Track Listing

1. Tender Trap
2. I Didn't Know About You
3. Comes Love
4. In The Still Of The Night
5. Fools Rush In
6. East Of The Sun
7. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
8. They Say It's Wonderful
9. Don't Be That Way
10. They All Laughed
11. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
12. It's A Wonderful World

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13662 in Music
• Released on: 1998-05-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
With the passing years the definition "jazz singer" has taken on wider meaning. Purists once maintained that it covered only the vocals of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and a handful of others. Nowadays it quite legitimately refers to a host of fine singers whose musicianship allows them to take liberties with the relationship of notes to bar lines and the "bending" of a lyric to fit a paraphrase of the melody as written. Stacey Kent, a young American lady resident in Britain, is a jazz singer and responds to the jazz musicians with whom she works and to the material that she uses. The Tender Trap is made up of a dozen quality songs of the kind that jazz musicians like to play. On eight of them her husband Jim Tomlinson, a tenor saxist of considerable talent, joins her. Stacey Kent is not afraid to tackle difficult songs which started life as instrumentals (Edgar Sampson's "Don't Be That Way" and Duke Ellington's "I Didn't Know About You"). For quiet intimacy there is an outstanding version of "Wee Small Hours" on which she is accompanied only by pianist Dave Newton. An outstanding record of vocal artistry. --Steve Voce

From Amazon.com
Stacy Kent has a voice like the great Dinah Washington's, immediate in its grab of the ear and incisive in its tonal shape. Kent's middle range has a washing quality that pushes the edges forward, even as the edges lilt upward or warble excitedly. Kent and her British band--virtual unknowns prior to this debut--are sure to splash big, with their spare ballad approach (as on Duke Ellington and Bob Russell's "I Didn't Know About You") or their rumbling swing on George Gershwin's "They All Laughed." Pianist David Newton glides across melodies with a light touch but then launches sparkling solos full of funky harmonics--hear "The Tender Trap" for Kent and Newton's mix of charming voice and odd pianism. The band is creative enough to feel at ease reaching into great instrumental passages, giving Kent a first-class platform from which to cue up phrasing that nods to Ella Fitzgerald and a unique, fetching overall style all her own. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

Belated review
This review is much belated, as I first became aware of Stacey Kent on the Michael Parkinson show, singing the title track of this CD, on it's release, in front of a big band.

It is no secret that Parky loves Big Bands, and this one was probably conducted by Laurie Holloway.

It was a surprise when I immediately bought the CD and discovered no Big Band, just the small group of (superlative) musicians that accompany her on all her recordings (since changed for Breakfast on the morning tram).

While I thoroughly enjoy all of Stacey Kent's CDs, I can't help but hanker for one CD, or even a couple of tracks, to be with a Big Band. I can't imagine why Mr Parkinson has not been able to persuade her to do it, even if it is just for him.

I'm writing this in the review section, as there seems to be no earthly way of conveying feedback to Ms Kent directly.

To all of those introduced to her when she sang 'Tender Trap' on Parkinson and enjoyed the band, here's an opportunity to throw your tuppence worth in too.

The most played CD in my collection
The title track gets this CD off to a fabulously cheerful start and really makes you smile and want to dance. Sadly for my neighbours it makes me want to sing along (sorry !) but I can listen to this CD over and over again and each song still sounds fresh and new and exciting.

Track 6 is my all time favourite track of Stacey's - East of the Sun. I request this whenever I get the chance to hear Stacey perform live and it never fails to give me goosebumps and puts a smile on my face.

If you have never heard Stacey Kent sing before, then this is a good first album to get.

I LOVE this album !

Second album from American-born British-based jazz star
Stacey is now getting long-overdue recognition in the land of her birth thanks to her 2004 album, The boy next door, but she has been a major name in British jazz circles for a few years now. This is one of the albums that show why. I am amazed to read reviews criticizing Stacey's voice but we are all entitled to our opinions. I think she has a wonderful voice. Any minor technical limitations are more than compensated for in other ways. She likes to put her own distinctive interpretations on each song, so she can adapt the song to suit her voice. Classic songs from the Great American Songbook are Stacey's speciality. This is a very competitive market but Stacey has proved well capable of taking on the competition.

On this album, you can hear Stacey's versions of such classics as the title track (Frank Sinatra), I didn't know about you (Duke Ellington), Comes love (Artie Shaw with Helen Forrest singing), In the still of the night (Tommy Dorsey), Fools rush in (Glenn Miller), East of the sun (Tom Coakley), Zing went the strings of my heart (Judy Garland), They say it's wonderful (Frank Sinatra), Don't be that way (Benny Goodman), They all laughed (Fred Astaire), In the wee small hours of the morning (Frank Sinatra) and It's a wonderful world (Charlie Barnet). If one or two of the original hit-makers seem unfamiliar, a look at the composer credits will reassure you. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn, George and Ira Gershwin - they're all there.

Stacey is, as ever, backed by some of the finest jazz musicians in Britain (and she's married to one of them). Her music may have less crossover appeal than Diana Krall and Norah Jones but it's possible to enjoy the music of all three in their different ways.