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Toft-Olsen: Four
ByToft-Olsen ticks all these four boxes. He has chosen a repertoire of high quality material, chestnuts that he keeps coming back to, including songs like "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," "As Time Goes By" and "All the Way."
The backing on the album is a team of first class playersbassist Thomas Vang, drummer Morten Lund and not least pianist Heine Hansen, a shining lyrical talent whose pearly embellishments frame the mood of the songs perfectly on "That's All" and "Close Your Eyes." On the other hand, the understated accompaniment from Vang and Lund creates a luxurious backdrop for Toft-Olsen to unfold his voice. Light with understated bass notes and smooth with rough edges, he rarely soars, but instead shapes the stories with a musical sense of pause and intonation. He is gently ascending at the end of "Every Time We Say Goodbye," like a car that disappears in the distance, and on "September in the Rain" he adds a lazy cat sense of swing where he has a successful go at scat-singing.
Four is a lovely album of ballads and songs with delicate rhythms and soft swing. It shows that Toft-Olsen has arrived as a crooner and jazz singer with a secure sense of repertoire. Hopefully he will continue exploring the avenues of jazz with his quartet.
Track Listing
Four; That’s All; Close Your Eyes; Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye; September in the Rain; All the Way; Invitation; Round Midnight; It Had to Be You; You’ve Changed; As Time Goes By.
Personnel
Toft-Olsen: vocal; Heine Hansen: piano; Thomas Vang: bass; Morten Lund: drums.
Album information
Title: Four | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Aarhusart
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