Vocalist Ian Shaw has been regarded as one of the foremost jazz singers in this country for some time but this perhaps overlooks his work as a fine purveyor of show tunes, his stage performances and his role as an activist, all which underlines his versatility.
Here he addresses his admiration for the songs of Stephen Sondheim, from whose huge repertoire he has selected 11 songs in an attempt to show the wide range – a difficult task, although there are certain stylistic similarities in the way they tell a story and make it relevant, accessible and even personal to the listener. Apart from Somewhere, he avoids West Side Story, the launching pad from which Sondheim’s stellar career took off.
Some cover friendships and relationships, their ironies and paradoxes, limitations and commitment, including No One Is Alone, Marry Me A Little, Being Alive and Good Thing Going; others deal with the difficulties of city living, its alienation and isolation, such as Another Hundred People and Take Me To The World. Doing the simplest things in life can pose problems, as Anyone Can Whistle intimates, bringing to mind “You know how to whistle, don’t you Steve? Just put your lips together and blow” (Bacall in To Have And Have Not).
Shaw’s singing closely reflects the content and context of the material, using space, pauses, pace and power to maximum effect in his delivery and interpretation. Pianist Barry Green is the perfect foil, from his Bill Evans-like sensitivity in the introductions and closures to the forceful (where appropriate) peaks and calming descents. An unaffected tribute to the widely appreciated songwriter.
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