Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Stacey Kent: Summer Me, Winter Me

Stacey Kent: Summer Me, Winter Me

By Neil Duggan
November 15, 2023
View read count

With her album sales measured in millions,

Stacey Kent

vocals
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Stacey Kent is one of the great success stories in modern jazz. Her multi-lingual abilities allow her to record in various languages and she has appeared in over fifty countries. Her appeal is global and it is her vocal ability which has taken her to these heights. Her voice is light but commands attention with her ability to engage and communicate the narratives of love and regret, often in a simple and minimalist manner.

This album came about as a result of the material used in her live sets. Often that material had not been formally recorded. In response to audience requests, those songs have been arranged and recorded on Summer Me, Winter Me.

The album includes two original songs written by

Cliff Goldmacher

lyricist
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Cliff Goldmacher and Kent's husband,

Jim Tomlinson

saxophone
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim Tomlinson. Tomlinson also arranged all the tracks as well as playing tenor saxophone, flutes, clarinet, percussion and keyboards. The rest of the tracks are jazz standards with the exception of one track which has lyrics by Nobel Prize-winning author, Kazuo Ishiguro. The album was recorded over three sessions with different piano, bass and drum trios. There is also a string quartet on one track.

Of the original songs, the stand-out is "Thinking About the Rain." Kent's phrasing and vocal clarity all suit the narrative perfectly. There is consummate support from Tomlinson's flute with neat prompting from drummer

Anthony Pinciotti

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Anthony Pinciotti. Another high point comes with the bittersweet ballad "Postcard Lovers" which has lyrics by Ishiguro and previously appeared on the live album, Dreamer In Concert (Blue Note, 2012). Tomlinson effectively revises his original music to enhance the song.

Surprisingly, there are two versions of the same song by Jacques Brel, but with different arrangements and in different languages. The original French version of "Ne me quitte pas" is stark and sad, the English version, "If You Go Away," a little lighter with the string quartet in the background. In contrast and regardless of whether it is familiar from the version by

Ella Fitzgerald

vocals
1917 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Ella Fitzgerald, Captain Sensible or Bloody Mary, "Happy Talk" is light-hearted, upbeat and fun with a sax solo from Tomlinson. Elsewhere there are songs composed by

Michel Legrand

piano
1932 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Michel Legrand, Lerner & Loewe, Rodgers & Hammerstein and others.

There is no unnecessary adornment to these songs yet they create the perfect ambience for Kent to deliver her delicate interpretations. Her voice has effortless swing and finds warmth and compassion in every track. The musicians show restraint and perform to highlight Kent's vocal. The album offers a great deal to enjoy and her success story goes from strength to strength.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Summer Me, Winter Me; La Valse des Lilas; Thinking About the Rain; Under Paris Skies; If You Go Away; Happy Talk; Show Me; Postcard Lovers; Corcovado; A Song That Isn��t Finished Yet; Ne me quitte pas.

Personnel

Stacey Kent

vocals

Jim Tomlinson

saxophone

Art Hirahara

piano

Tom Hubbard

bass

Anthony Pinciotti

drums

Graham Harvey

piano

Jeremy Brown

bass, acoustic

Joshua Morrison

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Art Hirahara: piano (1-5, 7, 9, 10); Tom Hubbard: bass (1-5, 7, 9, 10); Anthony Pinciotti: drums (1-5, 7, 9, 10); Graham Harvey: piano (6, 8, 11); Jeremy Brown: bass (6, 8, 11); Joshua Morrison: drums (6, 8, 11); Aurelie Chenille: violin (5); Claire Chabert: violin (5); Fabrice Planchat: viola (5); Gabriel Planchat: cello (5).

Album information

Title: Summer Me, Winter Me | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Naive

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Makaya McCraven At Barbican Centre
< Previous

More Lost Performances Revisited
Next >

Stacey Kent Concerts

Sep 25 Thu

Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson, Art Hirahara

Teatro Cultura Artística
S?o Paulo, Brazil

Oct 28 Tue

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Oct 29 Wed

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Oct 30 Thu

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Oct 31 Fri

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Nov 1 Sat

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Nov 2 Sun

Stacey Kent

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Nov 4 Tue

STACEY KENT

Salle Pleyel
Paris, France

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.