Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Claire Martin & Richard Rodney Bennett: When Lights Are Low

Claire Martin & Richard Rodney Bennett: When Lights Are Low

By Michael P. Gladstone
April 29, 2006
Sign in to view read count

I'm happy to report new activity from one of my favorite jazz vocalists, Claire Martin. Her new album is a duo recording with pianist (and vocalist) Richard Rodney Bennett. Despite the fact that Martin has released ten albums and a compilation since 1992, she still needs an introduction to even so-called jazz vocal enthusiasts. The British vocalist has recorded for Linn Records and has placed regularly on "best of" jazz surveys, sometimes within the top ten. She has won Best Vocalist honors in the British Jazz Awards several times.

Although Martin usually performs with a full group (including a rhythm section), this album is prepared for a cabaret-type performance, which indeed occurred in September, 2005 in Greenwich Village. In a rare New York appearance, the singer was accompanied by Bennett, who also provided all of the arrangements.

Claire Martin is clearly a musical offspring of the 1950s cool vocal style of jazz. Her recordings indicate less of an aggressive style and more the influence of my own two personal benchmarks of the era, Chris Connor and June Christy. The pieces selected for this album are indeed cabaret-oriented and consist of tunes that are not readily identifiable from previous recordings. Listeners who've got to know what they're listening to may be disappointed, but not with the delivery and execution. Those folks would be best off with vocal duet numbers (eg. "When Lights Are Low," "The Very Thought Of You," "We'll Be Together Again") for more familiarity.

On his vocals, Richard Rodney Bennett visits the Nat King Cole Trio songbook ("I Was A Little Lonely," I Keep Going Back to Joe's") and others, while Martin is content to dazzle with songs like "My Mood is You," "What I Was Warned About," "World Weary" and a super version of "Any Place I Hang My Hat(s) Is Home."

Welcome back!

Track Listing

My One And Only; I Was A Little Too Lonely; My Mood Is You; World Weary; When Lights Are Low; Fools Fall In Love; I Got A Right to Sing The Blues; Baby Plays Around; The Very Thought of You; What I Was Warned About; Baby;Don't You Quit Me Now; No Love No Nothing; Not Exactly Paris; Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home; I Keep Going Back to Joe's; We'll Be Together Again.

Personnel

Claire Martin

vocals

Claire Martin: vocals; Richard Rodney Bennett: piano, vocals.

Album information

Title: When Lights Are Low | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Linn Records

< Previous
Tender Trap

Next >
Day of the Race

Comments

About Claire Martin

Instrument: Vocals

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

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.