Ian Shaw – Drawn To All Things (2006) [SACD / Linn Records – AKD 276]
Title: Ian Shaw – Drawn To All Things (2006)
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Ian Shaw’s debut album on Linn Records is a stunning collection of re-workings of classic and lesser-known Joni Mitchell songs. Ian Shaw records a personal tribute to his personal heroine Joni Mitchell. Drawn To All Things includes three songs which had not previously been recorded by anyone other than Joni; ‘Talk to Me’, ‘Love Or Money’ and ‘Stay In Touch’. Top jazz vocalists and musicians lend their support; Claire Martin and Lea de Laria on vocals, plus trumpeter Guy Barker and guitarist Jim Mullen.
For years now, Ian Shaw has been topping Britain’s Best Jazz Singer polls. An ardent believer in all things Joni Mitchell, it was only a matter of time before he delivered his versions of the Joni songs he deemed most suitable for reinvention. An emotional, expressive interpreter with the ability to explore every aspect of both lyric and melody, he’s at his most creative on ballads like A Case of You and Stay In Touch, the basic rhythm section sometimes cushioning solos by guest guitarist Jim Mullen and horn men Guy Barker and Nigel Hitchcock. There’s also fun to be had – Talk To Me jumps happily, Chelsea Morning appears in breezy guise, Harlem in Havana is a basis for scatting between Shaw and Lea de Laria, while Night Ride Home finds Claire Martin stepping up for duet duties.