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Elly Roberts reviews
Blueport (Ether Music)
- Cat.no: BTPCD001
- Released: October 2005
- Rating: 10/10
If top marks were given for sensuality alone, then this CD would get 10s across the board.
This tasty jazz tinged lovers album from highly respected balladeer DavidMcAlmont is divine.
Rubbing shoulders and providing vocals for luminaries such as Courtney Pine,Jools Holland Craig Armstrong and David Arnold, the multi-octave vocalistbranches out on a standards and covers journey.
Born in Croydon in 1967, he moved to Guyana aged eleven where he began singingin church. Returning to Britain in 1987, he answered an advert inMelody Maker which led to him teaming-up with Saul Freeman in Thieveswho released one single, splitting shortly afterwards.
His high profile chance came via the duo McAlmont and Butler (former Suedeguitarist Bernard Butler) who charted with singles Yes and You Do.They briefly re-united in 2002 with Bring It Back.
Now considered one of the finest singers of his generation, McAlmont tacklescompositions by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, popularised byElla Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.
Most striking of all amongst his sublime renditions, are the interpretationswhich McAlmont describes as, “this one is called You Go To My Head becauselyrically the songs are all about the philosophy of love and its hopelessnessand losing yourself in that experience.” Spot on David, because the moodand feel is sensual from start to finish without falling for straight covers.
McAlmont added, “..I had an idea of going back to the masters of the craftto get some inspiration and learn a thing or two about great songwritingbefore I start writing again.”
Starting with a list of 70 songs, it whittled down to 12. As part of hisresearch, he bought several albums from the golden age to hear how theywere done in original form, but stylistically he veered towards Betty Carterand Cassandra Wilson. The end result brings handling that is delicate,fragile,possessing an alarming innocence, from such a mature singer.
Many romantic albums are invariably sickly-sweet nothing of the sort here.His delivery is as meticulous as his range, which doesnt always come into play.
Picking a highlight is difficult: theyre all superb tracks, thoughBlues Are Brewing is particularly outstanding and the acappellaOne For My Baby. Forty two minutes of pure magic.
Lets hope theres a Set Two.
Weblinks:Ether Music.net
The full list of tracks included are :
1. You Go To My Head
2. Under My Skin
3. Saving All My Love For You
4. Blues In The Night
5. Never Never Never
6. A Certain Smile / The Shadow Of Your Smile
7. Blues Are Brewing
8. How Long Has This Been Going On
9. Black Coffee
10. My Romance
11. One For My Baby
12. Night And Day
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.