Perfect Alibi

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
For singer Claire Martin, 1999's Take My Heart signaled a major shift in direction, as she moved from the world of standards and acoustic jazz to pop songs and production values. Perfect Alibi proceeds further in the transformation of Martin from jazz singer to mainstream pop artist, but her exceptional voice is still impressive, with its subtle blend of transparency and rich harmonics and her sense of a lyric's secret recesses. Producer and engineer Paul Stacey and fellow multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Glasson provided the arrangements, Stacey's for a small group with his own guitars, electric bass, and keyboards, and Glasson for tracks with a mini-orchestra of strings and winds. The overdubbing--Glasson plays viola, flute, and baritone on "How Can I Be Sure?"--rules out the interaction that fueled Martin's early CDs. The songs come from writers as varied as Laura Nyro, John Martyn, and Todd Rundgren, but it's more a matter of what catches Martin's imagination than any innate qualities that determine the results. Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies" never suggests a rationale, but Al Kooper's "More Than You'll Ever Know" is a soulful success. "People Make the World Go Round" is superb pop, with Martin's breathy alto an emotional reservoir amidst the light pop of the background. There's a resonant depth to Martin's voice, an ineffable quality that lends an elegiac depth to some of these songs, often making them utterly different from their original recordings. --Stuart Broomer

Perfect Alibi, Music, Claire Martin, Jazz, Jazz Music, Jazz Vocals, Pop, Vocal Jazz
Perfect Alibi
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Mellow pop-jazz album full of quality
  • ANOTHER WINNER
  • Pure Pop for Now People !
 Perfect Alibi
Claire Martin
Manufacturer: Linn Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
Vocal Jazz GeneralVocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Traditional Vocal PopTraditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Vocal JazzVocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Traditional & Vocal PopTraditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Old Boyfriends
  2. Take My Heart
  3. Make This City Ours
  4. Offbeat: Live at Ronnie Scott's Club
  5. Love

ASIN: B00004SULY
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

  1. How Can I Be Sure?
  2. Man In The Station
  3. Up From The Skies
  4. Inspired Insanity
  5. People Make The World Go Round
  6. Shadowville
  7. Strangers Now
  8. More Than You'll Ever Know
  9. Over By Allenby
  10. More Than I Can Bear
  11. He's A Runner
  12. Wailing Wall

Amazon.com

For singer Claire Martin, 1999's Take My Heart signaled a major shift in direction, as she moved from the world of standards and acoustic jazz to pop songs and production values. Perfect Alibi proceeds further in the transformation of Martin from jazz singer to mainstream pop artist, but her exceptional voice is still impressive, with its subtle blend of transparency and rich harmonics and her sense of a lyric's secret recesses. Producer and engineer Paul Stacey and fellow multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Glasson provided the arrangements, Stacey's for a small group with his own guitars, electric bass, and keyboards, and Glasson for tracks with a mini-orchestra of strings and winds. The overdubbing--Glasson plays viola, flute, and baritone on "How Can I Be Sure?"--rules out the interaction that fueled Martin's early CDs. The songs come from writers as varied as Laura Nyro, John Martyn, and Todd Rundgren, but it's more a matter of what catches Martin's imagination than any innate qualities that determine the results. Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies" never suggests a rationale, but Al Kooper's "More Than You'll Ever Know" is a soulful success. "People Make the World Go Round" is superb pop, with Martin's breathy alto an emotional reservoir amidst the light pop of the background. There's a resonant depth to Martin's voice, an ineffable quality that lends an elegiac depth to some of these songs, often making them utterly different from their original recordings. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mellow pop-jazz album full of quality.......2003-08-09

Claire's roots are in jazz, but this album is further from her jazz roots than anything else she has recorded so far. I love her jazz music, but this album gives Claire a chance to show that she can mix jazz with pop and soul.

The opening track, How can I be sure, was an American hit for the Rascals but a British hit for Dusty Springfield and it likely that Claire (a Brit) was inspired by Dusty's version. On an album such as this, it is surprising to find a Jimi Hendrix cover (Up from the skies) but I think Claire's interpretation of the song is wonderful. There are at least a couple of original songs (Strangers now, Over by Allenby) and several covers of generally obscure material, but the whole album flows well and sets its own mood.

