While some jazz writers have labelled her a "rising star," the Yorkshire, UK, singer has been around for a decade. Her first recording was entitled, promisingly enough, Jazz Just Wants to Have Fun (Self Produced, 2018).

Sometimes reading reviews of singers can put you in mind of studying observations from an oenophile journal: "She has notes of Ella embedded in a complex, smoky alto." That Yorkshire must be some terroir, because Ms Beirne not only has fun, but makes you think, even if that is not her primary intent. Her voice and style invite analysis, not in any stuffy way, but how often does a really intriguing cabaret singer come along? Some listeners may have heard her in Pizza Express in London, a great, cozy venue. With any luck, post-Covid, more will have the chance. Her style is intimate, linear, legato; she fairly breathes the lyrics, but not in any melodramatic way. There is something old school about Beirne, but not old-fashioned. Even better, her band plays in a contrasting style. Overall, Dream Dancer is a rewarding experience, one that repays careful listening.

Beirne's rendition of "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is matter of fact, here you have it, a la Anita O'Day's 1956 version, but with Rob Hughes on sax rather than Barney Kessel on guitar. Do remember that O'Day had her critics and her style required getting some getting used to. This is true of Beirne as well. A listener can get particularly hung up on "Day Dream," a Billy Strayhorn tune that dates to 1940. Since it has probably been covered at least fifty times, if not more, by vocalists, there is no way to say whether its being cast as a jazz waltz here is a novelty. The interesting thing is its "rhythmic displacement," which can leave a listener asking if it is in 3 or 4, but in a good way. "Temptation," is even older (1933) than "Day Dream." Artie Shaw had a huge hit with it in 1941. Beirne just kills it, with a touch of flute punctuation by Hughes and some, ahem, sexy percussion throughout. If you think nobody can say anything new using Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, or George Gershwin, Beirne should convince otherwise. There are no bad tracks here.

Every listener has preferences. Some like swinging, some like subtle, and some like drama. Some singers are capable of delivering the complete package in different proportions. Beverley Beirne is not a big name, and she is possibly just idiosyncratic enough to prevent her from becoming one. Good taste, however, never goes out of fashion, and Ms Beirne is the embodiment of taste and personal style.