Nicola Conte sits at the handy junction point of jazz and dance – the sort of jazz you might look to incorporate into a late night set, maybe in small doses. Occasionally things get a bit too intense with lengthy trumpet and clarinet solos, but this is largely economically written, and where vocals are used, beautifully performed. Conte writes songs with a mixture of dreamy contentment and intimacy, with a lovely bit of Autumnal atmosphere achieved in ‘Like Leaves In The Wind’ or ‘Red Sun’. The use of live instruments helps keep the sound vital, and the rhythms are often vibrant – so that while this is quite a long album, it’s kept interesting throughout. If you’re keen to dip your toes in jazz just now and then, this is definitely one to consider.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
