33 Records 33JAZZ285
Sarah Moule (vocals); Simon Wallace (piano & keyboards); Mick Hutton, Neville Malcolm (double bass); Paul Robinson, Rob Young (drums); Mark Lockheart (soprano saxophone & bass clarinet); Nigel Price (electric & acoustic guitar); Charlie Cawood (acoustic guitar)
Recorded 2020
This is another absolutely delightful album from Sarah Moule who just seems to get better and better. This is now her fifth album, and Ms. Moule, far from being prolific on the recording front, has over the course of her discography allowed us to follow her progress as one of our finest singers and a storyteller of distinction, and what stories she has to tell.
On this outing she continues her exploration of the songs penned by her musical co-conspirator and partner, Simon Wallace and the wonderful Fran Landesman, and the songs take as their subject the theme of time and love. Showcasing twelve songs, ten of which have not previously been recorded, that span the time from Wallace/Landesman’s first song together, ‘Stormy Emotions’ and the final piece written, ‘Nothing Is Mine Now’ that was finished on the day that Fran passed away.
Over the course of five albums, Sarah has recorded no less that forty-five songs by the prolific song writing partnership, and with the pair having written several hundred songs together this is a well that has certainly not yet run dry. If it is a rather unique and privileged position to have so many incredible songs at her disposal, written by such a formidable and creative partnership, Moule is certainly not phased or daunted but simply takes the bull by the horns and delivers on all fronts. Being so close to the creative process with the writing of the material, Sarah has been able to incorporate the songs into her own musical persona, and therefore they sound as if they were written especially for her.
As with her previous albums she has assembled a top cast of musicians with a core trio of long time associates, Simon Wallace on piano, bassist Mick Hutton and Paul Robinson on drums. The trio is then augmented as and when the arrangement requires, with appearances among others by guitarist Nigel Price who on current form is always good value for money, and saxophonist Mark Lockheart who makes valuable contributions on both bass clarinet and soprano saxophone (he takes a lovely solo on ‘Close To Tears’).
However, at the end of the day, it is the songs and Sarah’s interpretations that steal the limelight. She has the knack of getting right to the heart of a lyric, every word and pause for breath perfectly placed, and delivered with a velvety voice that can turn from melancholy to joy, and to the mischievous on the delightful ‘Truly Unruly’. The big song on the album is ‘After The Fall’ which Sarah handles with great aplomb in a t majestic performance, and there is the double-edged sword of ‘Are We Just Having Fun?’ where her quizzical enquiry perfectly captures the complication and confusion that can arise in relationships.
What there can be no mistake about is the relationship between Simon Wallace and Fran Landesman as perfect writing partners. A relationship so special that their very first composition ‘Stormy Emotions’ , a poignant ballad played out here as a beautiful duet for piano and voice, was written on the day that they first met; and the opening ‘Nothing Is Mine Now’ the last song they collaborated on and completed in the day that Fran passed away.
I have it on good authority that the writing partnership between Wallace and Landesman was extraordinarily prolific over an eighteen year time span, and that there are many more songs yet to be recorded. Let us hope that more of these will see the light of day and be recorded by Sarah. To quote Fran, “I got lucky meeting Simon. That he married Sarah Moule was a bonus. She’s the jazz vocalist par excellence.” and on the evidence we have on this recording few can argue with those sentiments.
Reviewed by Nick Lea