Kathleen Bertrand: KatharsisReviewed by Ismo TenkanenNo serious fan of jazzy soul should really hesitate a second longer to invest in this album. You won't be disappointed!There are no duds on this CD. The album is full of adult, full-blooded jazzy soul with superb vocalising and mainly real musicians. Enjoy!Rating: 9/ 10Soul Express CD of the Month - November-December 2011
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1) All the Love You Need
2) Grandma's Hands
3) Wrapped around Your Finger
4) Date Night
5) (Love Is) Stronger Than Pride
6) Jazz at Piedmont Park
7) Don't Let It Die
8) I Thought about You
9) Hello Love
10) Life's Questions
11) So Glad
12) (Love Is) Stronger Than Pride - B-Side
To be honest, the year 2011 had been so disappointing for a lover of real soul & jazz that I already almost lost my hope to find an album I would be ready to advertise as the "album of the year" in 2011. Now it seems I've finally found it! Kathleen Bertrand' 2002 album No Regrets was our album of the month in our printed Soul Express magazine back in early 2002, and I've been Kathleen's fan ever since. Maybe I'd better cite our reviewer Petteri Ruotsalainen how he described Katlheen's talents in 2002: "Gabriel Anders and Sade could be mentioned as points of comparison for the music on No Regrets, although it should be mentioned that Kathleen's jazz competence is on an entirely different level; perhaps Phyllis Hyman might vocally be a better reference". Indeed. Vocally, Kathleen has been compared not only to Phyllis, but to Anita Baker, Chaka Khan and Rachelle Ferrell as well, and no serious fan of jazzy soul should really hesitate a second longer to invest in this album. You won't be disappointed! Probably the best evidence of the overall quality of the new album (Kathleen's fifth) is that the favorite tracks seem to vary from reviewer to another. Personally, I first fell in love with the sublime, mature opening track All The Love You Need, which you can listen on the YouTube as well: Of the few cover tunes on the album, Wrapped around Your Finger (originally by Sting) seems to have gathered most praises, and with a reason. It is really a heavenly interpretation of the tune, imbedded in a gliding piano-based jazz background. Tasty in extreme! Another track that has been enthused on the album is titled Date Night, and you can watch the interview with Kathleen, telling more about the particular track - which was insipred by President Obama and the First Lady as well: This track is set in a more modern and partly programmed musical setting, but Kathleen's velvety, full bodied alto dominate the overall atmosphere, not the background. The Sade cover (Love Is) Stronger Than Price is actually a good demonstration that although Kathleen has been often compared with Sade, Kathleens' own style is both vocally and musically quite far from the pop-jazz sounds of Sade - much more mature and closer to real jazz. You can hardly imagine Kathleen's version to be played on a mid-day radio show! A couple of tracks lean towards Latin / Bossa sounds, and I have no complaints about that, either. She has had those inclinations on her previous albums, too, and on this album Jazz at Piedmont Park and Hello Love are dedicated for those who enjoy jazz with strong Latin & Bossa Nova flavours. Despite the four cover tunes on the album, Kathleen certainly makes it clear that she is not only trying to copy the atmosphere of the past classics, she is also trying to create new ones. Just listen to the opening lyrics of Don't Let It Die, where she sings: "This sound called jazz is mine, and it's yours for all time. We got to keep it live. And in our hearts we must try to protect these melodies, these sounds, these riffs, these beats. So don't let it die!" And a robust saxophone & trumpet solo follows... There are no duds on this CD. The album is full of adult, full-blooded jazzy soul with superb vocalising and mainly real musicians. Enjoy! - Ismo Tenkanen Soul Express editor The Latest CD Reviews Albums of the Month in 2011 Albums of the Month in 2010 Albums of the Month in 2009 Albums of the Month in 2008 |
