This has been a hard album for me to really get into to, not because Amber cannot sing or swing, as it must be said that this set is a delight from a great singer. No, it’s all to do with the opening title cut where she duets with her singing teacher, the great Sue Raney. Someone thought it would be a good idea for the two of them to speak to each other either side of the song, and the conversation is so contrived it makes me cringe each time I play it. And there is the problem, it is the opening song and one cannot avoid it. I was not a fan the first time I heard it, and each time thereafter it just got worse until I started skipping the first song altogether, which given that the first song on any album is always the mood setter is not an ideal thing to do.

It is frustrating as she has a great swinging style, a warmth and obvious love of the songs she is interpreting. She does slide into notes just a little too often for my own tastes, but that is a personal thing, and she is trying to bring back the Golden Age with a style of jazz which is gentle, and with a reliance on her voice. The musicians are there to provide support to the voice, never taking centre stage, and they do a fine job indeed. Weekes is a regular fixture on the Los Angeles jazz scene, and I can imagine her carrying a room really easily as she displays a quietly emotional voice and a creative use of space which has seen her compared to Shirley Horn. It’s not an essential release, but is certainly enjoyable, without ever really breaking new ground.

Rating: 6/10

Links:
https://amberweekes.com/