Julien Tassin, Great Expectations, WERF ****

Very much worth your time this often pretty moving and poignant album from Belgian guitarist Julien Tassin whose sound lands somewhere between Bill Frisell and Ry Cooder. In the trumpet spot is US player Jason Palmer who took the place of Ron Miles …

Published: 17 Dec 2023. Updated: 4 months.

Very much worth your time this often pretty moving and poignant album from Belgian guitarist Julien Tassin whose sound lands somewhere between Bill Frisell and Ry Cooder. In the trumpet spot is US player Jason Palmer who took the place of Ron Miles who had passed away and to whom a tune here is dedicated. Palmer is excellent, often mournful and expressive, and responds well to the gently insistent beat of bass guitarist Nicolas Thys. Recorded live last year at a number of venues in Belgium there's no grandstanding at all and the less-is-more concepts make for a good listening experience. Tassin's tunes are succinct but say a lot more than you might at first blush think. A word too finally for drummer Dré Pallemaerts whose deft touch does so much to anchor the tunes. Julien Tassin, photo: Lucinde Wahlen

Tags: Reviews

Lisa Wahlandt, Seems Like Yesterday, Enja ***

Basically an album of fairly familiar pop songs (by the likes of the Bee Gees, Van Morrison, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, etc) delivered in a soft jazz fashion. German singer Liza Wahlandt certainly has a very pleasant, inviting, voice and the …

Published: 17 Dec 2023. Updated: 4 months.

Next post

Basically an album of fairly familiar pop songs (by the likes of the Bee Gees, Van Morrison, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, etc) delivered in a soft jazz fashion. German singer Liza Wahlandt certainly has a very pleasant, inviting, voice and the settings rely on a simple piano, bass, drums backing - there isn't much really room for improvisation: that's hardly the point. The jazziest thing here is her own song, a perky number called 'Crashboombang' you could imagine even Norah Jones singing. Pianist Jan Eschke is effective however when he finds space on 'True Colors,' one of the album's best tracks and also impresses when he breaks free a little on 'Norwegian Wood'. And Wahlandt's version of Leonard Cohen's 'Sisters of Mercy' and take on Edie Brickell's 'Good Times' are other tracks we liked. If you happened to be in a hotel lounge setting or on a night out at your local bar and came across Wahlandt singing these familiar tunes you'd probably be happy enough to listen for a while.