Allison Scull & Victor Martin – Cool Like The Breeze (2groove Records)
I forget what age you’re supposed to be before it’s okay to start liking jazz. Someone put together a formula once with all relevant data: willingness to wear a turtleneck, ownership of hats, that sort of thing. Of course all bets are off if you’re French, but I’m not, so I’m playing it by ear. Allison Scull met Victor Martin at one of her solo shows when he joined her on stage to provide improvised accompaniment – uninvited! There must have been magic in the air that night, otherwise an improvised arse-kicking may well have ensued. They’ve been together ever since, recording and releasing a series of albums, and Cool As The Breeze is the latest. For UK listeners the easiest reference point would probably be Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt’s Everything But The Girl, as they demonstrate the same talent for relaxed, jazzy grooves within a fairly structured song format. They both provide vocals, though Scull takes the lead, writes the majority of the original material and plays guitar. Martin plays saxophone, which gives much of the music an extra dimension and wears the hat. They call it jazzfolk. I make them right.
www.myspace.com/allisonscullvictormartin
Sandra G.

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