ALISON DEWAR  - NATURAL (2007)

Alison Dewar – vocals

Andy Panayi - Flute and Alto Flute

Graham Harvey – piano

Dave Chamberlain – double bass

Matt Skelton – drums

Derek Nash – saxophone

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review by DJ Nova (Greece)

I discovered Alison while searching for new jazz artists in the myspace community. Her eternally fresh voice impressed me from her webpage music player. Softly As In The Morning Sunrise was a song I couldn't resist. I requested it and chose it as a track of the month on my radio show Nova Planet in May 2006. And that was only the beginning, because that same track was licensed for my compilation Night & Day by Prominence Recordings. Many jazz radio shows and radio stations worldwide included her debut EP single in their playlists which showed us her unique style. That was then … Now a year later her debut album is finally here. This album has exceeded the expectations I have had since first hearing her. The purity of her voice showcases a wide range of styles and moods. An emotional work, a jazz standard which will turn her into a future glittering star of the scene. Natural follows the classic paths and flirts with the modern jazz feeling in every single corner of the eleven track journey. Unexpected covers like Alannah Myles's Black Velvet (a song about Elvis Presley) and her Antonio Carlos Jobim's classic Desafinando (a personal fave of Alison Dewar on her live appearances) sung in Portuguese build a colourful 1000 piece puzzle among Hi-Fly, Mood To Mood, How About You (the swing, on the dancefloor and I especially love the bass sound on these tracks – would sound amazing in the warm acoustics of a large club) and the simplicity of the instruments in You Must Believe In Spring, The Best Is Yet To Come. The polymorphic image of Natural is completed with the ballads of Nature Boy, Once Upon A Summertime and Too Young To Go Steady. Take a deep breath, drink a glass of wine, relax and listen to this promising artist after an exhausting day at work.

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