Quietly

On her new album, Jacqui presents a selection of lush, atmospheric orchestral arrangements in collaboration with (and lovingly dedicated to) her father, the late Sir John Dankworth.
In addition to standards such as A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square and Blame It On My Youth, the album contains some wonderful original material in the form of the hauntingly beautiful title track (music by John Dankworth, lyrics by Buddy Kaye), and The Man, a father and daughter co-write.

This set by multi-reedist Bill Perkins (who switches between tenor, baritone, bass clarinet and flute) has been reissued on CD with one extra selection. On what was one of the earliest tributes to film composer Johnny Mandel, Perkins was careful to not only perform ballads such as "Emily," "A Time for Love" and "The Shadow of Your Smile" but to add some variety by also playing a few of Mandel's more obscure medium-tempo numbers. Still the results are generally pretty relaxed and tasteful on a quintet set with pianist Victor Feldman (who also plays some cheesy-sounding organ and vibes), guitarist John Pisano, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Larry Bunker.

It’s an alto saxophone sound rarely heard nowadays, cool but intimate, each phrase ending with a tiny shiver of vibrato, and no one deploys it with more delicacy or grace than Allison Neale. This is her musical voice, instantly recognisable, and it remains its calm, fluent self whatever the surroundings.