| Jazz |
A Carefully Crafted Jazz Record That Rarely Stirs the Soul
There are albums that provoke strong, immediate reactions, whether awe or irritation, and then there are those that leave the listener suspended in ambivalence. This release undoubtedly falls into the latter category. Musically, it is a study in precision: a refined, technically impeccable form of jazz that draws heavily from the genre’s storied past. It is elegant and polished, bearing all the hallmarks of classic jazz craftsmanship, but it seldom ventures into new or emotionally resonant territory.
On the vocal front, things are less compelling. The singing is technically sound but emotionally muted, a performance that privileges control over connection. There are faint echoes of Carol Duboc, though without the interpretive nuance that allows a vocalist to truly move the listener. Emotion gives way to execution, and what remains is a voice that blends into the background rather than commanding attention. This is an album best suited for passive listening, the kind one might play in the background while the mind drifts elsewhere, drawn in occasionally by the superb musicianship that, to be fair, is the album’s strongest asset. Indeed, the instrumentalists here are nothing short of outstanding, offering enough dynamic interplay to carry the listener through to the final track.
And yet, one finishes the album feeling satisfied but unshaken, pleased to have heard it, but not compelled to return anytime soon.
The record’s principal flaw may lie in its apparent bid for accessibility. It is an album that will find favor among those seeking a safe, pleasant listening experience, the kind that neither offends nor challenges. Over the decades, we’ve seen numerous vocal jazz artists in this mold who have achieved commercial success without necessarily advancing the form. In this case, we are a far cry from the emotive depth of Lauren Henderson’s recent release Sonidos, an album that dared to stir something deeper in the listener.
Lyrically, the album settles for easy, agreeable verse, pleasant but devoid of the poetic risk or intellectual spark that might have elevated it. There is, to its credit, an evident effort to construct a rhythmically engaging tracklist, one that seeks to maintain the listener’s attention through clever sequencing. This does work, for a time. But by the fifth track, the vocal sameness begins to wear thin. In a year where vocal jazz has delivered a number of far more adventurous and compelling projects, this record risks fading quickly from memory.
Recommended, perhaps, for those who prefer their jazz calm and carefully measured. But for listeners in search of something more daring, more affecting—this is not the album that will satisfy that craving.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 15th 2025
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Musicians :
Emma Hedrick, voice
Connor Rohrer, piano
Anton Kot, drums
Thor Eide Johansen, bass
Shane McCandless, saxophone
Tracklist :
The Idea of Love
Dreamscape
Newcomer
In The Warmth
Tone Poem In Grreenwich Village
Spring Haiku Collection
Inside Your Mind
In The Garden
Come Home
Waste No More Days