REBECCA POOLE is a UK singer/songwriter who began her career performing and recording as “Purdy”. As Purdy she’s worked with people like Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum and performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Stadium – singing in front of a mere 90,000 people! Ms Poole/Purdy has just launched her new album – a ten track ‘Dreamers Ball’, which, she says, is her most personal work to date; so a return to her birth name seemed natural and appropriate.
The soundscape on the album is classic, gentle lounge jazz typified by songs like ‘How Did You Do That’, ‘Wouldn’t Change A Thing’ and a quite lovely ‘Blue Eyes’. Those songs and six others are all original compositions. The LP’s only cover is a treatment of Elvis Costello’s ‘Almost Blue’ which is delivered in appropriate sombre and melancholy way. The accompaniment is sparse – sympatico piano from Mark Edwards and acoustic bass and drums courtesy of Loz Garrat and Mat Skelton respectively. And throughout the album the backing is little more than that. Different drummers are used on various tracks and there are occasional guitar parts while some tracks feature brass flourishes (like the swinging ‘Live For The Moment’). The musical understatement, though, simply adds to the album’s intimacy and allows the purity of Ms Poole’s voice to shine.
Of the album, Rebecca says: It has been a fulfilling experience, finding my way back to jazz, with the help of producer James McMillan and some extraordinary players. It was important to me to record the whole band together in one room. Each song you hear is one take and you can feel the integrity and continuity that comes with doing that. I love how this album is a collection of new compositions combined with some carefully picked poignant songs from my past that have been most praised by my listeners. It feels like a musical journey back home and the Dreamers Ball is a timeless place where we can all go to lose ourselves in music.”
REBECCA POOLE’S ‘Dreamers Ball’ is out now via PURDY MUSIC.
