1. Until it’s time for you to go (Buffy Sainte-Marie) [8:09], 2. When we say goodbye (LaGaylia Frazier & Jan Lundgren) [5:22], 3. I’m all smiles
(Michael Leonard/Herbert Martin) [6:35], 4. The shadow of your smile (Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster) [7:14], 5. Walkin’ after midnight (Alan Black/Don
Hecht) [3:18], 6. Jean (Rod McKuen) [7:37], 7. If you go (Michel Emer/Geoffrey Parsons) [8:30], 8. Inner City blues (Make me wanna holler) (Marvin
Gaye/James Nyx) 9. [9:17], What’s going on (Marvin Gaye/Al Cleveland/Renaldo Benson) [6:02]
LaGaylia Frazier (vocals), Jan Lundgren (piano), Mattias Svensson (bass), Zoltan Csörsz Jr. (drums, except 3,4), Special guests: Hal Frazier
(vocals on 5), Andy Pfeiler (guitar on 2,8,9), Jonas Johansen (drums on 3,4).
All tracks recorded live: 1. Fasching (Sweden), February 2010, 2,5,8&9. Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sweden, June 2011, 3&4. Krapperup, Sweden, July
2011, 6&7. Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival, August 2011.
[62:08]
LaGaylia Frazier is an American born Swedish jazz singer and Until
it’s time is her second album but as you listen to it the question
immediately forms itself, how can such an obviously great
jazz singer not have made many others. The answer may be partly attributed
to her move to Sweden a decade ago. In any event hers is a wonderfully
silky smooth richly layered voice that can be compared with many of
the very best voices in jazz. The choice of songs on this album is
an excellent one that perfectly shows her talents off in the best
possible light. She is accompanied by the Jan Lundgren Trio which
is joined by guitarist Andy Pfeiler on three of the tracks and by
LaGaylia’s father on track 5, with Jonas Johansen replacing Zoltan
Csörsz Jr. on tracks 3 and 4, presumably because dates clashed for
him at that time. Jan’s trio provides great and infinitely sympathetic
backing for LaGaylia and is a joy to hear on its own too. Highlights
for me were Until it’s time for you to go which was a reminder
to me as to how good a songwriter (and singer) Buffy Sainte-Marie
was and LaGaylia gives it a beautiful rendition that showcases it
to perfection. I also loved The shadow of your smile a really
great song which suits her voice to a tee. It was a nice touch to
duet with her father Hal, a nightclub singer on Walkin’ after
midnight which I very much enjoyed. The Marvin Gaye/James Nyx
song Inner City blues (Make me wanna holler) written in 1971
depicted what it was like to live in black ghettos in the USA and
how the situation would make you want to cry out against it. This
song has been covered by many of the all-time greats such as Grover
Washington Jr, Sarah Vaughn and Joe Cocker. LaGaylia makes it her
own with a gutsy and impassioned performance of it. It appeared on
a Marvin Gaye album together with this album’s last song What’s
going on which earned Gaye 1,000,000 sales. What’s going
on is also a fitting song with which to close this album with
its message that we need more love in the world about which there
can be no argument. This is a disc to savour and there’s no doubt
I shall play it often.
Steve Arloff
CD Reviews
PROPHONE PCD 126
