Close to You Katrine Madsen Artist

Just reading the track list will likely make the more cynical {|jazz|} fan cringe and moan inwardly. Aside from a trio of originals, the set list of {|Close to You|} consists of overly familiar {|ballad|} {|standards|} ranging from {|Duke Ellington|}... Read more

Just reading the track list will likely make the more cynical {|jazz|} fan cringe and moan inwardly. Aside from a trio of originals, the set list of {|Close to You|} consists of overly familiar {|ballad|} {|standards|} ranging from {|Duke Ellington|}'s {|In a Sentimental Mood|} to {|the Beatles|}' {|And I Love Her|} and {|Burt Bacharach|}'s legendarily sappy title track. Never fear, however: this is not an album of boring supper-club faux {|jazz|}. Fond though {|Katrine Madsen|} is of sentimental {|ballads|} like {|The Very Thought of You,|} she's fearless about messing with the familiar and well-loved melodies: her rhythmically varied take on {|The Look of Love|} won't lead anyone to compare her to {|Patty Waters|}, but she'd likely get heckled by some drunk in the audience at the Cocoanut Grove, probably with that old standby Hey, if you get near a tune, sing it! {|Madsen|}'s backing, a simple piano trio, stays unobtrusively in the background throughout, providing elegant but somewhat anonymous backing while leaving the focus entirely on her rich and appealing voice. ~ Stewart Mason Less