This is a brilliant album - Claire has never done anything else - but with all the different influences, it is more accessible to pop music fans than her other albums. Jazz fans must make up their own minds about this album (most will enjoy it anyway), but Claire's best ever album is her 2002 release Too darn hot, which is a real treat for jazz fans.

5 out of 5 stars ANOTHER WINNER.......2003-06-29

Another great release from this smooth and smokey jazz singer...this time Claire is moving in a different direction fusing pop and soul with a jazz feel...and what a lot of feeling she puts into it...People Make The World Go Round simply SIZZLES with a slow groovy jazz vibe...u will not be dissapointed

4 out of 5 stars Pure Pop for Now People !.......2001-10-19

What a tremendous surprise this disc was! Having only been vaguely familiar with Ms. Martin's previous work I had no real expectations...but upon listening to this cd at the local record (cd) store I didn't hesitate to have my very own copy. Why? I'm glad you asked!

Where to begin? For starters... any cd that starts off with a wonderful rendition of the Rascals "How Can I Be Sure" is certainly a big hit with me already! A truly marvelous song she handles it very well and for that she receives kudos. The rest of the journey is equally enjoyable with songs written by Todd Rundgren,Lauro Nyro and best of all the Spinners,"People Make the World Go Round" a song that still has relevance today.Add to the mix a Jimi Hendrix tune and you may be able to tell that, in this case, variety truly is the "spice of life."

Taken as a whole this cd sounds as though everyone was truly enjoying themselves and it comes across to the listener. I must say that any singer who enjoys taking material perhaps not so well known and making it her own is someone I have a certain degree of repect for...at least musically. By tackling these songs Claire has certainly earned my respect for her efforts. No, not ground-breaking music here, just a disc made up of wonderful "pop" songs, lovingly crafted and impeccably sung!

So, at the risk of getting positively "gushy" I would suggest you get your own copy as well. Imagine your friends surprise upon hearing this disc the very first time! A trend-setter you will be....but then we knew that! Didn't we? ENJOY!
CLAIRE MARTIN: The Linn Box 2 - Make This City Ours - Take My Heart (HDCD) - Perfect Alibi (HDCD)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		CLAIRE MARTIN: The Linn Box 2 - Make This City Ours - Take My Heart (HDCD) - Perfect Alibi (HDCD)
    Claire Martin
    Manufacturer: Linn Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000FL6Y72
    Release Date: 2006-05-01

    Tracks:

    1. How Can I Be Sure?
    2. Man In the Station [with John Martyn]
    3. Up From the Skies
    4. Inspired Insanity
    5. People Wake the World Go Round
    6. Shadowville
    7. Strangers Now
    8. More Than You'll Even Know
    9. Over By Allenby
    10. More Than I Can Bear
    11. He's A Runner
    12. Wailing Wall

    Product Description

    Claire Martin

    The Linn Box Set Vol. 2

    Featuring:

    Make This City Ours
    Claire Martin - vocals
    Gareth Williams - piano, backing vocals
    Peter Washington - bass
    Gregory Hutchinson - drums
    Antonio Hart - saxophone
    Gerard Presencer - flugel horn, trumpet

    Take My Heart (HDCD)

    Perfect Alibi (HDCD)
    John Martyn - guest vocals

    Perfect Alibi
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Perfect Alibi
      Claire Martin
      Manufacturer: Linn Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
      Vocal Jazz GeneralVocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
      Vocal JazzVocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B00005Q6AB
      Release Date: 2002-04-02

      Tracks:

      1. How Can I Be Sure?
      2. Man In The Station
      3. Up From The Skies
      4. Inspired Insanity
      5. People Make The World Go Round
      6. Shadowville
      7. Strangers Now
      8. More Than You'll Ever Know
      9. Over By Allenby
      10. More Than I Can Bear
      11. He's A Runner
      12. Wailing Wall

      Music:

      1. Playin' Hooky
      2. Pretty Eyes/Guitars alà Lee [Import] [Original recording remastered]
      3. Restless Willow
      4. Sea of Dreams/Love Tide [Import]
      5. Sings George Gershwin
      6. Something Else [Import] [Original recording remastered]
      7. Soulcall
      8. Spirit of St. Louis
      9. Stage and Screen [Import]
      10. Stories of Love [Import]

      Music

      Music