Vocal Jazz

After two albums at the head of a rather jazzy quartet, Elina Duni is now releasing a collection of songs under her own name that evoke love as well as loss and departure. Recorded in the studios La Buissonne in the south of France in July 2017 under the artistic direction of Manfred Eicher from ECM, Partir is undeniably her most personal opus. Her most intimate too. In this album entirely written and produced on her own, the singer from Tirana plays on the piano, on the guitar and on percussions in tunes drawing from a multitude of sources, from folk to popular music: traditional songs from Albania, Kosovo, Armenia, Macedonia, Switzerland and Arabic Andalusia, but also Jacques Brel’s Je ne sais pas, Alain Oulman’s Meu Amor, Domenico Modugno’s Amara Terra Mia or even Let Us Dive In by Duni herself. To highlight her voice’s expressiveness, she has logically opted for sleek arrangements. In this context, her singing is beautifully emphasised and becomes the common theme throughout her electric repertoire. An organ that can be poignant at times, particularly when she sings about suffering, in a sort of Balkan fado, like a European blues following in the footsteps of Billie Holiday − the ultimate ambassador of human flaws, whom she admires above everything else! The listener comes out dazed by the captivating beauty of what turns out to be Elina Duni’s most stunning album so far… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

After two albums at the head of a rather jazzy quartet, Elina Duni is now releasing a collection of songs under her own name that evoke love as well as loss and departure. Recorded in the studios La Buissonne in the south of France in July 2017 under the artistic direction of Manfred Eicher from ECM, Partir is undeniably her most personal opus. Her most intimate too. In this album entirely written and produced on her own, the singer from Tirana plays on the piano, on the guitar and on percussions in tunes drawing from a multitude of sources, from folk to popular music: traditional songs from Albania, Kosovo, Armenia, Macedonia, Switzerland and Arabic Andalusia, but also Jacques Brel’s Je ne sais pas, Alain Oulman’s Meu Amor, Domenico Modugno’s Amara Terra Mia or even Let Us Dive In by Duni herself. To highlight her voice’s expressiveness, she has logically opted for sleek arrangements. In this context, her singing is beautifully emphasised and becomes the common theme throughout her electric repertoire. An organ that can be poignant at times, particularly when she sings about suffering, in a sort of Balkan fado, like a European blues following in the footsteps of Billie Holiday − the ultimate ambassador of human flaws, whom she admires above everything else! The listener comes out dazed by the captivating beauty of what turns out to be Elina Duni’s most stunning album so far… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

During the 1970s, and especially the 1980s, Manhattan Transfer topped the charts with its clever blend of jazz vocal light, doo-wop and cabaret. Following the passing of their leader, Tim Hauser, in 2014 due to a heart attack, very few observers gave them much of a chance. But The Junction is proof that the flame still shines bright, thanks in part to the arrival of Trist Curless (a rather surprising replacement for Hauser) and the intact virtuosity of Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel and Alan Paul. Nine years after the surprising The Chick Corea Songbook, Manhattan Transfer offers a rather eclectic repertoire, mixing original compositions and well-chosen covers (US3/Herbie Hancock, Rickie Lee Jones, XTC). All in all, The Junction is as much a beautiful tribute to Tim Hauser as the signal of a new start. © Clotilde Maréchal/Qobuz

During the 1970s, and especially the 1980s, Manhattan Transfer topped the charts with its clever blend of jazz vocal light, doo-wop and cabaret. Following the passing of their leader, Tim Hauser, in 2014 due to a heart attack, very few observers gave them much of a chance. But The Junction is proof that the flame still shines bright, thanks in part to the arrival of Trist Curless (a rather surprising replacement for Hauser) and the intact virtuosity of Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel and Alan Paul. Nine years after the surprising The Chick Corea Songbook, Manhattan Transfer offers a rather eclectic repertoire, mixing original compositions and well-chosen covers (US3/Herbie Hancock, Rickie Lee Jones, XTC). All in all, The Junction is as much a beautiful tribute to Tim Hauser as the signal of a new start. © Clotilde Maréchal/Qobuz

It doesn’t look like it, but isn’t Kurt Elling the best jazz singer of his generation? The idea of any competition, or any ranking, is obviously ludicrous, not to say stupid, but it is evident that album after album, the singer from Chicago pursues a journey that is almost flawless. In 2015, with Passion World, Elling revisited Nicht Wandle, Mein Licht taken from Brahms‘ Liebeslieder, but also pieces penned by U2, Pat Metheny, Björk, not forgetting La Vie en rose and even a poem by James Joyce! For this eleventh album that is as eclectic as possible, he abandoned his acrobatics, that only he knows the secrets of, for a more languorous and sensual style, a singing that he delivered with a lot of sophistication. His range of expression, as well as the impressive accuracy of his enunciation, is once again on the menu of a feast of covers that is just as perfect. With The Questions, Kurt Elling tackles this time Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Jaco Pastorius, Leonard Bernstein, Carla Bley, Johnny Mercer and a few others. Produced by saxophonist Branford Marsalis, this twelfth opus gathers pianist Joey Calderazzo, drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, guitarist John McLean, organ player Stu Mindeman, trumpet player Marquis Hill and bass player Clark Sommers. It’s a fine selection of virtuosos in the service of a singer that manages to impose his style and the roundness of his voice, even on classics that have been covered by everyone on earth like Skylark. It is classy, and already a classic. © Max Dembo/Qobuz

After a beautiful homage to Nat King Cole, the most French of the British singers flew out to New Orleans in order to record new compositions with his fellow travelers, a local brass band and the virtuoso guitarist Freddy Koella, co-director of Who’s Happy ?. Dancing percussion, brass instruments filled with soul, guitars blending blues and jazz, nothing is missing from his groovy fiesta that is sometimes punctuated nostalgic and laidback overtones and in which Hugh Coltman managed to slip in his personal touch. There resides the strength of a disc which respects tradition that he tackles with a contemporary eye. It is worth noting the participation of Melissa Laveaux on Hand Me Downs. © Clotilde Maréchal/Qobuz