Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: vocals

  • Toward the Hill of Joy

    Toward the Hill of Joy

    Swinger kicks off a collection of fantastic Jazz pieces from George Brandon and the Blue Unity Ensemble with a majestic drum solo, before the horns arrive full of rhythm to re-introduce Towards the Hill of Joy in an unmistakable style.

    Originally released in 2011 the work has held up well and will certainly make its mark once again in the world of Jazz with Little Fox offering a classic style with a very nice tone, catchy and most enjoyable.

    The first three tracks present a lovely compilation of styles before the mellifluous voice of Norah McCarthy joins in with Do Something, a call out to change what you’re thinking. Maybe rearrange the things you do to have a better life; After all, ‘you gotta do something for the whole world’! A telling piece; even ten years on, the sentiments are still very much in vogue in today’s world.

    Introduction is a catchy piece introduced with some very quirky, captivating and intriguing piano before it blossoms out into in a timeless style, simply allowing the free flow of both the music and the emotion.

    Once again Norah McCarthy raises In My Own Way above the bar with her vocals. A very nice piece which showcases the talent of the entire ensemble in an understated style. The words are interesting. Make sure you a take a seriously good listen.

    More than a touch of drama is introduced with Antar and the piece is only just begun. McCarthy joins in with a sultry vibe making this a deep dreamy, moment in time, thoughtful, introspective and immensely enjoyable. In many ways one of the more intimate pieces on the album. The excellent sax work is a standout.

    The penultimate piece of an outstanding work sees Jorge Sylvester on Alto sax turn Interlude into a dreamy, delicate piece that perfectly describes an ‘interlude’ which is in this case a short, beautifully presented piece; perfectly simple and perfectly born into life.

    For jazz lovers everywhere, Towards the Hill of Joy, an intriguing title for a jazz album, will have wide appeal. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is, seriously good jazz played to exceptional standards by the Blue Unity Ensemble lead by George Brandon.

  • Fearless

    Fearless

    The pure tones of Cecile in her debut album, Fearless, are a true delight as she  sings about life, living and love, with a firm belief that letting go of whatever is holding you back, is the way forward. Tango the first track is about loving but never being able to move, walk, waltz to the same beat in life and being able to let go, to move on to a new beginning, lessons learnt, facing the fear and yet looking to the future.

    Her music is gentle, welcoming and above all else totally enjoyable. Her life experiences as a musician, singer and medical professional have allowed a depth of feeling to be absorbed into each of the tracks penned from personal feeling as and experience.

    Several of the songs were penned when Cecilie lived in the north of Norway, a beautiful part of the world, a place where she was made to feel welcome, leading to the gentle piece Home, written in tribute to the wonderful people she met that made settling into a new environment a warm and positive experience. The dark northern winters, laced with the majesty of the northern lights inspired Winter Night.

    Heartache, something we can all relate to, inspired the reflective piece My Heart Has Loved were she looks for solace and also the chance or possibility of sometime in the future a new love. On the other side of heartache is the bliss and happiness that comes from a new love, the magic of being so in love that all you need, require,  long for, is to be able to Run Away, to be together in that special coming together.

    A lovely, lively up tempo piece with a Celtic flavour is The Spell, once again reflecting on love and the magic of being enthralled, as if addicted, is a most enjoyable, salutary little piece.

    The final piece and the title track Fearless is rich in memory, underpinning her philosophy of ‘being true to yourself and not letting fear hold you back; it is about learning to listen to the world about you until you own personal direction is discovered’. (sic)

    Each of the pieces is enjoyable as a stand-alone song and when collectively presented creates a wonderfully rich album which could certainly be considered as ‘soul food’.

    “You will always remember that life can’t surrender to darkness. Be fearless…….fearless”