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Elly Roberts reviews
33 Records
- Released: March 2005
- Rating: 8/10
- Cat.no.: 33JAZZ121
Zoe Schwarz sets herself apart from her contemporaries by her new skool approach, whilst retaining old skool values.
This sensual blonde builds on last years excellent offering, with a stylishcollaboration from guitarist Rob Koral. The pair,who contribute eightsongs, are a formidable force in their respective departments: Schwarz aconsummate singer, Koral a dextrous digital master. Both have harnessed theirskills with perfection, all channelled into a collection that never gets tooloungy, and has enough to please purists and possesses a hint of cross-overappeal.
She starts strong with Frankie and Johnny, a jaunty delightshowcasing her silky smooth larynx,while Koral picks his way in anultra-cool way. By sharp contrast, Devil Or Dove sees them both wrapthemselves around the notes as Schwarz leaps into husky sensualitymode,which prevails through other tracks such as, More Than You Know and ADove.
Stuck in the middle is a rip-roaring keyboard excursion by HilaryCameron as they syncopate in frenetic fashion on People Like To Talk.A possible single comes in the shape of Throw It Away – a definite forA-playlist on BBC Radio 2.
Seven tracks on it comes to a gentle close with Koral displaying his finelyhoned technique on a haunting Meet You In My Dreams with Zoes vocalsfloating in the background.
A very strong album.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Blues To Frankie & Johnnie
2. Devil Or Dove
3. Lets Explain
4. Devil May Care
5. Heroes
6. People Like To Talk
7. Throw It Away 8. More Than You Know
9. Give Him Up Girl
10. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
11. A Dove
12. Youre Not Alone
13. Will You
14. Meet You In My Dreams
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.