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Wilma Baan: Look At Me Now!

By Neil Duggan
August 8, 2023
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Originally from The Netherlands and now settled in the UK, vocalist

Wilma Baan

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Wilma Baan's story is one of perseverance. Mid-way through her singing career in the '80s, she was diagnosed with a condition that meant gradually worsening hearing loss. Although she could still hear high tones, she had little choice but to pause her career. Fortunately, in the late '90s, technological breakthroughs in digital hearing aids and Bluetooth enabled her to re-capture enough of the sound that had been lost so she could start singing again.

Baan finds inspiration in classic jazz songs and has made some interesting selections for Look At Me Now! Her musicians on this album include pianist and arranger

Graham Harvey

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Graham Harvey, bassist

Jeremy Brown

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeremy Brown and drummer

Sebastiaan de Krom

drums
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Sebastiaan de Krom. There are also guest appearances from guitarist

Nigel Price

guitar, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Nigel Price, vibraphonist

Nat Steele

vibraphone
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Nat Steele, trumpeter

James McMillan

flugelhorn

" data-original-title="" title="">James McMillan and percussionist

Tristan Banks

drums
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Tristan Banks. This is her second album, following on from her debut So Nice (Self Release, 2019), both albums having been produced by

Claire Martin

vocals
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Claire Martin.

Baan's crystal clear diction is immediately apparent in the opening track, "Oh! Look At Me Now." She sings with a smile in her voice over nicely judged piano, with a bass break from Brown and de Krom picking up the beat at exactly the right time. "The Windmills Of Your Mind," originally written for the film, The Thomas Crown Affair, won an Oscar in 1969 for Best Original Song. Baan introduces small changes in timing and intonation to create interest and deviate cleverly from the original. "Somewhere In The Hills" is a highlight, with a pulsing piano and trumpet introduction, a Latin tempo and Baan's fast phrasing showing impeccable diction and timing. Flowing piano and trumpet breaks together with lyrical bass add further interest.

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby," was first recorded as a short piano instrumental on his album New Jazz Conceptions (Riverside, 1957), and then in trio format on his live recording, Waltz for Debby, (Riverside, 1961). Evans' friend,

Gene Lees

b.1928

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Lees, added lyrics with versions by

Monica Zetterlund

vocals
1937 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Monica Zetterlund and

Tony Bennett

vocals
1926 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Bennett proving popular. Here, Baan's mellow tone is well suited to the song, and Steele's vibraphone lifts it into new territory. "Old Devil Moon," from the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow, finds Baan in fine form with Brown adding a neat bass break.

"Bein' Green," perhaps best known as the signature song of Kermit the Frog, is half sung, half spoken, over de Krom's brushwork, with Steele's vibraphone adding colour. Harvey's arrangement, together with nicely judged guitar from Price, add to the Brazilian flavour of "The Day It Rained." Other highlights include Baan's charming delivery of the upbeat and swinging, "A Beautiful Friendship" and the smoky "Born To Be Blue."

The musicianship is top quality throughout and provides the perfect foil to Baan's homage to the American Songbook. Baan uses inflection, warmth and timing as the tools which allow her to own the songs. Immaculate arrangements, interesting song choices, elegant vocals, there is a lot to like here.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Oh! Look At Me Now; The Windmills Of Your Mind; Somewhere In The Hills (Favela); The Great City; Waltz for Debby; The Day It Rained (Chuva); Old Devil Moon; Bein' Green; Born To Be Blue; When In Rome; Never Let Me Go; A Beautiful Friendship.

Personnel

Wilma Baan

vocals

Graham Harvey

piano

Jeremy Brown

bass, acoustic

Sebastiaan de Krom

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Tristan Banks : percussion (2, 3, 4, 6, 10); James McMillan : flugelhorn/trumpet (3, 10); Nat Steele : vibraphone (5, 8, 12); Nigel Price : guitar (1, 6, 9).

Album information

Title: Look At Me Now! | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self Produced

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