Zara McFarlane – Sweet Whispers. Celebrating Sarah Vaughan
(Eternal Source of Light ESOL004LP. Album review by Bruce Lindsay)
This year marks the centenary of Sarah Vaughan’s birth, on 27 March 1924 to be precise, so it’s no surprise to see the release of an album celebrating Vaughan’s life and work. Zara McFarlane’s Sweet Whispers may not be the only such recording to emerge over the next few months, but it’s pleasing to report that its combination of a fine singer, a terrific band and some excellent production and arranging will make it a tough act to follow.
McFarlane has said that Vaughan “made me really listen to jazz standards and the American Songbook in a way that elevated the songs and made me truly feel something, which is ridiculously hard when dealing with such familiar material.” There’s plenty of familiar material on Sweet Whispers — notably those old warhorses “Tenderly” and “Stardust” — but Giacomo Smith’s arrangements (McFarlane gets a co-credit on three of them) ensure that even “Stardust” sounds fresh. Although McFarlane’s voice is to the fore, Smith’s contributions are crucial to the overall sound: he’s also the producer, as well as playing saxes and clarinets, and adding backing vocals to “The Mystery of Man.” Pianist Joe Webb, bassist Ferg Ireland and drummer Jas Kayser form a tight rhythm section, displaying an easy rapport. There are also key contributions from steel pan player Marlon Hibbert (a joyous performance on “Obsession”) and cellist Gabriella Swallow (crucial to the mood of “September Song”).
Vaughan’s recording career stretched from the 1940s to the 1980s — she died in April 1990. Such a long career gives modern singers much to choose from. As well as the familiar, McFarlane’s song choices include less well-known numbers such as “Great Day” and “The Mystery of Man.” She includes her own “Sweet Whispers,” which closes the album, “Mean to Me,” which is McFarlane’s own favourite Vaughan number, and two contrasting songs which form the heart of Sweet Whispers: Maxwell Anderson and Kurt Weill’s “September Song” and Marvin Gaye and James Nyx Jr’s “Inner City Blues.” Both songs have their own poignancy: “September Song,” which Vaughan released in 1955, tells beautifully of the passing of time, the approach of life’s winter and the need to make the most of the autumn years; “Inner City Blues” is angry, a plea for those who barely survive. Vaughan’s interpretation of the former is slow, emotive, melancholy: McFarlane gives it a lighter touch, thanks to a faster tempo and Webb’s sprightly piano stylings. Vaughan’s version of the Marvin Gaye classic is funky, but its complex big band arrangement reduces the effect of the lyrics: McFarlane’s stripped-back, restrained interpretation, rooted by the double bass, ensures that the lyrics are more prominent and impactful. Sweet Whispers is a terrific celebration, one that not only draws on some highlights from Vaughan’s career but also showcases McFarlane’s own talent in superb fashion.
Buy ‘Sweet Whispers. Celebrating Sarah Vaughan’ from Presto Music
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