Stacey Kent : Let Yourself Go

Stacey Kent

1. Let Yourself Go (Irving Berlin) 2. They Can't Take That Away From Me (George/Ira Gerswhin) 3. I Won't Dance (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh) 4. Isn't This A Lovely Day? (Irving Berlin) 5. They All Laughed (George/Ira Gershwin) 6. He Loves And She Loves (George/Ira Gershwin) 7. Shall We Dance? (George/Ira Gershwin) 8. One For My Baby (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) 9. S'Wonderful (George/Ira Gershwin) 10. A Fine Romance (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields) 11. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz) 12. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket (Irving Berlin) 13. By Myself (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz)

"Prepare to be knocked out! What a discovery she is!" So wrote Humphrey Lyttelton of Stacey Kent's album, Let Yourself Go. The singer first appeared on the scene with her style and delivery fully formed. She immediately displayed a magnetism and authority that have been consistent through all her albums. The material gives this one a head start, for it is made up of songs associated with Fred Astaire and written by Gershwin, Kern, Berlin and Arlen. Astaire was a magical character and the picture of him in the mind with top hat and tails is as vivid as the singing of Miss Kent, who manages to be both a throwback and a sign of the times. These are stunning performances, with an outstanding jazz group that backs all Miss Kent's performances. The key to it is David Newton, one of the finest pianists of the day, and his drummer Steve Brown, while Miss Kent's husband Jim Tomlinson plays reeds. The title track is a case in point, with the singer taking an instant grip on the listener. Tomlinson on tenor then swings as hard as Al Cohn did and Newton lifts the inspiration even further. The reason that the album is indispensable is because that's roughly what happens on all 13 numbers. --Steve Voce

Price: $23.98