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  | METTE JUUL ~ CHANGE
UNIVERSAL 060257796101 (Barcode: 060257796101) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is the fourth album by Danish Jazz singer / guitarist / songwriter Mette JuulFind albums by this artist recorded with a team of excellent musicians: Swedish bassist Lars DanielssonFind albums by this artist and Danish keyboardist Heine HansenFind albums by this artist who play on most of the tracks and three guitarists playing on selected tracks: Swedish Ulf WakeniusFind albums by this artist (three tracks), Israeli Gilad HekselmanFind albums by this artist (two tracks) and Danish Per MollehojFind albums by this artist (one track). The album presents thirteen tracks, five of which are written or co-written by Juul and the rest are her interpretations of standards.
The music is a collection of intimate trio, duo and solo performances, completely acoustic and minimalist, with the "more is less" attitude clearly in mind. The bass and piano trio sessions are kept in a classic vocal Jazz atmosphere, whereas the solo and duo tracks with the guitarist have a slightly Folksier ambience.
The material is carefully selected to suit Juul´s vocal abilities, which allows her to be relaxed and feel herself for the entire duration of the album. As usual for a non-native English speaker the accent and pronunciation are evidently "foreign" (well Scandinavian obviously), but in this case it is rather charming than obtrusive. The vocal stylistics and mannerisms are somewhat similar to those of the great Karin Krog, which of course is meant as a compliment.
The instrumental performances are of course perfect in every respect. Both the trios and the duos with the guitarists keep the focus on the vocalist accompanying her amicably and creating the appropriate ambience rather than being dominant. In the age when making music is usually associated with overloading the listener´s ears with a wall of synthetic noise, such modest and delicate approach is most welcome and commendable.
Overall this is wonderful, subtle and delicate piece of music, which is full of great instrumental performances and heartfelt vocals, superb choice of songs and a straightforward, honest delivery, despite its sophistication and artistry. Warmly recommended!
| | Updated: 19/09/2019Posted: 19/09/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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