Disc of the day: 06-07-09

Elisa Caleb: Carry Me Home (Jazz Talent JTR1)
A charming, non-nonsense vocal album by a singer with a gospel background and deep appreciation of the jazz greats: Billie, Sarah, Ella.

There are quite a few chestnuts from the great American songbook – Surrey With The Fringe On Top, Everytime We Say Goodbye, Thou Swell, etc – but there are also some interesting songs by Elisa’s husband Jo. The opener, Bring Back Spring, is a brave attempt to write a modern song in that American songbook style and it works just fine. The Wind is singled out as a single and could turn into a real favourite this summer. It has all the right ingredients both in melody and lyrics, and steps lightly (think of somewhere in between Corrine Bailey Rae and Liz Wright).

The musicians Elisa has along are fine ones indeed: Ivo Neame on piano and woodwinds, Larry Bartley on bass, Troy Miller on drums and Jo Caleb on guitar (his electric solo on Thou Swell is just one gem; his acoustic rhythm on The Wind is a vital element).

Production by former Amy Winehouse musical director Femi Temowo is clean and classy.

There are some false steps – the gospel of Swing Low is best done with some weight, and the introduction to Alone Together feels a little at odds with what the song turns out to be (the latter being just fine, with another tasty Jo Caleb guitar solo and Elisa conveying the lyric well).

Although Elisa’s voice sounds a little brittle at times and like it will improve considerably with age and experience, this is nevertheless an impressive debut.