Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Melissa James: Day Dawns

Melissa James: Day Dawns

By Bruce Lindsay
June 3, 2012
View read count

It's obvious to even a casual observer of Britain's jazz scene that there is a resurgence in the art of the song and the craft of the vocalist. Singer/songwriter Melissa James is set to be one of the finest of this new breed: her unique approach to her craft is immediately apparent on Day Dawns, a strikingly beautiful debut from a vocalist with a deep emotional connection to her music.

James identifies

Bessie Smith

vocals
1894 - 1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Bessie Smith,

Nina Simone

piano and vocals
1933 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Nina Simone and

Joni Mitchell

vocals
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Joni Mitchell as inspirations, and all three can be discerned in James' vocal timbre and phrasing. Her emotionally honest approach, the analog recording, and her use of guitars, horns and Hammond organ also lend Day Dawns a quality that harks back to labels like Chess and the great soul sounds of the '60s—to James Carr,

Fontella Bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Fontella Bass and

Etta James

vocals
1938 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">Etta James.

James co-wrote the songs with pianist Ross Lorraine, with two exceptions. James invests

Eric Bibb

guitar, acoustic
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Bibb and Charlotte Eva Hoglund's "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down" with a dignified, bluesy, vocal that perfectly captures the ethos of the lyric, while on

Hoagy Carmichael

piano
1899 - 1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Hoagy Carmichael's "I Get Along Without You Very Well," James' voice almost breaks with emotion as trumpeter

Damon Brown

b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Damon Brown and acoustic guitarist James Pusey rack up the heartbreak as far as it can go.

Overwhelmingly, Day Dawns is a soulful album. On "Precious Time" and "Long Road Travelled," aided by Matt Park's empathic slide guitar, it's a country soul feel, while a more sophisticated, urban, style arises from the pairing of Brown with saxophonist

Tony Kofi

saxophone, tenor
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Kofi. Understated yet crucial to James' style, they sound like the British equivalent of the Memphis Horns. The pair adds urban sophistication to the light and breezy "Sing," Kofi's lilting soprano saxophone adds cheer to "Do You Remember When," and his throaty baritone helps build the upbeat good time feel of "Have A Good Day."

"I Need You Here" could have been written by Dan Penn or Spooner Oldham, such is its gospel-inflected beauty. This graceful ballad features James at her best, with superb accompaniment from Park's electric guitar, Lorraine's electric piano and Nick Ramm on Hammond. James can pare down the instrumentation to the minimum and still deliver swing and passion. On "You Make Me Feel Good," she dispenses with everything except

Larry Bartley

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Larry Bartley's funky double bass and some percussive finger clicks courtesy of James, drummer Mark Fletcher, producer Joe Leach. An album highlight, her beautiful, emotional, vocal is backed only by Bartley's bass and Ramm's piano on "Day Dawns."

It may seem slightly ostentatious to say so, but Britain is currently enjoying somewhat of a Golden Age for jazz vocalists. Melissa James shines just as brightly as any of her contemporaries; with her soulful style, classy songs and superb band, Day Dawns is an exceptional debut.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Don't You Keep Yourself Down; Little Caged Bird; Sing; I Need You Here; Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down; You Make Me Feel Good; I Miss You; Do You Remember When; Precious Time; I Get Along Without You Very Well; Long Road Travelled; Day Dawns; Have A Good Day.

Personnel

Melissa James

Melissa James: vocals, finger clicks (6); Matt Park: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar; James Pusey: electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Damon Brown: trumpet, flugelhorn; Toni Kofi: soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone; Nick Ramm: piano, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, melodica; Dave Lennox: Hammond organ (1-3, 9); Ross Lorraine: electric piano (1, 4, 7, 11); Larry Bartley: double bass; Nick Pini: bass guitar; Mark Fletcher: drums, percussion, finger clicks (6); Kevin Leo: vocals (3, 4); Joe Leach: finger clicks (6).

Album information

Title: Day Dawns | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Slickersounds

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Allman by Any Other Name: Warren Hay...
< Previous

Davy Graham: Anthology - 1961-2007 L...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.