Spotlight On Jazz
Lucky Mojo, 2018
9/10
Austria’s Simone Kopmajer impresses us yet again with this thoughtful mix of originals as standards, where Terry Myers, Martin Spitzer, Paul Urbanek, Karl Sayer and Reinhardt Winkler are on hand to flesh out the tunes that often sound as if they came from the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Kopmajer starts the listen with the lovely and playful “Spotlights”, where a charming delivery with warm saxophone from Myers makes an impression, and “Pennies From Heaven” follows with a soulful setting of pretty jazz ideas.
There’s 14 tunes here, and each one radiates in its own light, including the slow burning of cover of “Poinciana”, while “Dig That Riff” is a playful adventure that recruits fun singing where no actual words are used. “A Gift From Buddy”, an exceptional ballad, then displays Kopmajer’s sublime pipes alongside elegant keys from Urbanek.
Deeper still, “We’re Goin’ In” swings with much charm and a contagious energy with Winkler’s strong percussion making a dent, and “Mood Indigo”, a late album highlight, then puts a very pretty spin on the Duke Ellington classic where Spitzer contributes deft guitar acrobatics.
This is Kopmajer’s 13th album as leader, and like everything she’s been a part of, it’s full of fluid, engaging and expressive song craft that you won’t forget anytime soon.
Travels well with: Diana Panton- A Cheerful Little Earful; Coniece Washington- Shades Of Shirley Horn