REVIEW

Jeff Hooper has been pleasing British audiences for some time with his Sinatra-styled performances and is probably the best of the new breed of crooners.

Now he has decided to move into the jazz world. Many have tried and very few have succeeded making this leap.

But Jeff Hooper has made a confident and impressive debut with this, his first jazz album.

Obviously he has listened to a lot of good jazz and paid attention and he tackles some very difficult material interspersed with several quality show tunes by Michel Legrand. (You must believe in Spring and The way she makes me feel), and Hal David (Windows of the World and Bluebird).

In this he is hugely helped by his buddy Steve Waterman who MD’s the sessions and provides some very fiery trumpet backup.

The set opens with a vocal version of Brownie was King (Clifford Brown’s Jordu) with lyrics by Hooper, in which the singer phrases along with the band to great effect. Next a Legrand and then a David and then a Watermanarrangement of Stella by Starlight, (a notoriously difficult song) which he takes head on at breakneck speed. Then the rest of the material is refreshingly unfamiliar, and includes Oh, Lori by the Alessi Brothers, and an original Waterman, Waltz for Dawn, for which Hooper provides intelligent lyrics.

All in all this is a remarkably assured debut. His reading of the show tunes is appropriately dramatic and his scat singing is pretty fearless. The standout track, amongst many, is the flamboyant Bluebird, a big performance in every sense.

The ten-piece band is in inspired form, as are the arrangements, and they contribute enormously to the success of the session.

He is a singer with a rich voice, a big range, impeccable phrasing and a natural feel for jazz. The record deserves to be a big seller if it gets the necessary exposure.

John Martin : The Jazz Rag