Blue Light

Blue Light

by Jude Johnstone
Blue Light

Blue Light

by Jude Johnstone

CD

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Overview

An artist does not have to be jazz-oriented to benefit from jazz artistically. That has certainly been the case with Joni Mitchell; it has also been true of Rickie Lee Jones, Sade, Norah Jones, the Doors, Sting and many others who made their mark in rock, pop or R&B but enriched their work by having a jazz influence. And on Blue Light, jazz is an attractive ingredient for singer/songwriter Jude Johnstone even though it is not the CD's main ingredient. Evaluating this 2007 release by straight-ahead jazz standards would be unfair because that isn't where Johnstone is coming from; Blue Light is essentially a pop/rock-adult alternative album, but it is a pop/rock-adult alternative album that is definitely mindful of jazz and torch singing. Even though Johnstone (who wrote or co-wrote all of the songs) has more in common with Rickie Lee Jones stylistically than she does with Sheila Jordan or Abbey Lincoln, there is no overlooking the amount of jazzy torchiness that she brings to originals like "Paper Doll" (not to be confused with the song that the Mills Brothers recorded in 1942), "New York Morning" and "Losin' Hand." Blue Light is dominated by new material, but the exception to that rule is the melancholy bonus track "Over and Done" (which was recorded back in 1983). Hearing "Over and Done" alongside the other songs, one can hear that Johnstone's voice hasn't changed much in 24 years; the Johnstone of 2007 has a nasal vocal style much like the Johnstone of 1983. It's a voice that takes some getting used to, but it's also a voice that can easily grow on the listener, especially considering the consistently high quality of her writing on Blue Light. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date: 08/21/2007
Label: Bojak Records
UPC: 0641444010523
Rank: 160318

Tracks

  1. Blue Light
  2. That's Why I'm Leavin' You
  3. Best Friend
  4. New York Morning
  5. Never Been the Same
  6. Good Guy
  7. I'll Believe You
  8. Paper Doll
  9. Losin' Hand
  10. Quittin' Time
  11. Walk Away
  12. Over and Done

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jude Johnstone   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vibraphone,Piano
Kathleen Lenksi   Trumpet
Jeanne Shumway   Cello
David Pitch   Bass (Upright)
Vince Mendoza   Strings
Tim Hosman   Strings
Paul Severtson   Viola,Violin
Danny Frankel   Drums,Bongos,Shaker,Percussion,Tambourine
Kathleen Lenski   Violin
Marc Macisso   Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
David Piltch   Standup Bass
Freddy Koella   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar
Chuck Domanico   Standup Bass
Mark Hatch   Trumpet (Muted)
Matt Margucci   Trumpet,Trumpet (Muted)
Brynn Albanese   Violin
Michael Nowak   Viola

Technical Credits

Jude Johnstone   Composer,Producer,Photography,Graphic Design
Tim Hosman   String Arrangements
Ken Allardyce   Engineer
Gavin Lurssen   Mastering
Steve Crimmel   Engineer
Henry Lewy   Engineer
Eric Corne   Assistant
Charles Duncan   Mixing,Engineer
Bobby Burton   Photography
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