Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jaclyn Guillou: Winter For Beginners

7

Jaclyn Guillou: Winter For Beginners

By

Sign in to view read count
Jaclyn Guillou: Winter For Beginners
If ever there was a voice that could balance an icy chill with fireplace comfort and warmth, it's this one. On Winter For Beginners, Jaclyn Guillou's intoxicating voice takes the ear through an odyssey of the seasons, communing with nature in all of its beauty, be it rich or stark.

Guillou's originals are built in a contemporary and exploratory vein, eschewing form(al) simplicities for something more complex and meaningful, yet everything is easy and natural to grasp; she bridges modernity with accessibility in seamless fashion. At times, it's her way with words that catches attention and draws in the ear ("In A Wooden House" and "Castle Garden"), but she's just as likely to charm with the tonal purity of her wordless lines. Those heavenly sounds, which alternately move in step-wise fashion, create angular beauty, walk in tandem with guest cellist Peggy Lee, or simply take in the surroundings, aren't a key ingredient here; they're the key ingredient.

Seven of the nine tracks featured herein come from Guillou's fertile mind, but she bookends the album with two vastly different covers that speak to her diversified musical portfolio—a beautiful recasting of a traditional number called "Land Of The Silver Birch" and a modern jazz-folk-soul inflected take on Phoebe Snow's "Poetry Man." Both numbers fit in perfectly with her original material, both in sound and spirit. All nine songs truly come together to form a travelogue of sorts.

Guillou's companions on this journey do a splendid job bringing her thoughts to musical life. Pianist Bruno Hubert provides directional guidance and serves as a source of support; guitarist David Blake's lines refract and glow in the sonic atmosphere; special guests—tabla player Neelamjit Dhillon, producer/trumpeter Brad Turner, and Lee—add new layers of depth to the work; and the bass-drum team of James Meger and Andrew Millar add subtle touches and provide momentum and power when needed. It's a team effort, but it's also Guillou's show. And with a voice like that, it shouldn't be any other way.

Track Listing

Land Of The Silver Birch; In A Wooden House; When The Leaves Fall; Winter For Beginners; Spring (Is Like A Promise For Beauty); Summer Where? (Mr Sun); Clouds; Castle Garden; Poetry Man.

Personnel

Jaclyn Guillou: vocals; Bruno Hubert: piano; David Blake: guitar; James Meger: bass; Amdrew Millar: drums; Brad Turner: flugelhorn (5), trumpet, triangle (6); Peggy Lee: cello (1, 3, 8); Neelamjit Dhillon: table (6).

Album information

Title: Winter For Beginners | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Cellar Live

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

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

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.