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Iris Festenstein

One Good Scandal

33 Records

Album description

Iris Festenstein, a former refugee from the apartheid era in South Africa, here makes her debut on the vocally-conscious 33 Records label, supported and directed by her regular pianist, the ultra-uplifting James Pearson, aided by the sterling bass and drums of Roy Babbington and Tristan Maillot, and enhanced by some quality playing on trumpet and flugelhorn from Andy Davies.

In this exalted company, Iris is empowered to apply her appealingly persuasive style to a selection comprising a majority of standards, but most of which, thankfully, have not been exhaustively sung. The Kern/Harbach classic Yesterdays is invigorated at an up-tempo, while As Long As I Live receives the medium/up groove that is ideal for it. A bright idea is the juxtaposing of I Got Rhythm and Fascinating Rhythm, including some neat counterpoint.

A strictly vocal-and-piano version of Pennies From Heaven underlines the compatibility of their alliance, and has probably the best solo by James within these 13 tracks. Among the CD's other pleasures is Iris's perceptive telling of the story of disillusion that is Guess Who I Saw Today , with nice muted trumpet comments.

Then to take me by surprise the lady proves she is equal to the forthright feeling needed to sing the blues that has the title Every Day. Unsurprisingly, there's some romping piano and trumpet jazz on this one. A fitting finale to the set is one of Dave Frishberg's cute novelties, Gotta Get Me Some ZZZ, pronounced Zees, meaning sleep.

It is the title track - one from the productive partnership of Fran Landesman and Simon Wallace - that most clearly illustrates the ability Iris has to give enlightened interpretations to fine fusions of clever lyrics and worthy melodies.