‘Love Kim x’ Album Review – Jazz Views
Another great review for ‘Love Kim x’. This time on the Jazz Views website. My thanks to Nick Lea for taking the time to review my album. Below is an excerpt of the review and you can read the full review here on the Jazzviews website.
Kim Cypher (vocals, tenor, alto & soprano saxophones, flute); Pee Wee Ellis (tenor saxophone); Chris Santo Cobbson, Lee Jones, B.D.Lenz (guitar); David Newton (piano, keyboards); Tom Clarke-Hill (double & electric bass), Clive Morton (double bass); Mike Cyher (drums); Karl Vanden Bossche (percussion); Jean-Paul Gard (organ & piano); Alex Steele (piano); The Kentwood Show Choir
Kim Cypher is a musician not one to hide her talents under a bushel, and her playing is unashamedly on the funkier side of jazz. While this may be frowned upon by many a purist, this is undoubtedly a good thing for the music helping introducing many to the music who may have turned their noses up at the more contemporary jazz available, and offering a way into the music that had previously been denied them. Make no bones about it, Cypher is a serious musician who has done her homework, and draws influences and inspiration from diverse players such as Courtney Pine and Andy Sheppard alongside Grover Washington and Pee Wee Ellis, who incidentally is featured on the album.
The new album, her second as leader, is a delightful listen that has a well programmed and varied set of songs that ensure that the music is always fresh and interesting. Cypher brings an individual tone to each of her saxophones, and ensures that when contributing saxophone lines behind her own vocals that these are never overplayed, and let the lyrics tell the story and are merely enhance by her embellishments.